The papers provide an inventory of some of the greatest discoveries of the past decade and suggest targets for the next generation telescope, scheduled to launch in 2021. BY ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA | OCTOBER 8, 2020 To understand the significance of the Spitzer Space Telescope on the understanding of our solar system, think of what Read More …
Estela Fernández-Valenzuela, a preeminent post doctoral researcher at the Florida Space Institute wins a highly competitive NASA grant. BY ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA | SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 Florida Space Institute Planetary Scientist Estela Fernández-Valenzuela has been awarded a $315,700 NASA grant to use modern day technology to analyze one of the oldest and least understood objects of Read More …
The National Science Foundation facility, managed by the University of Central Florida, determines that a newly discovered asteroid won’t threaten Earth. BY ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA | AUGUST 6, 2020 The Earth has one less asteroid to worry about thanks to the research of an international team of scientists at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Asteroid 2020 Read More …
The results may help future missions land on and sample asteroids. BY SIMONE ROUSSEAU | JULY 14, 2020 UCF planetary scientist Adrienne Dove and a team of students have teamed up with NASA’s Johnson Space Center to examine data on an asteroid experiment years in the making. The work is funded by a recently announced $200,000 grant Read More …
For June 30’s day of observance, here’s a special nod to the eight asteroids making waves in the solar system — just like their UCF faculty namesakes. BY SIMONE ROUSSEAU | JUNE 30, 2020 Imagine a celestial body larger than the Statue of Liberty skyrocketing past Earth with enough energy to flatten a city. Since 2011 this Read More …
A UCF team creates a geological model that will give prospectors a better idea of where the moon may hide its water ice, which may play a role in future human exploration of the solar system. BY ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA | JUNE 1, 2020 | https://www.ucf.edu/news/ucf-provides-maps-ice-favorability-index-to-companies-looking-to-mine-the-moon/ The 49ers who panned for gold during California’s Gold Rush didn’t Read More …
Anshare (Interviewer): What university did you graduate from and what field did you get your PhD in? David (Interviewee): I have two bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. My Ph.D. in Physics is from The University of Texas at San Antonio, but my research was conducted at Southwest Read More …
Anshare (Interviewer): What university did you graduate from and what field did you get your PhD in? Raúl (Interviewee): I studied Physics at the Complutense University of Madrid and the University of Seville. I got my PhD from the Spanish National Research Council and the University of Granada. A: How did you become interested in your current Read More …
The technique used to detect the satellite could help identify more objects, which could potentially help broaden our understanding of our solar system. BY ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA | DECEMBER 11, 2019 https://www.ucf.edu/news/ucf-postdoctoral-researcher-detects-hunts-of-satellite-orbiting-dwarf-planet/ A University of Central Florida postdoctoral scholar has detected hints of a satellite orbiting an object beyond Neptune. Estela Fernandez-Valenzuela, a postdoctoral research associate at Read More …
Dr. Julie Brisset, research scientist at the Florida Space Institute, was awarded a Solar System Workings grant by NASA to study a potential formation scenario for rings around outer Solar System objects. Outside of the inner solar system, beyond Neptune, there are bodies called transneptunian objects that contain ices; their composition is different from asteroids Read More …