Date: Thursday, May 9th, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Topic: Lucy in the Sky with Trojans: Fossils of the Early Solar System
Speaker: Jennie King, NASA Solar System Ambassador
Location: AQ3159 in the Quad at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus
Here is a link to the SFU room finder:
https://roomfinder.sfu.ca/apps/sfuroomfinder_web/?q=AQ3159
Bio: Jennie “Starstuff” King is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s astronomy program. While studying astronomy and physics, she discovered her deep love of science education through work with elementary school students. As a high school AP Physics and Engineering teacher in Colorado, she brought her love of space exploration to the classroom. Jennie became a NASA-JPL Solar System Ambassador in order to encourage others to explore the wonders of the cosmos with their hearts, minds and imaginations. In addition to volunteering with NASA, Jennie now works as the Manager of Educator Programs at Science World in Vancouver, a role which allows her to continue sparking scientific curiosity and a love of STEAM learning.
Abstract: NASA’s Lucy mission, launched in October 2021, is the first space mission dedicated to studying Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. These ancient bodies are trapped in two “swarms”, one orbiting behind and the other ahead of the planet Jupiter. Over the course of its twelve-year mission, Lucy aims to explore an unprecedented number of asteroids in order to uncover clues about the early solar system. Just as the early hominin fossil of the same name led to deeper understanding of humanity’s origins, the Lucy mission aims to shed light on planetary evolution. Join NASA Solar System Ambassador and self-proclaimed space rock enthusiast Jennie “Starstuff” King as we explore the science of Lucy’s journey to these fascinating fossils of the early solar system.
Meet-up Link: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/299407477/