These are the fundamental questions that I ultimately seek to answer in my research career as an astronomer.
The direct detection of radiation originating in exoplanetary atmospheres is a requirement for the identification of spectral signatures indicative of extraterrestrial biological activity. I use the latest generation of ground- and space-based technologies to lead innovative projects that push the envelope in imaging and characterizing exoplanetary systems.
Latest Research Highlight
A Giant Planet Candidate Imaged in the Habitable Zone of Alpha Centauri A
"JWST’s glimpse of our next-door solar system is worth celebrating."
First/Co-First(*) Author Scientific Publications
(11) Worlds Next Door: A Candidate Giant Planet Imaged in the Habitable Zone of Alpha Centauri A. II. Binary Star Modeling, Planet and Exozodi Search, and Sensitivity Analysis
Sanghi, A.*, Beichman, C.*, Mawet, D., et al., 2025, ApJL, 989, L23.
(10) Worlds Next Door: A Candidate Giant Planet Imaged in the Habitable Zone of Alpha Centauri A. I. Observations, Orbital and Physical Properties, and Exozodi Upper Limits
Beichman, C.*, Sanghi, A.*, Mawet, D., et al., 2025, ApJL, 989, L22.
(9) A Preliminary Search for Planets and Exozodiacal Emission Around Alpha Centauri A with JWST/MIRI
Sanghi, A.*, Beichman, C.*, Mawet, D., et al., 2025, RNAAS, 9, 119.
(8) Efficiently Searching for Close-in Companions around Young M Dwarfs Using a Multi-year PSF Library
Sanghi, A., Xuan, J. W., Wang, J. J., et al., 2024, AJ, 168, 218.
(7) Ultracool Dwarf Absolute Magnitude Versus Spectral Type Relations for Euclid and Roman Near-infrared Filters
Sanghi, A., Liu, M. C., Best, W. M. J., et al., 2024, RNAAS, 8, 137.
(6) Ultracool Dwarf Absolute Magnitude Versus Spectral Type Relations for JWST NIRCam Filters
Sanghi, A., Liu, M. C., Best, W. M. J., et al., 2023, RNAAS, 7, 194.
(5) The Hawaii Infrared Parallax Program. VI. The Fundamental Properties of 1000+ Ultracool Dwarfs and Planetary-mass Objects Using Optical to Mid-IR SEDs and Comparison to BT-SETTL and ATMO 2020 Model Atmospheres
Sanghi, A., Liu, M. C., Best, W. M. J., et al., 2023, ApJ, 959, 63.
(4) HST/WFC3 H-alpha Direct-Imaging Detection of a Pointlike Source in the Disk Cavity of AB Aur
Zhou, Y.*, Sanghi, A.*, Bowler, B. P., et al., 2022, ApJL, 934, L13.
(3) Efficiently Imaging Accreting Protoplanets from Space: Reference Star Differential Imaging of the PDS 70 Planetary System using the HST/WFC3 Archival PSF Library
Sanghi, A., Zhou, Y., Bowler, B. P., 2022, AJ, 163, 119.
(2) Identifying Periodic Variable Stars and Eclipsing Binary Systems with Long-Term Las Cumbres Observatory Photometric Monitoring of ZTF J0139+5245
Sanghi, A., Vanderbosch, Z. P., Montgomery, M. H., 2021, AJ, 162, 133.
(1) Visualizing the Complex Roots of Quadratic and Cubic Polynomial Functions in Three Dimensions
Sanghi, A., 2021, The College Mathematics Journal, 52(5), 373-379.