Phoenix Astronomical Society October 2010 meetings - North Pole, South Pole

[The Phoenix Astronomical Society]

Phoenix Astronomical Society October 2010 meetings

North Pole, South Pole
Presented by Dr Gillian Turner
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Victoria University of Wellington

Have you ever wondered exactly what makes a compass needle point north
- but not quite north? And why does that niggling discrepancy
gradually change, year by year? Earth is unique among the terrestrial
planets in having a strong magnetic field. So, what is its source?
Early ideas included the Pole Star, huge lodestone mountains near the
poles, and permanent magnets deep within the Earth. However, one by
one these notions has proved inadequate in the face of scientific
discoveries concerning the interior of the planet. Twentieth century
advances in Earth Science proved the geomagnetic field to be more
astonishing still. Palaeomagnetists measuring the weak magnetization
of rocks discovered that the whole polarity of the field has switched:
magnetic north becoming south and magnetic south becoming north - and
not just once, but thousands of times over the history of the planet.
The idea of a magnetic dynamo churning away in the conducting fluid of
the outer core had been mooted as early as 1919, but it wasn't until
the last decade of the century that computer simulations proved that
such a dynamo really can work and explain all that is known about
Earth's magnetic field.

Documentary
Hubble: 15 Years of Discovery
On the momentous occasion of the Hubble Space Telescope's 15-year
anniversary, the European Space Agency released this commemorative
documentary looking back of the history of discovery that the
telescope has facilitated. Retrace the story of its successes and
difficulties, illustrated by state-of-the-art computer animation, as
well as spellbinding footage photographs taken from Hubble, much of
which has been previously unseen until now. The film presents some of
the most fascinating facts about our universe that Hubble has
uncovered, and explains things like wormholes, black monsters, and
event horizons. All of this is accompanied by a score that captures
the grand majesty of the film's subject matter.
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Wellington Society Meeting
Thursday September 23rd 7:30pm, Carter Observatory, Wellington

7:30 pm Society News
7:45 pm North Pole, South Pole
8:45 pm Supper and social time
9:00 pm Documentary: Hubble: 15 Years of Discovery.

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Wairarapa Society Meeting
Friday September 24th at 7:30pm, Phoenix Clubrooms, Ahiaruhi,
Wairarapa

7:30 pm Society News
7:45 pm North Pole, South Pole
8:45 pm Supper and social time
9:00 pm Documentary: Hubble: 15 Years of Discovery.

Observing will follow the meeting if it is clear.

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