Astrophysics & Planetary Sciences Colloquium
Saturn’s Rings: Implications for Structure, Dynamics and Origins
When
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"The planned speaker for 17 October was to be Néstor Espinoza (STScI), but unfortunately it has been necessary to defer his colloquium to later in the semester, 28 November. We are grateful to Larry Esposito for volunteering to fill the 17 Oct slot at short notice."
Abstract:
Solar Magnetic Fields Before and During Eruptions
When
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Abstract: Space weather is largely caused by the activity of our Sun. Invisible yet powerful magnetic fields, created within the Sun, determine when and where the next solar eruption will happen. In this talk, I will discuss how advances in solar observations and data-driven models allowed scientists to understand flare magnetism in a lot more detail than ever before.
Megaconstellations of satellites are ruining the night sky for everyone
When
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Abstract: Several companies are now launching megaconstellations of thousands of communication satellites (satcons), which would increase the number of active satellites in Low Earth Orbit at least twenty-fold in the next few years. SpaceX's Starlink satcon is currently largest (over 3,100 satellites) and is adding 60 new satellites every couple of weeks. While these satcons do allow internet access in many underserved rural and remote locations, the costs are prohibitively high for all but the most well-off
Dispatches from the Sun: Physics of our Nearest Star Determined by the Parker Solar Probe Mission
When
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Abstract:
The Parker Solar Probe spacecraft has traveled closer to the Sun than any other human-made object. It has measured in-situ magnetic fields, electric fields, thermal plasma, high energy particles, and interplanetary dust in the near-Sun solar wind. Most recently, it made the first in-situ measurements of the solar corona, dipping below the Alfven surface.
