Eruptive mass loss and the resulting dramatic brightness variations are ubiquitous in the lives of stars, their planetary companions, and their remnants. While these episodes can fundamentally change their evolutionary course, they frequently enshroud them in veils of dust and make them unobservable in the optical, ultraviolet and X-ray bands. In this talk, I will present our efforts toward conducting an all-sky survey of infrared variability, aimed at capturing these poorly observed phases in stellar evolution. I will introduce the WISE Transients Project (WTP), an initiative aimed at an end-to-end exploration of the variable mid-infrared sky using archival data from the NEOWISE sky survey. Reprocessed using state-of-the-art image processing techniques, the NEOWISE data have been repurposed to serve as a transient discovery engine, providing fundamental new insights ranging from the co-evolution of stars and planets to the formation of black holes. I will conclude with an overview of the coming decade of infrared surveys, highlighting i) the potential of the recently launched SPHEREx mission to provide an unbiased spectral atlas of IR transients, ii) the rise of ground-based IR survey capabilities spearheaded by novel instrumentation and iii) the first look into the high redshift dusty universe with the Roman space telescope. 

Speaker: Kishalay De (Columbia University)

The 2025 Fall Colloquium talks are held on Wednesdays at 3:00 PM. This colloquium is hosted by STScI and will be held as an in-person and virtual event.

You may join in person at STScI’s John N. Bahcall Auditorium or virtually on the STScI Research YouTube channel.

Please direct questions or comments to contact above. The 2025 Fall Colloquium Committee members are: Nimisha Kumari (STScI), Elena Manjavacas (STScI), Jack Neustadt (JHU), Kevin Schlaufman (JHU), Adam Smercina (STScI), Ethan Vishniac (JHU).