Hunting Asteroids – Mar 21
The dinosaurs (and 75% of all earthly species!) learned the hard way: asteroids can mean trouble — on a planetary scale. From the meteor that exploded over Chelyabinsk injuring 1500 in 2013, to the asteroid/comet that caused a mass extinction 66 million years ago, space "debris" is important. Fortunately, a global team of dedicated astronomers — including Caltech's Carrie Nugent — finds and tracks asteroids throughout the solar system. Come learn about the nature, origin, and global lethality of our solar system's numerous mini-worlds.
Carrie Nugent
Dr. Carrie Nugent discovers and tracks asteroids with a space-based infrared telescope, part of NASA’s NEOWISE mission. She is a 2016 TED fellow, and she hosts and produces Spacepod, a podcast about space exploration. Asteroid 8801 Nugent bears her name(!), and Asteroid Hunters is her first book.
Carrie Nugent
WHAT: Hunting Asteroids
WHO: Carrie Nugent, Staff Scientist, IPAC/Caltech
WHERE: Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
WHEN: 2017-03-21 7:00pm, Tuesday, March 21, 2017
HOW: Produced in collaboration with the Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley. For discount tickets (just $5) use promo code WONDERFEST at the ticketing site, below.