Scientific Talk at Arizona State University, in sunny Phoenix

Just got back from an enjoyable visit to Arizona State University, where I again talked about how planet destruction may be observable. I still am talking about the most luminous events, from the most massive planets, but I talked more about the likely less rare events of smaller planets and even protoplanets spiraling in to Roche lobe overflow (as opposed to encountering the photosphere as the largest planets will).

I appreciate Steven Desche for hosting me. I also got some good information from several faculty, and will be better able to incorporate the earlier work of Sumner Starrfield, who long ago studied what happens when material from a stellar companion accretes onto a star (or falls onto a star).

ASU has many interesting projects organized around a university-wide emphasis on interdisciplinary research. I was able to hear a fascinating talk on the mineralogy of Mars from a scientist working on the Spirit rover. He showed how it is not completely stuck and just might get out yet.

Next week: Hawaii.

I will talk about Planet Destruction at the Bishop Museum planetarium in a free public talk.

See
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/calendar/february.html and click on the
lecture on Feb 16
( the text is http://www.bishopmuseum.org/calendar/events/feb16.html )

My father is taking my family, all 16 people. It's far more of a fancy thing than he has ever done since he has always been very careful with money, though growing up my parents did a wonderful job of driving us to see much of the U.S.

It will be great talking astronomers with people in the Aloha state!