SPS Meeting Minutes 10/09

SPS and Physics News

  • Meteor Crater trip tomorrow, Saturday, October 10th 2026
    • We have 21 spots, and we will be carpooling
    • Meet tomorrow morning at 9 at the Union parking lot
  •  APS Four Corners Conference
    • Great opportunity to network and learn about new developments in science and technology research
    • Travel and lodging paid for; just email Dr. Dolle ([email protected])
  • First detection of variable water clouds outside the solar system

Weekly Trivia

  • Question: Approximately how long ago did the Canyon Diablo meteorite impact Earth and form Meteor Crater
  • Answer: 50,000 years ago, just 43 miles from Flagstaff

Fun Facts for Meteor Crater!

  • Planetary Formation:
    • After the Sun ignited, most of the material around it had flattened into a thin disk of gas and dust. This material eventually clumps into “planetesimals ” which can form planets, asteroids, and comets
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXq1i3HlumA 
  • Impact Cratering:
    • An impacting body forms a crater in another body
    • Energy levels are so high that solid rock acts similarly to a fluid during this collision 
    • Older rocks lie closer to the crater rim, while newer rocks will lie further away