Jonathan Langton holds degrees in physics from Principia College and the University of California at Santa Cruz. Before joining the Principia College faculty in 2009, he spent a year as a post-doctoral fellow at UC Santa Cruz.

Dr. Langton's research interests have focused on the study of extrasolar planets. For his dissertation research, he modeled the atmospheres of strongly irradiated giant exoplanets, with particular emphasis on planets with eccentric orbits. Since then, he has worked on analysis of exoplanet observations taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope. His current activities also include detection of extrasolar planets using the Principia Observatory, and a study of dynamical tides of extremely eccentric planets.

Dr. Langton is a member of:

• Sigma Pi Sigma
• American Astronomical Society

A few of his Dr. Langton’s publications include:

• Laughlin, G. et al.  "Rapid heating of the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet."  Nature, 2009.
• Langton, J. and Laughlin, G.  "Hydrodynamic simulations of unevenly irradiated jovian planets."  Astrophysical Journal, 2008.
• Langton, J. and Laughlin, G.  "Observational consequences of hydrodynamic flows on hot jupiters."  Astrophysical Journal, 2007.