For Release: Feb. 28, 1997
Catherine E. Watson
(757) 864-6122
Release No. 97-015
Exploring Giant Planets with the Hubble
Space Telescope
Our knowledge of the atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune have undergone striking new advances, due in part to the
Hubble Space Telescope. Dr. Heidi B. Hammel, a scientist at MIT,
will take her audience on a Hubble tour of the solar system'sgas
giants on Tuesday, March 4, at 2 p.m. at the NASA
Langley H.J.E. Reid Conference Center.
Hammel will emphasize the results from two recent Hubble
programs: the study of the collision of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with
Jupiter, and the study of changes in Neptune's clouds. A media
briefing with Hammel will take place at 1:15 p.m. in the
Reid Center. Hammel will repeat her Hubble lecture at 7:30
p.m. at the Virginia Air & Space Center, Hampton.
Hammel has a bachelor's degree from MIT and a doctorate in
astronomy from the University of Hawaii. Hammel is an acknowledged
expert about the planet Neptune, and was a member of the Imaging
Science Team for the Voyager 2 encounter with that planet in 1989.
During the impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter in July
1994, Hammel led the Hubble team that investigated Jupiter's
atmospheric response to the collisions.
Hammel was the 1996 recipient of the Urey Prize from the
American Astronomical Society, awarded for outstanding scientific
research by a young planetary scientist. She also has been awarded
several prizes in connection with public outreach, including the
1996 Spirit of American Women National Award for encouraging young
women to follow non-traditional career paths.
- end -
text-only version of this release | 
