[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 4 - 09:34:57 ]
Hello to our early arriving chat participants! Today's NASA On the Cutting Edge: Small Bodies/Space Scientists Online chat with Bonnie Buratti will begin at 10:00 a.m., Pacific Standard Time. Be sure you have read Bonnie's profile at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/bios/bb.html before joining this chat.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 5 - 09:35:10 ]
Once the chat begins, Bonnie will attempt to answer as many of your questions as she can, but please be patient. Today's chat will be MODERATED to help Bonnie keep up with our questions. This means that only a few questions would be posted to the chat room at a time. Don't worry if your questions do not appear on your screen immediately during moderation. They will be held in our chat queue and posted as Bonnie answers those ahead of you.

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At the conclusion of today's chat, we ask that you take a few minutes to let us know what you thought about it. For your convenience, you may use our online feedback forms at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys. We look forward to hearing from you!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 8 - 10:02:34 ]
Hello and welcome to today's NASA On the Cutting Edge: Small Bodies/Space Scientists Online chat with Dr. Bonnie Buratti from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)! Since arriving at JPL in 1983, Bonnie has been involved in planetary science research, and has observed astronomical phenomena using large telescopes. For over 10 years, she has conducted original research on the nature of the surfaces of planets. More recently, Bonnie has been involved in the lunar mission, Clementine, and is working on the development of the Cassini mission to Saturn.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 9 - 10:14:30 ]
And now, here is Bonnie Buratti to answer your questions.

[ MrsPeale/ValleyView - 10 - 10:14:34 ]
What does comet dust look like?

[ BonnieBuratti/JPL - 13 - 10:18:26 ]
Hello! Comet dust is sort of like the dust that collects on furniture. Comets are sometimes called "dirty snowballs". When they get closer to the sun they light up and spew off gas and dust, which is that dirt. The dust is mainly very small particles, which you couldn't even see, but some of it is rock-sized. The tail of a comet is very thin though. f you were on a spaceship next to the comet, you couldn't even see the dust very well at all. In about 7 years, the Stardust spacecraft will return a sample of comet dust. Then we'll really know what it looks like!

[ MrsPeale/ValleyView - 11 - 10:14:58 ]
Our class wants to know that since you have used a telescope a lot, is the moon beautiful?

[ BonnieBuratti/JPL - 16 - 10:21:18 ]
Dear Mrs. Peale, Observing the Moon - and many other bodies such as planets and rings - does give one a sense of wonder. It is beautiful, with mountains, and craters that speak of a violent past. Your class can observe the Moon through binoculars to see some of this beauty.

[ BonnieBuratti/JPL - 18 - 10:22:37 ]
RE: [MrsPeale/ValleyView] Have you studied about the sun or planets since you've been a scientist?
I did study the sun for a while in the 1970's, but most of my recent work has been in planetary astronomy, particularly in the area of satellites and small bodies (comets and asteroids).

[ BonnieBuratti/JPL - 23 - 10:27:24 ]
RE: [MrsPeale/ValleyView] Does it seem like the stars are a long, long distance from earth?
Mrs. Peale, Yes, stars are a long distance from the Earth. Light, which travels at 300,000 km per second (this is so fast it could travel around the Earth 8 times in one second), would take over 4 years to get to the closest stars. It is said to be 4 light years away. Most of the stars we see are 10-1000 light years away.

[ BonnieBuratti/JPL - 25 - 10:29:57 ]
RE: [MrsPeale/ValleyView-Mrs.Peale/ValleyView] Does a space craft pause when it goes around the sun?
Mrs. Peale, No, a spacecraft will not pause as it goes around the sun. The spacecraft is in orbit just like the planets. It is moving very rapidly (remember how fast it had to go to escape the Earth's gravity!), and Newton's laws say that an object in motion will stay in motion until an outside force acts on it. Even the most powerful rocket could not slow it down. The sun's gravity will act on the spacecraft, by either speeding it up if it is going towards the sun, or slowing it down as it moves away from the sun. A rocket on the spacecraft will cause it to slow down, speed up, or change direction. But none of these things could cause the spacecraft to pause.

[ BonnieBuratti/JPL - 26 - 10:32:25 ]
RE: [MrsPeale/ValleyView-Mrs.Peale/ValleyView] Since you teach classes for teachers at JPL...is it possible for children and their parents to come to JPL to learn more about Comet Dust and other things?
Mrs. Peale, Yes. JPL has tours for classes and an Educator's Resource Center. Their number is (818)354-6916, or contact them through the JPL web site. NASA Ames has a similar Center.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 27 - 10:34:00 ]
RE: [BonnieBuratti/JPL] Mrs. Peale, Yes. JPL has tours for classes and an Educator's Resource Center. Their number is (818)354-6916, or contact them through the JPL web site. NASA Ames has a similar Center.
Mrs. Peale, you can reach NASA JPL and NASA ARC online at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov and http://www.arc.nasa.gov, respectively.

[ BonnieBuratti/JPL - 31 - 10:38:56 ]
RE: [MrsPeale/ValleyView-Mrs.Peale/ValleyView] Are you studying Saturn? My class is very interested in how Mars, Saturn and the rest of the planets look. I am sure that JPL has a public viewing place for interesting space pictures. Where would that be?
Yes, I am studying Saturn. The giant Cassini spacecraft is going to Saturn with an arrival date in 2004. It is a fascinating body, with rings, interesting satellites, and a magnetic field. To visit JPL with your class, schedule a tour with the Educator's Resource Center. The tour includes viewing of various images and much more!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 32 - 10:39:19 ]
RE: [MrsPeale/ValleyView-Mrs.Peale/ValleyView] Thank-you for answering our science questions. We know that you were in third grade when you became interested in Space. We are first graders and we like learning about the planets. We must go. Thank-you. Mrs. Peale's class.
Thank you for your questions today, Mrs. Peale. Please share your thoughts about today's chat with us at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys. We hope to hear from you online again!

[ BonnieBuratti/JPL - 33 - 10:40:34 ]
RE: [MrsPeale/ValleyView-Mrs.Peale/ValleyView] Thank-you for answering our science questions. We know that you were in third grade when you became interested in Space. We are first graders and we like learning about the planets. We must go. Thank-you. Mrs. Peale's class.
Mrs. Peale's Class, Thank you for participating. Good luck in your studies. Bonnie J. Buratti

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 39 - 11:02:14 ]
We will now be ending our chat with Bonnie Buratti from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We would like to thank everyone for joining us today. Our special thanks to Bonnie Buratti for her thoughtful responses, and sharing her career experiences and expertise with us.