After an eight-month, and nearly 570 million km journey across space, the space vehicle ‘Curiosity’ – or Mars Science Laboratory – will make a harrowing touchdown on the planet Mars this Monday (Aug. 6) and you are invited to share this thrilling ride and piece of space history with Western.
The university’s Department of Physics & Astronomy and Centre for Planetary Science & Exploration are inviting the public to join them at the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory to view a live network feed of the Mars Science Laboratory landing.
There is zero margin for error as ‘Curiosity’ enters the atmosphere and continues a seven minute decent to the surface of the red planet.
“This is an ambitious mission which will do great science — I have my fingers crossed for a successful landing,” said Pauline Barmby of Western University’s Department of Physics & Astronomy.”
Touchdown is scheduled for 1:31 a.m. on Monday. The observatory will be open from 10 p.m. Sunday until 2 a.m. Weather permitting, telescopic observing of Mars and Saturn will run from 10 p.m. until midnight.