Astronomy Ireland Lecture
In Search of Origins
By Kevin Nolan, Mars Expert and Space Exploration Scientist
The Planetary Society in Ireland
Monday 13 February, 8:00pm
Trinity College, Dublin
About the Lecture
In 2011, space exploration and the hunt for extraterrestrial life changed with the launch of the Mars Science Laboratory.
The car-sized robot is currently on its way to the Red Planet, where it will investigate the origins of life. Did life ever exist on Mars? Did Mars's weather and geology allow for life to evolve? Will humans be able to travel to Mars in a second step to the stars?
Kevin Nolan, Irish coordinator of the Planetary Society, renowned Irish science author, and a leading expert on the exploration of Mars will deliver Astronomy Ireland's Public Lecture on February 13th in Trinity College Dublin.
Mars Science Laboratory - In Search of Origins promises to deliver not only an overview of the primary objectives of the daring mission, but a highly visual and a stunning representation of what the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) will do and hope to achieve in the coming months and years.
Mars Science Laboratory "Curiosity" is a mission resulting from 15 years of studying Mars by no less than 8 space probes from 1996 to 2011, 4 of which are still active in orbit around and on the surface of Mars today. Those missions have found that Mars was similar to Earth in its early history, to the extent where we now regard the chance of life emerging on Mars in its distant past as equal to on Earth, mandating a search there.
Because Mars preserves a pristine, planet-wide record of this early activity; NASA is sending MSL-Curiosity to Mars - a sophisticated 800kg rover/laboratory capable of driving many kilometres across the surface for 2-years in search of evidence of past or present habitats.
MSL -Curiosity will land on Mars in August 2012 in a crater known as Gale Crater where there is evidence of past persistent surface water activity, which is potentially important to complex, or life-related chemistry.
The Mars Science Laboratory: an example of robotic space exploration
ABOUT THE LECTURER
Kevin Nolan is Ireland's leading authority on Mars and its exploration, and author of Mars: A Cosmic Stepping-Stone. Nolan is the Irish Coordinator of the Planetary Society, a world-wide organisation dedicated to the exploration of the planets. Kevin is a scientist and science communicator from Ireland. He holds honours B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in physics and astronomy and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. under Dr. Niall Smith of the Cork Institute of Technology, developing a software based image analysis system for the European Space Agency INTEGRAL space observatory.
After the lecture there will be a social reception in The Lombard
and we encourage all of you to come along for a chat.
All are welcome to attend and free food will be kindly provided by The Lombard.
Keep up to date on our Facebook and Twitter sites - links on the left.
A prize draw will be held after the lecture.
Booking Information
| Date | Monday 13th February |
| Time | 8:00 p.m. |
| Venue |
Physics Department, Fitzgerald Building,
Trinity College Dublin. |
| Admission | €7 (€5 Astronomy Ireland members and concessions) Places MUST be booked in advance |
| Booking |
Click HERE to book seats online.
Call (01) 890 1111 to book tickets over the phone using Debit/ Credit Card Send a cheque/ PO/ Draft, made payable to Astronomy Ireland to PO BOX 2888, Dublin 5. |
DVD
|
This lecture is also available to people nationwide on DVD.
To order a copy of the DVD simply: Order by credit/ debit card online HERE Call (01) 890 1111 Alternatively post a Cheque or postal order to: December 2011 DVD, Astronomy Ireland, PO. Box 2888, Dublin 5. Cost: DVD’s cost €7 each (add €5 for P&P for any number of DVDs) |
Acknowledgment: Astronomy Ireland would like to thank the TCD Astrophysics Research Group for hosting AI public lectures in Trinity College Dublin.
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