Astronomy Ireland Public Lecture
"Saturn and the Cassini-Huygens mission"
By Dr. Caitriona Jackman, Space and Atmospheric Physics, Imperial College London
Monday, 12th July 2010 at 8:00p.m.
Trinity College, Dublin
About the Lecture
Dr. Caitriona Jackman will show results from the hugely successful Cassini-Huygens mission to the planet Saturn, including the amazing highlights of over 400,000 images taken by the Cassini probe.
The space around the giant planet Saturn has been mapped, allowing some stunning discoveries to be made, including plumes of water from the icy moon Enceladus, seven new moons and lakes on the surface of the moon Titan.
Caitriona will also discuss the spectacular aurora on Saturn, similar to our own northern lights on Earth. The very latest research from the team at Imperial College London, and a look to the future of the Cassini mission and other planned exploration of the outer solar system will also be presented in this fully illustrated lecture.
To help promote this incredible lecture which will showcase the newest discoveries and most incredible pictures of Saturn, Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore appeared on Near FM on Friday July 9th. Listen to his interview here or browse the full audio archive.
The Irish Independent are planning to run a feature on this event on Saturday, July 10th, which will include an interview with Dr. Jackman, as well as some of the amazing images the mission has produced to date. Don't forget to check it out and buy a copy.
The Speaker - Dr. Caitriona Jackman
A native of Limerick, Caitriona graduated from the University of Limerick in 2003 with a first class honours degree in Applied Physics. During her degree she completed a 9 month work placement at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, the Space and Climate Physics Department of University College London, where she worked on data from the Electron Spectrometer instrument on the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn.
After this Caitriona moved to Leicester to pursue a PhD in Planetary Physics, entitled "Solar wind-magnetosphere coupling at Saturn". She then moved to the Space and Atmospheric Physics Group at Imperial College London in July 2006, where she works as a member of the Cassini magnetometer instrument science team. As part of her role at Imperial she is involved with scientific research, mission planning, and undergraduate teaching in the physics department.
Caitriona is also heavily involved with science outreach work. She has given talks to astronomy clubs all around Ireland and the UK, has appeared on TG4 speaking about her work, and has even presented a "Physics of Breakdancing" show at the BT young scientist exhibition.
She is also a member of the steering committee for the Oliver St. John Gogarty scholarships to send enthusiastic Irish people to the International Space University, and she is always keen to promote space science throughout Ireland and beyond.
Facts about Saturn
Aurora on Saturn, similar to those on Earth
Image courtesy of NASA
Comparison of the size of Saturn to Earth
Image courtesy of NASA
- Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in our solar system.
- The size of Saturn is 10 times larger than Earth.
- One day on Saturn is 10 hours, 32 minutes and 35 seconds. One year on Saturn is equal to 29.5 Earth years, 10759 days.
- The average distance between Saturn and the Sun is over 1 400 000 000 km (9 AU)
- Saturn was named after the Roman god of the harvest.
- Sixty-two known moons orbit the planet, not counting hundreds of "moonlets" within the rings. Its largest moon, Titan is the only moon in our Solar System to possess an atmosphere.
- Saturn has such a low density that, if there was an ocean big enough, Saturn would float on it. In comparison, Earth and Mercury would sink to the bottom quickest.
- Saturn's rings are made almost entirely of water ice, with some contamination from dust and other chemicals.
- The dense main rings extend from 7,000 km to 80,000 km above Saturn's equator, with an estimated local thickness of only 10 meters.
- Saturn releases more energy than it receives from the Sun.
- Saturn's strong magnetic fields interacts with the solar wind in much the same way that Earth's does to produce beautiful aurorae
Saturn's strong magnetic fields gives the planet its own beautiful northern and southern lights
Click for full size-image
Booking Information
| Date | Monday 12th July |
| Time | 8:00 p.m. |
| Venue |
Schrödinger Room, Fitzgerald Building, Trinity College Dublin Access can be gained via the Westland Row or Lincoln Place entrances. Click HERE for a building map of Trinity College campus Click HERE for Directions. Click HERE for Map of area |
| Admission | €7 (€5 Astronomy Ireland members and concessions) Places MUST be booked in advance |
| Booking |
Click HERE to book seats online.
Call (01) 847 0777 to book tickets over the phone using Debit/ Credit Card Send a cheque/ PO/ Draft, made payable to Astronomy Ireland to PO BOX 2888, Dublin 5. |
DVD
|
This lecture is also available to members nationwide on DVD.
To order a copy of the DVD simply: Order by credit/ debit card online HERE Call (01) 847 0777 Alternatively post a Cheque or postal order to: July 2010 DVD, Astronomy Ireland, PO. Box 2888, Dublin 5. Cost: DVD’s cost €7 each (add €5 for P&P for any number of DVDs) |
After the lecture there will be a social reception in The Lombard
and we encourage all of you to come along and have a chat with Dr. Jackman.
All are welcome to attend and food will be kindly provided by The Lombard.
Acknowledgment: Astronomy Ireland would like to thank the TCD Astrophysics Research Group for hosting AI public lectures in Trinity College Dublin.
