May Meeting

Chasing Pluto's shadow in the Great Southern Ocean

A year ago we were all waiting with anticipation because we knew that the " New Horizons " was on its last sprint for its closest approach to Pluto. And when it arrived and we all saw the images and listened to the scientists, we were in awe. But how many of us Skyscrapers were aware that just two weeks before closest approach, there was an opportunity to observe an occultation of a bright star by Pluto? Our speaker was aware and he spearheadeed an observing run from New Zealand on the SOFIA 747 aircraft. Dr. Michael Person observed the occultation. And he learned details about the atmosphere of Pluto. Please come and Hear Dr. Person discuss the SOFIA observatory, the expedition and the science of the June 2015 stellar occultation.

Dr. Michael Person is a planetary research scientist at MIT. He has been especially interested in planetary occultations at MIT, having been as associate of Dr. Jim Elliot, the discoverer of the rings of Uranus in 1977. Dr. Person is also the director of MIT's Wallace Observatory in Westford, Mass. Dr. Person received his degrees from MIT.