<h4><font color="#800000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics</font></h4>
see: <a href="http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/cfa/calendar/latest.html">http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/cfa/calendar/latest.html</a><br>
<br>
<h4>MONDAY, OCTOBER 30 </h4>
<p><strong>12 noon:</strong> <a href="/ssp/today.shtml">Solar, Stellar, and
Planetary Sciences Division Seminar</a>. "Characterizing Exoplanetary Systems:
The Search for Solar System Analogs," Dr. Jason Wright, University of
California, Berkeley. Pratt Conference Room.</p>
<p><strong>Abstract:</strong> For 10 years the California & Carnegie Planet
Search has been collecting precision radial velocities of hundreds of Sun-like
stars with ever-improving precision. Today, this temporal baseline allows us to
detect exoplanets at orbital distances of $\sim$ 5 AU including many in systems
already known to harbor an inner exoplanet. Analysis of incomplete orbits of
longer-period exoplanets allows us to peek beyond this 5 AU curtain, and recent
hardware and software upgrades bring our RV precision to 1 m/s, allowing us to
detect exoplanets of only a few earth masses. Together, these achievements have
helped bring the number of known multiple-planet systems up to 20 (and counting)
and test theories of planet formation and migration. Although it appears that
multiplicity among exoplanets is common, the search for a true Solar System
analog continues.<br>
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</p>
<h4>THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2</h4>
<p><strong>4:00 pm:</strong> <a href="/colloquia/latest.html">Colloquium</a>.
"Probing Near-Earth Asteroid Characteristics: The Japanese Hayabusa Mission to
Asteroid 25143 Itokawa," Dr. Faith Vilas, Director, MMT Observatory. (Anyone
wishing to meet with the speaker should contact the host, Dr. Daniel Fabricant,
ext. 5-7398.) Preceded by tea at 3:30 pm. Phillips Auditorium. </p>
<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>During the fall of 2005, the Japanese Hayabusa
spacecraft was stationed near the near-Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa, studying
the attributes of the asteroid and attempting to obtain a sample of the surface
material. The orbiter was equipped with visible/near-infrared imaging camera,
infrared spectrometer, x-ray fluorescence detector and lidar. Multiple
approaches and sampling attempts were made, during which the spacecraft was
damaged. Remarkably, Hayabusa is still making its way back to the Earth. The
Hayabusa mission and characteristics of the NEA Itokawa will be discussed.<br>
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</p>