April 17, 2017 7:30-9:30PM

Event: Astronomy on Tap
Venue: Der Wolfskopf

Talk 1

Title: Proxima B: Our Nearest Exoplanet
Lecturer: Devin Silvia
Position: NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow
Institution: Michigan State

Talk 2

Title: A History of Black Hole Simulations (and Failures)
Lecturer: Masha Okounkova
Position: Graduate Student
Institution: Caltech

Quiz Questions / Answers

1. How many planets have been discovered in the TRAPPIST-1 exoplanetary system? 7
2. What is the largest satellite orbiting the Earth? Moon
3. What is the duration of the Solar Cycle (i.e. Sunspot Cycle)? 11 years (also accepted 22 years)
4. What desert planet featured in Star Wars: Rogue One was the major source of kyber crystals in the galaxy? Jedha
5. What JPL-constructed mission will tragically plunge into Saturn in 151 days? Cassini
6. What is the name of the astronaut stranded on Mars in The Martian? Mark Watney
7. Rank the sizes of these astronomical objects from smallest to biggest: Sun/Star, Earth, Moon, Galaxy -- Moon, Earth, Sun, Galaxy
8. What 2018 NASA mission will become the closest manmade object to approach the Sun at eight solar radii? Solar Probe Plus
9. What is the thickness of Saturn's rings? 10 meters
10. Who was the first person to go into space? Yuri Gagarin, 1961