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 DR ALAN STERN LECTURE
Wednesday,
12th November 2008
The New Horizons Mission
to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt
New Horizons is the first scientific investigation to obtain
a close look at Pluto and its moon Charon. Scientists hope to
find answers to basic questions about the surface properties,
geology, interior makeup and atmospheres on these bodies, the
last in our solar system to be visited by a spacecraft. The mission
could also visit one or more Kuiper Belt objects. New Horizons
launched on January 19, 2006. It will swing past Jupiter for
a gravity boost and scientific studies in early 2007, and reach
Pluto in July 2015. Then, as part of an extended mission, the
spacecraft would head deeper into the Kuiper Belt to study one
or more of the icy mini-worlds in the region a billion miles
beyond Neptune's orbit.
To get to Pluto, which is 3
billion miles from Earth, in just 9.5 years, the spacecraft will
speed by the planet at a velocity of about 27,000 miles per hour.
The instruments on New Horizons will start taking data on Pluto
and Charon months before it arrives. About three months from
the closest approach - when Pluto and Charon are about 65 million
miles away - the instruments will take pictures and spectra measurements
and begin to make the first maps. This Toyota-ANU Public Lecture
will look at the New Horizons mission and its progress since
its launch on January 19 2006.
Dr. Alan Stern is a planetary
scientist, space program executive, and author. His work has
taken him to numerous astronomical observatories, to the South
Pole, and to the upper atmosphere aboard high performance military
aircraft. He has been involved as a researcher in 24 suborbital,
orbital, and planetary space missions, including nine for which
he was the mission principle investigator; he also led the development
of eight scientific instruments for planetary and near-space
research missions. He was named in the Time 100’s 2007 list
of most influential people and has published over 200 technical
papers and 40 popular articles.
This lecture is free and open
to the public.
This lecture is a part of the 2008 Toyota-ANU Public Lecture
Series and is presented by the ANU Research School of Astronomy
and Astrophysics and The CSIRO.
Speaker/Host: Dr Alan Stern, Principal Investigator,
New Horizons Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission, NASA
Venue: Finkel Theatre, The John Curtin School of Medical
Research, Garran Road
Date: Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Enquiries: ANU Events on 6125 4144
OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC
 VISITOR CENTRE - The Canberra
Space Centre is open 7 days, 9am-5pm. Come and see Australia's
largest permanent exhibit of flown space hardware and memorabilia.
See a piece of the Moon over 3.8 billion years old. Check out
what the well-dressed astronaut wears and the types of food they
eat. Learn about the important role that Australia plays in the
exploration of space. Sit back and watch a movie in our Space
Theatre or relax with a meal or coffee in the Moon Rock Café
with magnificent views of the Complex.
Canberra
Space Centre is on Tourist Drive 5 - Discovery Drive, Tidbinbilla
(from
the north: off Cotter & Paddy's River Rds; from the south:
across Point Hut Crossing & Tidbinbilla Rd) (approx.
45 mins from city)
See our How
to get there
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