On November 12, 2024 at 7:00 PM, ET, Hamptons Observatory and Suffolk County Community College will co-host a free, virtual lecture entitled “Living With A Star: Science that Matters to People.” NASA’s Living With A Star program targets specific aspects of the Sun-Earth system that affect life and society. For example, a single strong solar flare could bring civilization to its knees. Modern society has come to depend on technologies sensitive to solar radiation and geomagnetic storms. Particularly vulnerable are intercontinental power grids, interplanetary robotic and human exploration, satellite operations and communications, and GPS navigation. These technologies are woven into the fabric of daily life, from health care and finance to basic utilities. Both short- and long-term forecasting models are urgently needed to mitigate the effects of solar storms and to anticipate their collective impact on aviation, astronaut safety, terrestrial climate and more. Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, NASA’s Senior Advisor for New Initiatives, will discuss these issues and how NASA’s program intends to address them. Details and registration info may be found on https://bit.ly/LivingWithAStarTalk
