![[Skip header]](/transdot.gif)
The Royal Scottish Society of Arts
Showcasing Scotland's Science, Technology and Innovation
4th Meeting of the 184th Session
(2004-2005)
The RSSA Annual Lecture 2005
Huygens - A first look at Titan
Prof John Zarnecki
Professor of Space Science
Open University
In the Biosphere of Our Dynamic
Earth
Holyrood Road, Edinburgh
On Monday 21st February 2005, at 7 pm
Professor
Zarnecki is Principal Investigator for the Surface Science
Package, one of the six scientific instruments on the Huygens
Probe which touched down on the surface of Titan, Saturn's
largest moon on 15th January 2005 after an interplanetary journey
of seven and a quarter years. Titan is larger than the planet
Mercury, and the only planetary satellite in the entire Solar
System to possess a significant atmosphere. Most interestingly,
it appears that Titan's atmosphere is the site of a whole range
of chemical reactions that produce increasingly complex
hydrocarbon molecules. Similar reactions in Earth's early
atmosphere over four billion years ago led to the conditions
under which simple life evolved. The journey of the Huygens probe
will be described as well as its final dramatic plunge to the
surface. Very early results will be presented with emphasis on
the United Kingdom's contribution.
This event is free to all who wish to attend.
Capacity, however, is 250 so please come early.
Jane Ridder-Patrick, Secretary
secretary@rssa.org.uk
The Royal Scottish Society of Arts is Registered Scottish Charity SC015549
The Society's website is maintained by <webmaster @ rssa.org.uk>