February 16, 2024 8-10 PM

Event Type: Lecture and Stargazing
Title: Chasing the Solar Atmosphere using Eclipses and the Parker Solar Probe
Lecturer: Gabe Muro
Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
Institution: Caltech
Abstract:
"Never look directly at the Sun" is sage advice that has applied to astronomical observations of our nearest star for centuries. The technical challenge of measuring and understanding the sun requires specialized equipment, the perfect location, and a bit of luck. First, I'll discuss how spectroscopy, breaking sunlight into its constituent colors, has been used during the fleeting moments of total solar eclipses to glimpse at the inner workings of the corona, our sun's atmosphere. Then, I'll cover how NASA's most extreme heliophysics mission, Parker Solar Probe, measures highly energized particles to learn about the physics of solar storms. There will also be a brief information session on the upcoming total solar eclipse across North America on April 8, 2024.