As we learned more about our solar system in relation to how it fares amongst the many exoplanetary systems discovered to date, ‘Hot Jupiters’ seemed to be the most common type of exoplanet. With the story unfolding as technology has been getting better, it seems that Hot Jupiters have been easy to detect and have strange and exotic atmospheres we are still learning more about. Strangely enough, our own solar system seems quite different to the many exoplanetary systems found thus far. As our final UCLA Planet Lunch Talk this quarter at @ucla , please join us with our speaker Elizabeth Ba ..read more

In our solar system, the largest planets are dominated by the gas giants located in the outer solar system. And in exoplanetary systems, large planets seem to be the norm based on our improving detection capabilities. One reason may be due to the fact that the larger planets have more mass and can accrete gas in disks which ultimately form planetary systems. This week, we welcome Sivan Ginzburg, a Postdoctoral Researcher and 51 Pegasi b Fellow working in theoretical #astrophysics from the Department of Astronomy at #Berkeley (@ucberkeley). He also has research interests in planetary forma ..read more

Join us for this week’s Planet Lunch seminar TODAY from 12-1PM in @ucla ’s Geology Building by UCLA EPSS Graduate Student Ashna Aggarwal with talk title: ‘Paraboloids are the New Spheres: a Novel Set Up for Simulating Core Convection’ about laboratory simulations on what may be going on at Earth’s Core-Mantle Boundary. Be sure to follow @UCLAiPLEX on #Instagram, Twitter, and our other social media outlets as we seek to share the fascinating world of planetary #science and #astronomy with everyone! Image Credit: Phys.org; Kay Lancaster #nasa #astro #California #dynamo #Earth #educati ..read more

Volatiles are left over materials from the early formation of the early solar system and are contained in comets. Some craters on the Moon exist at brutally extreme temperatures that range from -396F to -413F as we have learned from ongoing research by NASA’s Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter using the Diviner instrument. This week, we welcome Paul Hayne from the University of Colorado (@cuboulder) with his talk titled ‘Cometary Volatiles In Inner Solar System’ to discuss how comets may have delivered volatiles to the Moon. Join us TODAY from 12-1PM for this week’s Planet Lunch talk in @ucla ‘s ..read more

The Mars Science Laboratory rover is roughly the size of an SUV and successfully landed on the surface of Mars in 2012. It is currently @nasa ‘s prime Mars rover currently exploring the surface and origins of water, as well as places where life may have existed. Fast forward to the Vera Rubin Ridge, a mysterious place where large concentrations of the mineral hematite were identified even from high above using the Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter. Now, on the ground, The Mars Science Laboratory has analyzed rock samples at the site. This week, we welcome Dr. Abigail Fraeman from NASA’s Jet Prop ..read more

Some estimates mention that only just ~5% of the Earth’s #oceans have been explored. Known to host live in the extreme cold and dark environment where the light of the Sun cannot penetrate, the Abyssopelagic zone, extending 4000-6000 meters (e.g. ~2.5-3.7 miles) below the surface of the Earth’s oceans contains bizarre, yet unique lifeforms. In the years to come with advances in technology, some planetary science goals include sending spacecraft and probes to explore oceans on other worlds, and determine if #life does exist beneath the subsurface oceans of outer Solar System icy satellites ..read more

An important goal for continuing efforts to expand our knowledge of space is in the detection of asteroids which may pose a threat to the Earth and its living creatures. While the @nasa WISE (later reactivated as NEOWISE) Mission has detected many Near Earth Objects (NEOs) such as asteroids, the search is still on for those that elude detection. The successor mission, NEOCam (Near Earth Object Camera) plans to do just that. The mission would further refine the detection of smaller asteroids, and is a part of NASA’s strategic goal in Planetary Defense to find at least 90% of asteroids larger ..read more

The bright spots on Ceres still pose a mystery on how they may have formed and what this implies for the formation of geologically interesting locations in the Solar System such as the largest asteroid; (1) #Ceres. Join us TODAY from 12-1PM for our @UCLA EPSS Planet Lunch Seminar talk on how the bright spots may have formed with a talk by Nathan Stein from Caltech (@Caltechedu) with his talk title: “The formation and timing of near-subsurface Na-carbonate deposits on Ceres”. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA #nasa #asteroid #Caltech #cosmos #education #interstellar #JPL #LA #Pasadena #ph ..read more

CONGRATULATIONS to #UCLA Graduate Student (now DR.) Man-To Hui on his successful Ph. D Thesis Dissertation Defense entitled: “Studies of Comets and Active Asteroids: From Dynamics to Physical Properties”. He was formally knighted for his Ph. D by his advisor Professor David Jewitt! #astro #astronomy #asteroids #china #comets #Earth #education #EPSS #geophysics #LA #LosAngeles #planet #planets #phdlife #physics #rocks #science #sky #space #SantaMonica #science #SoCal #UCLAiPLEX #universe #universetoday (at Institute for Planets & Exoplanets - IPLEX) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs1Z-ri ..read more

Meteorites are primitive remnants from the formation of the solar system. Contained within them are magnetic properties that help us in our understanding of the early solar system and perhaps how planets formed from the protoplanetary nebula. This week, we welcome Dr. Benjamin Weiss, a Professor and Chair of the Program in Planetary Sciences from MIT. His interests include the formation of terrestrial planets, geomagnetism, and paleomagnetism. Join us today, Friday 30 November 2018 from 12-1PM in @UCLA’s Geology Building for his exciting talk titled: History of the Solar Nebula and Planet F ..read more