I n s i d e November 4, 2005 Volume 35 Number 22 News Briefs . 2 Letters . 3 Special Events Calendar . 2 Retirees . 3 JPL’s New IT Man. 3 Classifieds. 4 Jet Propulsion Laborator y Cassini pinpoints Huygens’ landing site THE CASSINI SPACECRAFT CARRIED THE EUROPEAN the left image and outlined on the right. The cross within the outlined Space Agency’s Huygens probe to Saturn and released it in December area in both images shows the best estimate of the actual Huygens 2004. The probe landed on Titan Jan. 14, 2005, acquiring a set of im- landing site. This is a preliminary result, based on the best information ages using the descent imager/spectral radiometer camera as it para- available at the present time. chuted to the surface. On closer inspection, bright features within the Huygens mosaic seem As Cassini continued to orbit Saturn, its imaging science subsystem to correspond to smaller features in the map composed of data from the and visual and infrared mapping spectrometer mapped the region where visual and infrared spectrometer and imaging camera. On the right, the the Huygens probe landed. On Friday, Oct. 28, Cassini’s radar instru- correspondence is less clear. In radar images bright features are usual- ment provided the highest resolution orbital data yet of this area. ly rougher, so one would not necessarily expect an obvious connection. The two images shown here tell the story. On the left is a composite To see the Cassini image in color, visit http://photojournal.jpl.nasa. of the imaging camera and infrared data. On the right is the synthetic gov/catalog/PIA03569. aperture radar image. The Huygens descent images are shown inset on Spitzer finds Black Widow Nebula hiding in the dust IN THE CONSTELLATION CIRCINUS, WHERE In the case of the Black Widow Nebula, astronomers suspect previous visible-light observations by the Digital Sky Survey (left) saw that a large cloud of gas and dust condensed to create multiple only a faint hourglass-shaped patch of obscuring dust and gas, the clusters of massive star formation. The combined winds from these JPL-managed Spitzer Space Telescope’s dust-piercing eyes see a big groups of large stars probably blew out bubbles into the direction “Black Widow Nebula” teeming with clusters of massive young stars of least resistance, forming a double bubble. (right). The infrared image was captured by the Galactic Legacy Infra- In the Spitzer image, the two opposing bubbles are being formed in red Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire Legacy project. The Spitzer opposite directions by the powerful outflows from massive groups of picture is a four-channel false-color composite, showing emission forming stars. The baby stars can be seen as specks of yellow where from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 the two bubbles overlap. microns (orange) and 8.0 microns (red). When individual stars form from molecular clouds of gas and dust To view the image, visit http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/ they produce intense radiation and very strong particle winds. Both mediaimages/sig/sig05-020.shtml. the radiation and the stellar winds blow the dust outward from the star creating a cavity, or bubble. Weissman named fellow Earlier this year, the Board of 2 Senior Research Scientist DR. PAUL Supervisors also paid homage to JPL’s Universe WEISSMAN has been elected a fellow Mars Exploration Rovers mission. Special Events Calendar of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Help sought for L.A. students nects people through social networks He is being honored for his “funda- The JPL Education Office seeks Ongoing Support Groups on colleges. Free admission. For more volunteers for LA’s BEST (Better mental studies of the dynamics and Alcoholics Anonymous—Meets information, call (626) 395-4652 or Educated Students for Tomorrow) to evolution of the Oort cloud and its Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. visit www.events.caltech.edu. relationship to the Kuiper belt and the provide after-school visits to elemen- evolution of comets.” tary schools in December. Caregivers Support Group—Meets the Friday, November 11 News Each year the organization elects On one day between Dec. 1 and 9, first Thursday of the month at noon in members whose “efforts on behalf of from 3 to 5 p.m., volunteers will Building 167-111 (the Wellness Mad Chad—The chainsaw-juggling the advancement of science or its present one-hour workshops at one of Place). comedian will perform at 8 p.m. in Caltech’s Ramo Auditorium. Tickets applications are scientifically or 30 participating schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Volun- Codependents Anonymous—Meets at are $20; high school age and younger, Briefs socially distinguished.” noon every Wednesday. $10. For more information, call Weissman has worked at JPL since teers will select a campus in the geo- (626) 395-4652 or visit www.events. 1974. Among the positions he has graphic region of their choice. Student Lambda (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and caltech.edu. held are co-investigator and science presentations can be on Earth sci- Transgender Networking Group)— coordinator for Galileo’s Near Infrared ence, space exploration, technology or Meets the first Friday and third Thurs- any other JPL-related topic. Mapping Spectrometer; astronomy day of the month at noon in Building Saturday, November 12 The Education Office will host a 111-117. For more information, call science lead for the Table Mountain Toying With Science—This family Observatory; interdisciplinary scien- one-hour training/overview/materials Randy Herrera, ext. 3-0664. session on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at program, originally commissioned and tist on the International Rosetta produced with the Museum of Science 11:30 a.m. in the 167 conference Parents Group for Children With Mission; and guest investigator in in Boston, explores the scientific room. For more information, call RITA Special Needs—Meets the second the Infrared Astronomical Satellite principles of gravity and leverage, TORRES, ext. 4-1444. Thursday of the month at noon in Project. He has won six NASA Group simple machines, human imagination LA’s BEST, sponsored by the Office Building 167-111 (the Wellness Achievement Awards for various Place). and more. It will be held at 2 p.m. in phases of the Galileo mission. of the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium. Tickets Weissman earned his master’s and Los Angeles Unified School District, For more information on any of the are $12 for adults, $7 for children. doctorate in planetary and space serves 21,000 students. For informa- support groups, call the Employee For more information, call (626) 395- Dr. Paul Weissman physics from UCLA. tion, visit www.lasbest.org. Assistance Program at ext. 4-3680. 4652 or visit www.events.caltech.edu. Women At Work honors van Wickle Lab wins third recycling award NANCY VAN WICKLE, administrative JPL recently received its third Friday, November 4 Tuesday, November 15 California Integrated Waste Manage- assistant to the JPL Deputy Director, Caltech Women’s Club—A “welcom- JPL Hiking Club—A slide show titled has been named a winner of the 2005 ment Board Award for waste-reduction ing coffee” is offered from 11 a.m. to “The Geology of JPL” will be present- Medal of Excellence Award by Women efforts accomplished through “volun- 1 p.m. in von Kármán Auditorium. ed by Tom Farr at noon in Building At Work, a Pasadena-based non-profit tary efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle New members are invited. Light 171-218. job and career resource center. and buy recycled.” In addition, NASA snacks will be provided. For more Van Wickle, a 25-year JPL employ- reviews of JPL have consistently information, contact Vilia Zmuidzinas Wednesday, November 16 ee, said she was honored by the praised the JPL Recycle Program as at [email protected] or (626) 398- selection and praised Women At Work one of the best in the agency. 4413 or Brenda Simmons at l.sim- “Einstein’s General Relativity, from for providing “dignity to women in Some of the material being recycled [email protected] or (818) 790-6867. 1905 to 2005: Warped Spacetime, whatever situation they’re in.” at JPL includes white paper, card- For information about the club, visit Black Holes, http://www.cwclub.caltech.edu. Businesses throughout the Los board, toner and ink jet cartridges, Gravitational Nancy van Wickle Angeles area honor women employees metal chips, plastic bottles, glass Waves and bottles, newspapers, metal cans, “Market-Based Systems: Bidding Your the Acceler- through the Women At Work award. At Way to the Launch Pad”—Ever notice wooden pallets and, most recently, ating Uni- JPL, nominations are submitted by the that resource allocation problems all Tyvek suits and solder. verse”— Director’s Advisory Council for Women. have the same characteristics? Join Buying material with recycled Kip Thorne, Van Wickle’s nomination cited her Dr. Randii Wessen at 11:30 a.m. in the content is also a priority at JPL. The Caltech efforts to improve teamwork and per- 167 conference room for this Systems professor of formance; community outreach work; Environmental Affairs Program Office Engineering Advancement seminar. urges staff to buy products with theoretical and camaraderie with co-workers. physics, will recycled content. Call SHARON Van Wickle received the award at a speak at 8 p.m. in Beckman Auditori- HARRIMAN, ext. 4-8630, for help. Saturday, November 5 ceremony in Pasadena in October. um. Free admission. For more infor- For more information on the scope Celtic Music—The Battlefield Band mation, call (626) 395-4652 or visit of the JPL recycling program, call Bar-Cohen publishes book will perform at 8 p.m.