Advanced Astrophysics Students Take Their Learning from the Lab to UCLA and Beyond

From there, students launched into orbital mechanics, asking big questions about how we define celestial objects. They conducted a “mini-conference” where they showcased their proposals for categorizing planets, including the ever-controversial Pluto. The class then voted on their official criteria to determine if Pluto makes the cut. 

Students continued on this journey with a field trip to the UCLA Planetarium to hear from Dr. Jack Lubin, a planetary science astrophysicist. Dr. Lubin shared how scientists categorize planets and introduced students to the cutting-edge field of exoplanet discovery.

 

Two days later, students toured the UCLA Meteorite Museum, where Dr. Peng Ni, a Geochemistry and Planetary Astronomy expert, and Dr. Amy Mainzer, an Infrared Astronomer and specialist in Astrophysical Instrumentation, guided students through the mysteries of how our solar system formed, and how life came to exist in the form we know it here on Earth. Some students even walked away with some pieces of meteorites. Next week, students will apply mathematical derivations to calculate Earth’s radius and in a playful twist, they will use that data to estimate the planet’s mass by taking to the swings at Westwood Park.