Speaker's Night: Scattering Throughout the Solar System

Stunning optical effects such as rainbows, halos, and the opposition surge are observed frequently on Earth, but many of these features have also been observed on planetary bodies throughout the solar system. These phenomena offer us more than a spectacular sight; they can provide us with a wealth of knowledge ranging from the microphysical properties of ice particulates in Saturn's rings, to better understanding how Martian water ice clouds affect the Martian climate. The unique conditions required for many of these effects is what makes them so intriguing, and capturing them is often a case of being in the right place at the right time.

Brittney Cooper is an Earth and Space Science MSc student at York University interested in planetary atmospheres. She is a science collaborator and member of the flight operations team on Mars Science Laboratory, and her recent work focuses on the optical and radiative properties of Martian water ice clouds.

Talk starts at 7:30pm, socializing at 7:00pm.

Who can attend: Everyone
Fee: Free
Registration: Not required
Organized by: RASC - Toronto Centre
Location: Ontario Science Centre (follow the signs to the RASC meeting)