SEMINAR PROFILE

S06 -
The Solar System and Beyond

Our local celestial neighbors continue to astonish and delight us. We will begin with the Goldilocks problem: Venus is too hot, Mars is too cold, and the Earth is just right. We will explore global warming, runaway greenhouses, and the chances for life elsewhere in the universe. Moving out to the asteroid belt, we will look at the facts behind the science fiction of giant impacts. At Jupiter and Saturn, we will visit worlds with swirling storms, beautiful rings, and a hoard of exotic moons - some with active volcanoes, and underground oceans. Finally, we will move to Pluto and beyond, looking at the Earth from a cosmic perspective.

Scholar:

Richard French

Location:

Wellesley

Dates:

1/9/2009, 1/16/2009, 1/23/2009

S06 -	The Solar System and Beyond

	Our local celestial neighbors continue to astonish and delight us. We will begin with the Goldilocks problem: Venus is too hot, Mars is too cold, and the Earth is just right. We will explore global warming, runaway greenhouses, and the chances for life elsewhere in the universe. Moving out to the asteroid belt, we will look at the facts behind the science fiction of giant impacts. At Jupiter and Saturn, we will visit worlds with swirling storms, beautiful rings, and a hoard of exotic moons - some with active volcanoes, and underground oceans. Finally, we will move to Pluto and beyond, looking at the Earth from a cosmic perspective.

		Scholar:	Richard French
		Location:	Wellesley
		Dates:	1/9/2009, 1/16/2009, 1/23/2009