General Meeting w/ Guest Speaker: Ryan French
Open to members and non-members alike, the Monthly General Meetings feature club announcements, member observing reports, and a headline guest speaker. Typically hailing from one of Colorado’s many science or technical organizations, speakers share their experiences on a wide range of astronomy topics.
Presentation: Mysteries of the Sun (with eclipse reflections)
Presented by Dr. Ryan French
Despite its seemingly unchanging appearance in the daytime sky, the Sun is incredibly dynamic and mysterious. Descended from ancestors who hailed the Sun as a deity, the way we observe the Sun has come a long way. Our scientific journey to understand the Sun has included many intriguing and humorous stories from over the centuries, including tales of 11th-century monks, feuds of 17th-century astronomers, and a part-time brewery owner who discovered the link between the Sun and northern lights. The influence of the Sun’s activity on the near-Earth environment is known as space weather, which can damage satellites, disrupt power grids, and deliver harmful radiation levels to astronauts. In this talk, we’ll explore how humanity is adapting to living under a star and how our understanding of the Sun has helped unlock the wider secrets of the universe.
About Dr. French
Dr. Ryan French is a solar physicist at the National Science Foundation’s National Solar Observatory, science communicator, and author. Since completing his Ph.D. in 2022, he has been pursuing the mysteries of the Sun at the forefront of modern solar physics research, using cutting-edge telescopes on the ground and in space. Ryan also works to share the wonders of the Sun and space with the public through social media, public talks, and television and radio. On April 8th, 2024, he will co-host the National Science Foundation’s livestream of the total solar eclipse.
Website: www.ryanjfrench.com
Twitter & TikTok: @ryanjfrench
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Location: In-person at Regis University’s Peter Claver Hall, Room 315.
Meeting attendees can arrive at Regis starting at 6:30 p.m.
* Park in Lot 4, Lowell Boulevard, between 52nd and 53rd Avenue
The meeting will also be available via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. A Zoom link will be posted closer to the event.