STARDUST LEADS RECENT GRAD TO DISCOVERY
Megan Peatt (’23) was recently published in The Astrophysical Journal as the lead author on “FORCASTing the Spectroscopic Dust Properties of the WC+O Binary WR 137 with SOFIA,” with mentor and assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Dr. Noel Richardson listed right behind her. She earned her B.S. in Astronomy with a minor in Computer Science on the Prescott Campus, a prime location for undergraduate research opportunities. This research began as her senior capstone project, but proved to be more groundbreaking than she could have imagined.
“This research has certainly helped me, not only by giving me invaluable experience with the research process, but also by sharpening my programming skills and getting me more comfortable with scientific writing,” Megan said. Her research used data from NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a modified Boeing 747 which flies at an altitude close to 45,000 feet and contains a large reflecting telescope to capture infrared light above the moisture in Earth’s atmosphere.
The research focused on data in which the orbits of a carbon-rich star and its companion star (together called WR137) came close to intersection. When the stars were closest together, the winds of the two stars would collide and form carbonaceous dust. Megan’s analysis of the data caught shifts in the properties of the stardust being emitted from WR137, providing insights into its composition and how the process works. Research like this has the potential to reveal clues about the evolution of stars and the formation of dust in the early universe.
Learn more about SOFIA at science.nasa.gov/mission/sofia
Meet The Huggable Higbee!
A rigorous curriculum can be stressful, but a visit from a furry friend can ease the stress for a little while. Higbee the Aussiedoodle is here to comfort students on the Prescott Campus. While he’s still in training to become a certified therapy dog, he already knows how to sniff out stress.
He typically works in the Academic Advising office, but he can sometimes be found in the College of Aviation or the library, especially around midterms and finals. Higbee is one of the softest pups around, and he’s loved by all who meet him. If you ever see him on campus, be sure to say hi!
Stressfree Campus Higbee is a facility dog: an expert-trained dog partnered with a facilitator working in a health care, visitation or education setting.
25 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
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