July 23, 2004, Hour One: Space Update: Planetary Exploration / McNeil's Nebula

Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > July > July 23, 2004:
Hour One: Space Update: Planetary Exploration / McNeil's Nebula

Join guest host Joe Palca in this hour of Science Friday for a an update on several space missions exploring the planets in our solar system. We'll get the latest from Cassini in its orbit around Saturn, check in with the twin Mars rovers, and bid "bon voyage" to Messenger, soon to lift off for the planet Mercury.

Plus, a new-born star is shining some light on McNeil's Nebula, and on the origin of our solar system. We'll find out more. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).

Guests:
Larry Esposito
Principal Investigator, Cassini Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph
Professor, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colorado

Jim Bell
Associate Professor, Department of Astronomy
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Sean Solomon
Principal Investigator, Messenger
Director, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism
Carnegie Institution of Washington
Washington, DC

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Joel Kastner
Associate Professor, Astronomical Imaging and Spectroscopy
Carlson Center for Imaging Science
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, New York

Julian (Jay) McNeil
Amateur Astronomer
West Paducah, Kentucky

This segment produced by Erica Altman

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