On Thursday, May 14, 2015, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) will host a program highlighting NASA’s New Horizons mission — the first-ever mission to the Pluto system and the Kuiper belt. This mission, which will have its closest approach to Pluto in July 2015, will help us understand ice worlds at the edge of our solar system by making the first reconnaissance of the planet Pluto and its moons, and by venturing deeper into the distant, mysterious Kuiper belt — a relic of solar system formation.
Students will have an opportunity to listen to AMNH’s Director of Astrovisualizations, Carter Emmart, New Horizons Deputy Project Scientist Cathy Olkin, New Horizons Co-Investigator Marc Buie and, Science Operations Team, Tiffany Finley present a dynamic and richly-illustrated overview of the mission and the men and women who make it possible, leaving time for interaction and one-on-one encounters.
This event is being coordinated by Mr. Spergel. He is taking everyone in his AP Physics 1 class, but he has room for a few more students. Contact Mr. Spergel directly if you are interested. This is a field trip, so paperwork needs to be done. The group will depart period 3 on Thursday, May 14, 2015. Extra credit will be awarded to research students who participate and complete the public lecture assignment for any one of the speakers.
