The Exploring Space Lectures are an annual series at the National Air and Space Museum. This year's lecturers are scientists who explore space weather and solar activity. All of the lectures will employ dramatic new solar imagery gathered from a wide array of instruments, including ground-based radio and optical systems, and such satellite missions as GOES, TRACE, SOHO and, most recently, STEREO. The lectures begin at 8 p.m. in the National Mall building. There are three remaining lectures in the series:

• Thursday, April 17: "Confirming the Connection: Energetic Particles and Storms from the Sun." Dartmouth professor Mary K. Hudson discusses how a particularly violent class of solar storms became identified as the major mechanism producing disruptions in space weather in the Earth's vicinity.


• Thursday, May 15: "Living with a Star." Physicist Barbara Thompson further explores the sun-Earth connection and how it is being studied by the armada of ground-based and space-based observatories, cooperating in the International Heliophysical Year (IHY). She will highlight results from the SOHO satellite mission and describe how the program "Living with a Star" supports the goals of the IHY.


• Tuesday, June 17: "Forecasting Space Weather." Tom Bogdan, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center, will provide an overview of how space weather can affect advanced technologies-based global economy. Using real-time data from a variety of sources, NOAA provides space weather guidance that is critical for the safety and success of most advanced technologies, including space-exploration missions; homeland security and national defense; telecommunications satellites; air transportation communications; and the national power grid infrastructure.

Lectures are free, but tickets are required. Seating may be limited. To request tickets, use the online ticket request form at http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/lectures/ticketsform.cfm, call (202) 633-2398 or e-mail nasmpubliclectures@si.edu.

SI-153-2008