In 1997, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft was launched on a mission to study Saturn and its moons. Since arriving at its destination in 2004, an astonishing number of discoveries have been made, including evidence of liquid water on the moon Enceladus.
On Friday, September 19, TPR hosts an evening of scientific discovery with Southwest Research Institute planetary scientist J. Hunter Waite. He'll present significantdiscoveries from the last decade of the Cassini-Huygens mission and share some of the beautiful planetary photos SWRI and NASA have taken during the mission. See the atmospheric storms in Saturn's atmosphere, and marvel at the grandeur of the planet's rings and their intricate "dance.” A special segment on Saturn’s moons will touch on the marvels of Titan's methane seas and the small moon Enceladus, whose interior sea spews forth into a massive cryogeyser that lets us study the chemistry of the sea within.
In addition to Dr. Waite's presentation, Peter Fox, M.D., Director of the Research Imaging Institute at UTHSCSA, will speak about the effects of high altitude on the brain. Dr. Fox is working with the United States Air Force on a project that images the brains of U2 pilots to determine why these highly trained, physically fit pilots can become severely confused at extremely high altitudes. The data gathered from this project has implications for NASA, as well as for the commercial airline industry, as well as sub-orbital spaceflight.
“TPR Presents Saturn Up Close & Personal” is Friday, September 19th, at 7 p.m., at the Holly Auditorium, located on the UTHSCSA campus, sponsored in part by TMI – The Episcopal School of Texas, and the School of Science and Technology. The event is open to all with a suggested donation of $5 for students and TPR members, and $10 for non-members. All seating is general admission. Proceeds benefit Texas Public Radio.
Reserve your space at this link!
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