Open University Astronomy Club

Date/Venue

Speaker/Topic

Sky News

Sky Notes

Speaker: Suzanne Scwenzer.

Title: An update on the Curiosity rover on Mars

Dr. Schwenzer is a Senior Lecturer at the Open University. Her background is as a mineralogist
specializing in noble gases and hydrothermal minerals/processes.

The current foci of her work are Mars and Earth. For Mars, there are three main topics: Curiosity
in Gale Crater, impact-generated hydrothermal systems and trace gases, mainly noble gases in
Martian environments.

Michael Held

Peter Hudson

Speaker: Rachel James
Rachel James is a research student in the Open University’s Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Her PhD investigates ‘Molecular Synthesis in Astrophysical Ices’

Title: Astrochemistry  - Molecules in Space

Michael Held

Peter Hudson

Speaker: Keith Townsend FRAS
Keith is a member of Peterborough Astronomical Society, which co-hosted a 'Star Gazing Live' event with the BBC in 2012.
He presented the talk about Curiosity, the Martian Rover. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2016.

Title: Parker Solar Probe
The Parker Solar Probe was launched on 12th August 2018.
It will become the fastest man-made object at around 432,000 miles per hour, it will fly closer to the Sun than any other object,
passing less than four million miles from the surface and it will be the first to physically encounter the Sun's corona. Survival depends on brilliant engineering and a highly elliptical orbit.
This talk will explore the basics of the mission and set the scene for what we can hope to learn. Get the essential background before the science starts to flow!

Michael Held

Peter Hudson

Michael Held

Peter Hudson

Title: TBA

Michael Held

Peter Hudson

Title: Global Positioning Systems

Michael Held

Peter Hudson

Title: Lady Pioneers of the British Astronomical Association

Michael Held

Peter Hudson