Katie Lester

she/her

  • Visiting Assistant Professor in Astronomy
Katie Lester, Visiting Lecturer in Astronomy

Katie Lester is an observational astronomer who studies binary star systems and exoplanets. The primary goal of her research is to investigate how planets form differently in systems with one star versus multiple stars. She collects high resolution imaging and spectroscopy data from the Gemini, WIYN, and Keck telescopes to measure the orbital motion of binary stars that host planets, in order to study the dynamical environments that affect planet formation.

Areas of Expertise

Exoplanets & binary star systems

Recent Publications

Lester, K., Howell, S., Matson, R., Furlan, E., Gnilka, C., Littlefield, C., Ciardi, D., Everett, M., Fajardo-Acosta, S., & Clark, C. (2023) "Visual Orbits and Alignments of Planet-hosting Binary Systems", The Astronomical Journal, 166, 166

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