Royal Institution "Discourse: Discoveries at the moons of Jupiter and Saturn"

This is a theatre and livestream talk from the Royal Institution of Great Britain. Astronomer Royal Michele Dougherty asks whether other bodies in the solar system could support life.

ADVANCE BOOKING AND PAYMENT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS TALK.
More details and booking instructions on the RI web site:

https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/discourse-discoveries-icy-moons-jupiter-and-saturn

SUMMARY
One of the most important realisations that planetary scientists have come to in the last 30 years is that in the search for potential habitability in our solar system, the focus need not only be on planets close to the Sun, where water on the surface is in liquid form. Based on observations from instruments on the GALILEO spacecraft at Jupiter and the CASSINI spacecraft at Saturn, there are many potential places in our solar system where liquid water oceans may exist below the surface.

In this Discourse, Michele Dougherty, the first female Astronomer Royal, will describe the discoveries made by CASSINI scientists, as well as exploring the future discoveries waiting to be made at Jupiter’s moons with the European Space Agency mission JUICE.

The JUICE mission was successfully launched from Kourou in French Guiana in April 2023, and the spacecraft will spend at least three years making detailed observations of the giant planet Jupiter and three of its largest moons, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa, which all show hints of hosting liquid water oceans beneath their crusts. On Earth, life thrives in the deepest, darkest parts of our oceans near hydrothermal vents. Ultimately leading to the big question: could life similarly evolve or survive in the ocean floors of these moons?

This is a theatre and livestream event for an adult audience, where the speakers and audience in our Theatre are joined by our audience online.

The livestream will go live around 7.20pm, and the talk will begin at 7.30pm. If you register but miss the livestream, the video will be available to you via the same link for two weeks after the event date.

For more information on livestreams, see the information below, or visit our FAQs page. Please use the event link you have been provided with.

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