Shanghai Astronomical Observatory Astrophysics Colloquium

Title:Coronagraphs: From Proving Einstein to Imaging Exoplanetary/Extragalactic Systems

Speaker:Prof. Bin Ren (Xiamen University)

Time:15:00, Thursday, 4 June 2026

Tencent Meeting:46822606747 password: 6360

Location: Lecture Hall, 3rd floor

Abstract：Three decades after the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star, we have confirmed over 6,000 exoplanets. However, the existence of a Solar System analog – let alone an exo-Earth around a Sun-like star – remains elusive. This gap in our knowledge reflects not the uniqueness of our home, but the technical challenge of directly detecting habitable worlds around Sun-like stars. In ~2035, high-contrast imaging using coronagraphs is expected to offer the most direct and promising path for exo-Earth confirmation. I will discuss the evolution of coronagraphic imaging from it validating General Relativity to its current role in studying faint objects around bright central sources (stars, quasars, etc.). I will highlight key results that have shaped our understanding of planet formation, and outline the exciting trajectory of the exploration of exoplanetary and extragalactic systems.

CV：Bin Ren is a Professor of Astronomy in Xiamen University working on high contrast imaging x applied math. He got his PhD from The Johns Hopkins University in 2019. Before returning to his undergraduate alma mater in 2025, he worked at Caltech (postdoc), Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG, young researcher), and Observatoire de la Cote d’Azur (Marie Curie Fellow; meanwhile, a guest at Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie).

 Koushare link to the recorded presentation