6 BEHREND BEACON
October 1, 2010
www.thebehrendbeacon.com
Open House in
Astronomy
Wednesday
Oct. 20, 2010
7:00p.m.
180 REDC
Join Dr. Marc Imhoff of
NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center in Maryland for an
astronomical presentation.
Following the lecture, there
will be a viewing of the stars
at Mehalso Observatory.
qtec)ee e:W"'
z4he ItJeek:
"Equipped with his
five senses, man ex
plores the universe
around him and calls
the adventure
Science."
Edwin Powell
Hubbard
Storms in the
Tropics
Currently, there are
two disturbances in
the Carribean, both
of which have the
potential to become
tropical storms.
SYSOMlconsists of
an area of thunder
storms near northern
Honduras. The
system has a 10 per
cent chance of tropi
cal storm formation.
System 2 is situated
farther to the east
and is a huge tropical
wave that has a 30
percent chance of
becoming a tropical
storm.
Other than these two
systems, no other
areas are showing
signs of develop
ment.
UP Professor creates first DNA depiction
Open house enhances knowledge of Jupiter
RYAN GULA
Science Editor
It's the largest planet in
our solar system, is cur
rently visible in the night
sky, and many don't know
anything past it's giant
spot.
A group of students and
community members came
to Behrend last week to
find out more about the
fifth planet in our solar sys
tem, Jupiter.
Dr. Darren Williams, an
associate professor
of physics and as-
tronomy, captivated
those present
Wednesday evening
with an array of
facts, pictures,
charts, and com
puter imaging of
the huge planet.
Students received
a good appreciation
of the event and
many were glad
they attended.
"I was thrilled at the op
portunity to fulfill course
requirements and enhance
my existing knowledge of
Jupiter," said sophomore
Rachael Tompkins.
Among the students
were local residents who
were also eager to satisfy
their curiosity about other
planets.
Since its discovery in
1610 by Galileo, scientists
have been fascinated by
the giant mass of gases.
Science Editor
Ryan Gula • Biology major
First using telescopes to
view the planet, and then
with space craft perform
ing fly-bys on their way out
of the solar system.
More recently, NASA
sent a craft that was inten
tionally directed into the
planet, studying pressures
and analyzing elements in
the surroundings until it
was destroyed by intense
heat and pressures.
"Jupiter is actually a
failed star," said Dr. Wil
iams. "[lt has] a core tem
"I was thrilled at the opportu
nity to fulfill course require
ments and enhance my
knowledge of Jupiter."
Rachael Tompkins
sophomore accounting & finance major
perature several thousand
degrees too cool."
That's good news for us
here on Earth, as life would
be completely different if
we had another source of
light so close.
Dr. Williams also de
scribed the complex and
varying elements thought
to give the planet its fa
mous and distinctive color.
He also discussed one of
Jupiter's most famous
properties: its giant red
spot. The spot is a hurri
cane several thousand
years old and with wind
speeds over 600 miles per
hour.
Along with its four
moons, Jupiter also has 65
`satellites' that orbit the
planet, unable to escape
because of Jupiter's gravi
tational pull.
Dr. Williams described
each of the moons, focus
ing on the volcanic moon
10.
After an hour of presen
tation, the audi
ence was allowed
time for ques
tions, with some
focusing on the
planet and others
on different as
pects of the uni
verse as a whole.
Because of poor
weather, the tele
scope observation
was postponed.
The next open
house night in as
tronomy will take place
Oct. 20, 2010.
Despite the delay, many
came to the Observatory to
catch a glimpse of Jupiter
and three of the four
moons.
Dr. Marc Imhoff, repre
senting NASA, will give a
presentation in REDC at
7:00 p.m. Immediately fol
lowing the presentation,
the observatory will be
open for viewings.
Behrend Beacon Science Staff
Morgan Meacock • Physics Elizabeth Masteller • Biology
Kristen Gacka • Biology
Stephen Fyfitch / The Behrend Beacon
Dr. Williams speaks to the crowded lecture hall in OBS.
Science Writers
cience