Space weather and solar exploration is the topic of the 10th Patrick Moore lecture to be held at the University of Birmingham’s School of Physics and Astronomy on Thursday 8th May at 7.30pm.
The lecture will be given by Dr Mike Hapgood of the Space Environment Group at the Rutherford Laboratory. He will discuss the effects of space weather including radiation, electrical charging and electromagnetic induction and explain how they have profound implications for lunar exploration.
Radiation is a health hazard to human explorers, but also poses a risk to robots by disrupting and damaging electronic devices. Electrical charging is also a direct threat to systems deployed on the lunar surface since it can induce electrical discharges that can disrupt or damage electronic devices.
The talk will explore these phenomena and discuss how they change with the natural cycles of solar activity and the moon’s orbital motion and will highlight some important lessons for future exploration.
The talk is free, open to the public and takes place at the Poynting Physics Building.
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Notes to Editors
Talk, Tea and Telescope is a series of public lectures organised by the University of Birmingham’s student society, Astrosoc, and the School of Physics and Astronomy, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council. The lectures generally take place on a Thursday evening and are followed (dependent on the weather) by night sky observing with a combination of telescopes focusing on the Astronomical society's historic Grubb telescope (dating from 1872). For further information please visit: www.sr.bham.ac.uk/outreach/talktelescope/
For further information
Kate Chapple, Press Officer, University of Birmingham, tel 0121 414 2772 or 07789 921164.