Donald Brownlee
Donald Brownlee
Donald Eugene Brownleeis a professor of astronomy at the University of Washingtonand the principal investigator for NASA's Stardust mission. His primary research interests include astrobiology, comets, and cosmic dust. He was born in Las Vegas, Nevada...
atoms billion bodies comet earth far four half library low picked records solar stardust sun system using virtually
Virtually all of the atoms in our bodies and in the Earth were in interstellar grains - stardust grains - before the solar system formed. We're using this comet as a library that picked up records of the formation of our solar system, and has been storing them far from the sun at very low temperatures for four and a half billion years.
billion comet far library low picked records stored sun using
We?re using this comet as a library that picked up records and stored them far from the sun at very low temperatures for 4.5 billion years.
ended might standing
They always ended up with a rigid, crusty material. If you were standing on it you might go right through it.
contain discussion lots minerals whether
Scientifically, that's great, because there's been lots of discussion of whether comets contain minerals or glass.
absolutely bad either exceeded fully happened none point remarkable space successful totally wildest wrong
At this point in time, we're absolutely thrilled. It's totally remarkable to have a fully successful mission. Of all the things that could go wrong either in space or even scientifically, none of the bad things happened and everything really exceeded our wildest expectations.
huge lots small
It exceeds all expectations. It's a huge success. We can see lots of impacts. There are big ones, there are small ones.
huge
It exceeds all expectations. It's a huge success.
exceeded grandest larger million particles
It exceeded all of our grandest expectations. We should have more than 1 million particles larger than 1 micron in diameter.
formed solar
We can tell the difference, absolutely, for something that formed in our own solar system, and something that formed around another star.
feet lots small
We can see lots of impacts. There are big ones, there are small ones. The big ones you can see from 10 feet away.
bit dozen hair human larger particles prediction size
The prediction was that we would get a dozen particles larger than human hair size and one particle a little bit larger than a millimeter.
brought direct mission particles planet relationship selves stressed
We have always stressed in this mission that we are stardust. Our planet and even our selves have a direct relationship to the particles we brought back.
five great
We were having a great time. We were really excited, and this did not go on for five minutes. It went on all day.
comet expect fully older particles
We fully expect some of the comet particles to be older than the sun.