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ISU's Role In Discovering New Stars and Planets

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NASA's TESS Mission aims to locate planets orbiting stars other than the sun. It has confirmed 34 planets thus far.

Iowa State University Astrophysicist Steve Kawaler says his team listens to the notes sung by stars, since the pitch from a star vibrating can indicate its size and mass. 

Kawaler joins host Ben Kieffer to talk about how ISU has assisted NASA by analyzing star data from its TESS Mission, which is a space telecope that observes stars to find signs of previously undiscovered planets orbiting it.  Also on this podcast edition of River to River, Cornell College President Jonathan Brand discusses a range of recent news related to the college as well as the future of higher education at Cornell. 

Guests:

  • Jonathan Brand, Cornell College president
  • Steve Kawaler, ISU distinguished professor of physics and astronomy
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Matthew was a producer for IPR's River to River and Talk of Iowa