Faculty

Darren Williams

Email: dmw145@psu.edu
Phone: 814-898-6008
Office Address: 120 Witkowski, Penn State Behrend
Title: Physics Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Unit: Department of Physiscs
Webpage: https://behrend.psu.edu/person/darren-williams

Research Interests:

• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Planetary Science

Research:

Spin-Orbital Dynamics of Planets and Moons; Evolution of the Solar System; Exoplanets and Exomoons; Asteroid Impacts on Terrestrial Planets; Climates of Terrestrial Planets

About:

Darren Williams is a planetary astronomer who studies the climates, orbits, observable characteristics, and dynamical evolution of planets and satellites. He is perhaps best known for his innovative work on the formation and habitability of exoplanetary moons, as well as the climates of Earth-like planets with unusual spins and orbital shapes. His present work is on the final stages of planetary accretion, and designs for a new miniature space telescope (The Pale-Blue-Dot Telescope) to remotely observe the terrestrial planets at sub-pixel resolution.