Formal Talk by Prof David Southwood – Threats from the Sky; small bodies in our Solar System
Hybrid meeting at the BPS and via Zoom.
Comets, Asteroids and things that fall from the sky.
40 years ago, the prospect of Comet Halley’s return in 1986 led to the start of a space race towards the small bodies of the solar system. These small bodies, comets, asteroids and meteor showers, are immensely important as they are the likely raw material from which our solar system formed originally. However, also in the early 80s, the geological discovery of a distinct sedimentary layer containing far more Iridium than occurs naturally on Earth led to the notion that it marked the remains of a catastrophic impact of our planet with a celestial body. The impact, dated to 66Myr ago, appeared to wipe out many species, most famously the dinosaurs. Accordingly, small system bodies not only provide evidence of how our planet and its life started but also are a threat to life on our planet. In the 21st C., for both the reasons above, small bodies in our solar system are important targets for space missions. The talk will explore some of the history and what is planned.
Location
Bristol Photographic Society