Saturday, January 30 th

Transcription

1 Saturday, January 30 th WRAL 3D Theater -1 st Floor NEC 10:00am: Journey to Space 3D* *Fee: You can purchase tickets at the box office 11:30am: : A Path from North Carolina to NASA Astronaut and Beyond Christina H. Koch, NASA Astronaut Talk will highlight the path that Christina took from growing up in North Carolina to becoming an Astronaut, the Astronaut Candidate training she recently completed, and how NASA s Human Space Flight plans involve Astronauts as a part of the search for life beyond our planet. A Path from North Carolina to NASA Astronaut and Beyond Christina H. Koch, NASA Astronaut Talk will highlight the path that Christina took from growing up in North Carolina to becoming an Astronaut, the Astronaut Candidate training she recently completed, and how NASA s Human Space Flight plans involve Astronauts as a part of the search for life beyond our planet. Searching for E.T. Dr. Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer and Director, SETI Institute There are a trillion planets in the Milky Way, so it's hard to believe we're alone. How are scientists searching for aliens, and what would happen if they found them? SECU Daily Planet Theater -1 st, 2 nd, & 3 rd Floors, NRC 11am 12:00pm Planets and the James Webb Space Telescope Dr. Klaus Pontoppidan, JWST deputy project scientist, Space Telescope Science Institute Learn about the James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. A key scientific objective of the observatory, due to be launched in 2018, is to revolutionize our understanding of exoplanets, their makeup and formation. Unmasking Europa: The Search for Life on Jupiter s Ocean Moon Richard Greenberg, Professor Emeritus of Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona and author of the book Unmasking Europa. Europa, one of the four moons of Jupiter discovered by Galileo, may be the most likely place for us to first find extraterrestrial life and is a top exploration objective for NASA. Although only the size of the Earth s own moon, it is surrounded by a global ocean with twice as much liquid water as all the oceans of Earth. Images of the surface show a thin layer of ice, which undergoes continual change as it is cracked and heated by tides. The Science of The Martian SECU Daily Planet Theater Expert Panel will include Dr. Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer and Director, SETI Institute

2 Join us for a riveting group discussion to determine the truths, far-fetched ideas, and exciting possibilities from The Martian. Radiation and Life on Mars Dr. Regina DeWitt, East Carolina University We do not know if there ever has been life on Mars, but in the past the climate was much more suitable for life than today. This presentation describes how radiation on Mars influences life forms that might have existed or still exist. Searching for Life on Galactic Scales, SECU Daily Planet Theater Dr. Patrick Treuthardt, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Windows on the World NEC 3 rd Floor 1: : : Enceladus and Its Ice Geysers Jeff Qualls, NASA Solar System Ambassador I will discuss Saturn s moon Enceladus and what we have learned about it from the Cassini orbiter. I will also discuss a proposed mission to learn more about Enceladus and its ice geysers. Saturn Room, NRC 4 th Floor 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm Our Amazing Star: The Sun Ron Monti, Raleigh Astronomy Club The Surface of Pluto Ian Hewitt, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Pluto is a far more interesting place than we first imagined with a dynamic surface more like Earth than we suspected. Learn about some of the interesting discoveries and puzzles seen by the New Horizon mission. The Oceans, By Jove Matthew Funke, NASA Solar System Ambassador We ll talk about the oceans we ve found on the moons circling Jupiter, and why we think Europa s in particular could be a good candidate for life. Cassini at Saturn A final Mission Extension for our Intrepid Spacecraft Shawn Bayle, NASA Solar System Ambassador Roving Mars: Updates Ken Brandt, Robeson Planetarium

3 4pm How We Looked at Pluto Tony Rice, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Since passing Pluto in July, the New Horizons mission has returned stunning images and a new understanding of the once-planet. Uranus Room, NRC 4 th Floor 11:30am 1 The State of Space Exploration Tony Rice, NASA Solar System Ambassador A look back at the triumphs and tribulations in space exploration through 2015 with a preview of what s to come in Real-Life Death Stars: Measuring Rocks on Alien Planets by Tearing them Apart JJ Hermes, Hubble Fellow, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill What are rocks like on alien planets? Astronomers are getting the first answers by studying ancient stars, some of which have gobbled up asteroids and planets which can tell us what these rocks are made of and even how much water they have. A Scientist Goes to the Movies Marc Fusco, JPL Solar System Ambassador A lighthearted look at the good and bad science in space movies. Spaceflight 101: How we get to other planets Alan Rich, JPL Solar System Ambassador Rockets and space flight. How do we get robots (and someday people) to other planets? What is the Multiverse? Steven M. Christensen, Ph.D., Department of Physics and Astronomy, UNC Chapel Hill Is there only one universe or are there many, maybe an infinite number? What different kinds can there be and where are they? Can we prove they exist? Is our universe just a simulation? We will look briefly into these fascinating ideas and more. Neptune Room, NRC 4 th Floor 11am 12pm 1pm Alien Planets: How we are finding them Alan Rich, NASA Solar System Ambassador We have only just begun to find alien planets orbiting nearby stars, and we've found thousands. How do we do it? Find out! SpaceX and Commercial Space Marc Fusco, NASA Solar System Ambassador A look at recent developments in commercial space, including SpaceX and competitors. The Search for Habitable Worlds Shawn Bayle, NASA Solar System Ambassador

4 2pm Basic Astrophotography Anyone Can Do, No Telescope Required! Matt Lochansky, Raleigh Astronomy Club Pluto s Atmosphere Ian Hewitt, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Driveway Astronomy Doug Lively, Raleigh Astronomy Club Tips on how to get started in astronomy and what you can observe from your own home. Workshops- Pluto Room, NRC 4 th Floor 11:00am Getting Started in Astronomy Pluto Room, 4 th Floor NRC Ian Hewitt, NASA Solar System Ambassador Learn what you need to get started and to experience the wonders of the night sky. Getting Kids Started in Astronomy Mike Keefe, Raleigh Astronomy Club Getting Started in Astrophotography Chris Cole, Raleigh Astronomy Club

5 Sunday, January 31 WRAL 3D Theater, 1 st floor NEC Journey to Space 3D* *Fee: Tickets can be purchased at the box office 2:00pm A Path from North Carolina to NASA Astronaut and Beyond Christina H. Koch, NASA Astronaut Talk will highlight the path that Christina took from growing up in North Carolina to becoming an Astronaut, the Astronaut Candidate training she recently completed, and how NASA s Human Space Flight plans involve Astronauts as a part of the search for life beyond our planet. Searching for E.T. Dr. Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer and Director, SETI Institute There are a trillion planets in the Milky Way, so it's hard to believe we're alone. How are scientists searching for aliens, and what would happen if they found them? SECU Daily Planet Theater 1: Real-Life Death Stars: Measuring Rocks on Alien Planets by Tearing them Apart JJ Hermes, Hubble Fellow, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill What are rocks like on alien planets? Astronomers are getting the first answers by studying ancient stars, some of which have gobbled up asteroids and planets which can tell us what these rocks are made of and even how much water they have. Interstellar Travel: The Science, Science Fiction, and Potential Futures of Humans in Deep Space -SECU Daily Planet Theater Dr. Rachel L. Smith, Head, Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab/Curator of Meteorites at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences & Assistant Professor, Appalachian State University How will space travel define the future of our species? I will discuss the current state of technology in taking humans beyond Earth, and where we need to be headed if we are to truly go to the stars and eventually colonize space. I will include references to common perceptions of space travel perpetuated in the media, and discuss what could possibly become reality versus what is likely to remain science fiction. The Science of The Martian SECU Daily Planet Theater Join us for a riveting group discussion to determine the truths, far-fetched ideas, and exciting possibilities from The Martian. Unmasking Europa: The Search for Life on Jupiter s Ocean Moon- SECU Daily Planet Theater Richard Greenberg, Professor Emeritus of Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona and author of the book Unmasking Europa.

6 Europa, one of the four moons of Jupiter discovered by Galileo, may be the most likely place for us to first find extraterrestrial life and is a top exploration objective for NASA. Although only the size of the Earth s own moon, it is surrounded by a global ocean with twice as much liquid water as all the oceans of Earth. Images of the surface show a thin layer of ice, which undergoes continual change as it is cracked and heated by tides. Windows on the World, NEC 3 rd Floor How We Looked at Pluto Tony Rice, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Since passing Pluto in July, the New Horizons mission has returned stunning images and a new understanding of the once-planet. Saturn Room, NRC 4 th Floor 2:00pm Our Next Giant Leap: SLS, Orion, and Human Spaceflight Marc Fusco, NASA Solar System Ambassador A look at NASA's new space exploration system and where it will take us. Our Amazing Star: The Sun Ron Monti, Raleigh Astronomy Club Globulatious Globulars!: An Introduction to Globular Clusters in the Night Sky Doug Lively, Raleigh Astronomy Club Fail! Why rockets blow up and spacecraft crash (sometimes) Alan Rich, NASA Solar System Ambassador Why do rockets blow up sometimes? Why do spacecraft crash? What goes wrong? Rocket science isn't easy! Uranus Room, NRC 4 th Floor 1 The State of Space Exploration Tony Rice, NASA Solar System Ambassador A look back at the triumphs and tribulations in space exploration through 2015 with a preview of what s to come in 2016.

7 Ion Propulsion Drives Shawn Bayle, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Alien Chemistry Matthew Funke, NASA Solar System Ambassador We ll look at Titan (a moon circling Saturn) and dive a bit into the weird kind of life chemistry that would exist there, where it s far too cold for water to act as a solvent. What is the Multiverse? Steven M. Christensen, Ph.D., Department of Physics and Astronomy, UNC Chapel Hill Is there only one universe or are there many, maybe an infinite number? What different kinds can there be and where are they? Can we prove they exist? Is our universe just a simulation? We will look briefly into these fascinating ideas and more. Neptune Room, NRC 4 th Floor 2:00pm Astronomy with Binoculars Phyllis Lang, Raleigh Astronomy Club Binoculars are a very convenient tool for observing the night sky, and they provide excellent views of many celestial objects. Learn how to use binoculars to observe the night sky. The Surface of Pluto Ian Hewitt, NASA Solar System Ambassador Pluto is a far more interesting place than we first imagined with a dynamic surface more like Earth than we suspected. Learn about some of the interesting discoveries and puzzles seen by the New Horizon mission. Returning an Asteroid Sample to Earth: OSIRIS-REx Jeff Qualls, NASA Solar System Ambassador I will discuss the key features of the OSIRIS-Rex mission to visit the asteroid Bennu and return a sample to Earth for analysis. Introduction to AstroSpectroscopy and what it Teaches Us About the Universe Matt Lochansky, Raleigh Astronomy Club Workshops Pluto Room, NRC 4 th Floor Getting Started in Astronomy with Kids Michael Keefe, Raleigh Astronomy Club Getting Started in Astrophotography Chris Cole, Raleigh Astronomy Club Getting Started in Astronomy Ian Hewitt, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Learn what you need to get started and to experience the wonders of the night sky