This cross section of a pallasite shows what Britt describes as “a framework of metal surrounding a bunch of olivine crystals.” As a result of impact, “What you’re looking at is the boundary between the core and the mantle. Intense radiation liquefies the internal materials of some asteroids and reorganizes them based on density. “There are lots of things we don’t understand yet, but that’s what science is about.” Here’s what Britt teaches his students about meteorites: Pallasite “When you ‘see’ the oldest thing in the solar system, it’s more concrete, more tactile,” Britt says. The current collection of 15 meteorites, which all date from the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago, come primarily from northern Africa and China, and represent a diversity of ancient cosmic materials that are valuable for study. “Meteorites tell us about the mineralogy of asteroids - how they’re put together, how strong they are and how they’ll react to shock,” says Britt, who has worked for NASA on Mars missions, including Pathfinder, the Spirit rover and the Phoenix lander, and was named to Pluto’s New Horizons mission team. To help his students better comprehend the composition of asteroids, planets and other celestial bodies, Professor Daniel Britt began building a collection of meteorites in 2003 with the help of Guy Consolmagno, curator of the Vatican’s meteorite collection. In the study of physics, some of the best lessons fall from the sky. Go for Launch Professor Joshua Colwell partnered with Blue Origin to make history. Opinion: Space Tourism UCF professors debate the pros and cons of space tourism. Such Great Heights Astronaut Nicole Stott ’92 on the 104 days she spent in space. Knight View UCF’s Robinson Observatory offers a stellar view of the night sky. 1 for higher education performance in the state of Florida, announces new head coaches and a VP of research, and more… Knights In Space Learn about the work UCF researchers are doing on nearly every planet in our solar system and beyond. Destination Downtown At UCF’s new downtown Orlando campus, thousands of students will tap into the heart of the City Beautiful. On Campus: Summer 2016 Photos: Commencement, spring football game, Bill Nye the Science Guy Why I Jumped Alan Eustace ’79 on his record-breaking free-fall jump from the stratosphere. Where to Next? UCF scientists on what space exploration will look like in the future. ![]() Intergalactic Symphony Oscar winner Hans Zimmer conducted an out-of-this-world performance during UCF Celebrates the Arts. UCF Stands with Orlando Together, we grieve. It’s All Geek to Me John Joseph Adams ’00 is discovering the next generation of sci-fi authors. Written in the Stars UCF’s motto is “Reach for the Stars,” and the constellation Pegasus shows us the way. ![]() ![]() One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for UCF UCF has been committed to space exploration since before man’s first step on the moon. Heavy Metal Meteorites give physics students a rock-solid connection to cosmic theories.
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