Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado at Boulder will host four evening talks on April 27-28 to celebrate CU-Boulder's role in the successful and ongoing Cassini spacecraft mission to Saturn.
Researchers involved in the Cassini mission will give talks each evening at 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. in the planetarium.
Josh Colwell, a co-investigator on Cassini's ultraviolet camera and a research associate at CU-Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, will present "Cassini Mission Update" at 7 p.m. on April 27 and April 28. During his show, Colwell will provide a tour of Saturn and its rings and moons as seen by Cassini. The newest discoveries and images of the ringed planet and its icy moons will be highlighted.
John Weiss, a member of the Cassini Imaging Team and research associate at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, will present "Saturn Overlooked" on April 27 at 8:15 p.m. Weiss will explore the giant planet and its helium rain and metallic hydrogen, and discuss what has been learned during the Cassini mission. He also will talk about discoveries made about Saturn's moons and rings.
Nicholas Schneider, an associate professor of CU-Boulder's LASP and the astrophysical and planetary sciences department, will present "A New View of Titan" on April 28 at 8:15 p.m. During his talk, Schneider will take the audience on a virtual tour of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. He also will discuss the newly discovered landscape on the extraordinary moon.
The Cassini spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in 1997 and entered Saturn's orbit in June 2004. Researchers in CU-Boulder's LASP built the spacecraft's $12.5 million Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph and are using the ultraviolet camera to study Saturn's rings and moons.
Proceeds from the talks will fund new exhibits at the planetarium. Some of the new hands-on exhibits will be unveiled during the Astronomy Day celebration being held at the planetarium and Sommers-Bausch Observatory on April 29.
Admission for the talks is $10 per show, or $15 per evening for both shows. Admission for children, seniors and students with valid ID will be $5 per show.
For more information about the April 27-28 programs or about Fiske Planetarium call (303) 492-5002 or visit the Web site at fiske.colorado.edu/.