Lovell Lecture: Professor Monica Grady, Astronomy by Microscope

Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9DW

Add Lovell Lecture: Professor Monica Grady, Astronomy by Microscope to your Itinerary

The Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank

A series of public lectures named in honour of Sir Bernard Lovell, the Founder and first Director of Jodrell Bank Observatory.

Jodrell Bank is proud to be hosting the Lovell Lecture series in our Wolfson Auditorium. We will be hosting regular evening lectures and are delighted to welcome leading astrophysicists to Jodrell Bank.

LECTURE 5: Astronomy by Microscope

Traditionally, astronomers study stars and planets by telescope. But we can also learn about them by using a microscope – through studying meteorites.

Meteorites are fragments of ancient material, natural objects that survive their fall to Earth from space. Some are metallic, but most are made of stone. They are the oldest objects that we have for study. Almost all meteorites are fragments from asteroids, and were formed at the birth of the Solar System, approximately 4567 million years ago. They show a compositional variation that spans a whole range of planetary materials, from completely unmelted and unfractionated stony chondrites to highly fractionated and differentiated iron meteorites. Meteorites, and components within them, carry records of all stages of Solar System history. From meteorites, we can learn about the processes and materials that shaped the Solar System and our planet. Tiny grains within meteorites have come from other stars, giving information about the stellar neighbourhood in which the Sun was born. Some meteorites contain organic compounds – materials which might have helped life on Earth to get started. There are also meteorites from the Moon and from Mars that give us insights to how these bodies have formed and evolved.

In her lecture, Monica will describe how the microscope is another tool that can be employed to trace stellar and planetary processes.

Speaker Bio

Monica Grady is Professor of Planetary and Space Sciences at the Open University. She has been studying meteorites – chunks from asteroids (and the Moon and Mars) that land on Earth – for more than forty years. She specialises in investigating carbon and nitrogen in the samples and is particularly interested in what meteorites from Mars can reveal about the chances of life on Mars.

Book Tickets

Opening Times

Sorry, this event has passed

Directions

TripAdvisor

Contact Us

Tel: 01477 571766

Tel: 01477 571766

What's Nearby

  1. Jodrell Bank for Groups

    Jodrell bank is a world-leading deep-space radio observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage…

    0.7 miles away
  2. Jodrell Bank

    Jodrell Bank is an amazing, unique, and awe-inspiring place. A world-leading deep-space…

    0.7 miles away
  3. Capesthorne Hall & Gardens

    Dating from 1719, the majestic Capesthorne Hall with its stunning Jacobean style…

    2.41 miles away
  1. Bidlea Dairy

    Bidlea Dairy is a family-run dairy farm in the picturesque Cheshire countryside, just on…

    2.72 miles away
  2. All Saints Church

    Although the exact age of the building is unknown, records at Prestbury Church mention a…

    2.78 miles away
  3. The Lovell Quinta Arboretum

    Nestled in the heart of the Cheshire countryside in the picturesque village of Swettenham…

    2.88 miles away
  4. Clonter Opera Theatre

    The 'Clonter Experience' offers you the opportunity to entertain friends and clients in…

    2.95 miles away
  5. Woodside Golf Club

    Set in a truly magnificent setting, with splendid views this course offers some really…

    3.65 miles away
  6. St Mary's Church

    St Mary's is a 'living church' in the community but it also attracts many visitors. Open…

    3.69 miles away
  7. St James and St Paul

    One of the finest examples of the Medieval wooden church remaining in England today, this…

    3.79 miles away
  8. Nether Alderley Mill (NT)

    Concealed under the long sloping roof of this medieval building is a fully restored,…

    3.83 miles away
  9. Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve

    Follow the Brimstone Trail an easy access trail through the woods and around the lake

    3.98 miles away
  10. Wilmslow Golf Club

    The Wilmslow Golf Club enjoys the distinction of being the only course in Cheshire where…

    4.03 miles away
  11. Alderley Edge Golf Course

    Do not underestimate this 9-hole course - not only is it very much worth playing, but it…

    4.93 miles away
  12. Taste Knutsford Tours

    Take a walking tour of about 10 eateries dotted along Knutsford's narrow streets. You…

    5.08 miles away
  13. The Real Fruit Creamery

    All our gelato and sorbets are handmade in small batches on our premises using only the…

    5.26 miles away
Previous Next

Related

Jodrell Bank, CheshireJodrell Bank, Holmes Chapel

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss