Outreach event - Asteroids & Meteorites: Unlocking the secrets of the Solar System

In 2020, samples were obtained from the surface of asteroid Bennu by Nasa’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft, and have just been successfully delivered back to Earth (Sunday 24th September 2023) for analysis by scientists. In a few weeks, on 5th October, Nasa will launch its Psyche mission to a unique metal-rich asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. But what are these missions hoping to reveal? Why is the study of asteroids and meteorites so important?

The next event in our ‘Adventures in Planetary Science’ series aims to address these questions, with talks from our planetary science experts and geologists/meteoricists, some of whom will be analysing the data recently returned from a pristine asteroid in space. You will also have the opportunity to delve deeper by putting your questions to the panel during the Q&A session.

This will be a virtual event held online with Zoom.

Don’t miss out! Register for your free tickets on Eventbrite via the ‘Book now’ button above.

Introducing our experts…

Charlotte Bays (Royal Holloway / NHM)

Charlotte Bays is a PhD candidate based at the Astromaterials Research Laboratory (Royal Holloway, University of London) and the Natural History Museum, London. She studies the synthesis and evolution of organic matter in astromaterials under experimental conditions, to provide insights into solar system evolution, and wider context to the emergence of life on Earth, and other potentially habitable worlds. Charlotte obtained a BSc in Geology from Birkbeck (UoL), where she was involved with research into volcanic and meteorite associated ejecta deposits, encouraging her to pursue a PhD in Planetary Science and Astromaterials. In addition to her PhD research, she is also a co-investigator on multiple research projects, including working alongside NASA and JAXA scientists to examine organic matter and water in samples of asteroid 162173 Ryugu (JAXA Hayabusa2 mission). Aside from studying meteorites, she also contributes to meteorite recovery: holding a position within the UK Fireball Alliance, which tracks and monitors meteors over the UK. She aspires to do this in Antarctica.

Dr Sarah Crowther (Manchester)

Sarah Crowther is a Research Fellow in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester.  Her research looks at the evolution of the early Solar System through laboratory-based chemical analysis of extra-terrestrial materials. A large part of her research focuses on age-dating meteorites, to unravel the thermal and impact histories of their parent asteroids. Sarah has previously analysed samples returned by NASA’s Genesis mission, the Apollo missions, NASA’s Stardust mission and the Japanese Hayabusa and Hayabusa2 missions. She is a member of the international Sample Analysis Teams who have been selected to be the first to receive samples returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. 

Professor Hilary Downes (Birkbeck, University of London)

Hilary Downes is a Professor of Geochemistry at Birkbeck. She has a BSc in Geological Sciences from Durham University and a PhD from Leeds University.  She has mainly studied Earth rocks for most of her career, particularly from different volcanoes around the world. About 15 years ago, Hilary started working on meteorites, and spent 9 months at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, collaborating with colleagues at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston. Since then, she have taught classes in Planetary Science as well as Geology. Her favourite class is called “Comets, Asteroids and Meteorites”, in which the students have their own meteorite to study.

Dr Ashley King (NHM)

Ashley King is a Research Fellow at the Natural History Museum, London, where he investigates the origins of the Solar System and formation of planets through the laboratory analysis of meteorites and samples returned by space missions. He is a member of the sample analysis teams for the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx missions and the current lead of the UK Fireball Alliance (UKFAll), a collaboration between meteor camera networks that aims to recover freshly fallen meteorites in the UK.

Dr Andrew Rushby (Birkbeck, University of London)

Andrew Rushby is a Lecturer in Astrobiology at Birkbeck. Andrew’s interest in the climates of newly discovered exoplanets, particularly small and rocky worlds, started during graduate studies at the University of East Anglia, which was followed by postdoctoral fellowships at NASA Ames Research Center and the University of California, Irvine. Andrew’s research at Birkbeck/UCL-CPS concerns the habitability of small planets outside of our Solar System, and he has also developed a new postgraduate degree in Astrobiology, launched this month, which is one of the first of its kind in the UK. Andrew is also a passionate science communicator. He co-hosts the Exocast podcast, which discusses all things related to exoplanetary science and astrobiology. 

Links

• Charlotte Bays’ profile on ARIES Doctoral Training website
• ‘In conversation with: Dr Sarah Crowther’ article on University of Manchester website
• ’Inspiring female on their career progression: Hilary Downes’ - recorded interview at Birkbeck, University of London
• NHM article ‘Portait of a planetary scientist’ about Ashley King
• Andrew Rushby academic profile
• UKFAll - The UK Fireball Alliance website (Lead: Ashley King, Secretary: Charlotte Bays)
• Exocast - The Exoplanet Podcast (with co-host Dr Andrew Rushby) 

Event summary

Title: Adventures in Planetary Science - Asteroids and Meteorites: Unlocking the secrets of the Solar System
Type: A series of free public engagement talks hosted by the Centre for Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck
Date: Thursday 26th October 2023
Time: 5 - 7 pm
Format: Online with Zoom