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At ‘Astronomy Days,’ Young Stars And Comets Hold Secrets To Planetary Life

WUNC News | By Laura Pellicer,
Frank Stasio
Published January 11, 2018 at 12:31 PM EST

Once a year the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences gathers researchers who spend their waking hours investigating the mysteries of the universe. At ‘Astronomy Days,’ scientists divulge their new findings. 

Host Frank Stasio talks with Rachel Smith, head of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab and Murthy Gudipati, a principal scientist at the Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology.

This year Rachel Smith, the head of the Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab and the curator of meteorites for the museum, will share her research into young stars. The spinning balls of gas are invisible to the naked eye but can become the foundation for building planets like Earth.

Murthy Gudipati joins Smith in conversation with host Frank Stasio to share the latest about his work on comets and Jupiter’s moon Europa. Gudipati is as a principal scientist at the Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology. ‘Astronomy Days’ take place at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Saturday, Jan. 27 and Sunday, Jan. 28 and are open to the public.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=GqTaDCt_F1Y

Amongst the many places Dr. Rachel Smith of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has observed young forming stars is the Rho Ophiuchi star system located only 400 light years away from Earth.
/ NASA
/
NASA
Amongst the many places Dr. Rachel Smith of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has observed young forming stars is the Rho Ophiuchi star system located only 400 light years away from Earth.
Dr. Murthy Gudipati of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is working on plans for the Europa Clipper mission which will explore whether Jupiter's moon Europa harbours a liquid ocean under its icy crust.
/ NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology
/
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology
Dr. Murthy Gudipati of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is working on plans for the Europa Clipper mission which will explore whether Jupiter's moon Europa harbours a liquid ocean under its icy crust.
The Rosetta mission, launched in 2004, successfully landed on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko after a ten year journey.
/ ESA/ROSETTA/NAVCAM
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ESA/ROSETTA/NAVCAM
The Rosetta mission, launched in 2004, successfully landed on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko after a ten year journey.

Copyright 2018 North Carolina Public Radio
Laura Pellicer
Laura Pellicer is a producer with The State of Things (hyperlink), a show that explores North Carolina through conversation. Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. She worked as a researcher for CBC Montreal and also contributed to their programming as an investigative journalist, social media reporter, and special projects planner. Her work has been nominated for two Canadian RTDNA Awards. Laura loves looking into how cities work, pursuing stories about indigenous rights, and finding fresh voices to share with listeners. Laura is enamored with her new home in North Carolina—notably the lush forests, and the waves where she plans on moonlighting as a mediocre surfer.
See stories by Laura Pellicer
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio