Galway Astronomy Club are pleased to announce details of our February club meeting, which will take place at 7.30 pm on Monday the 10th February in the Menlo Park Hotel, Terryland, Galway.

Talk: ‘Wind, Storms and Raining Particles: Earth’s Space Weather’
In this talk, Alexandra will discuss the “winds”, “storms” and “rains” of Earth’s Space Weather. We will start at the centre of the Solar System, where the Sun’s atmosphere bubbles and streams out. This solar “wind” crashes into planets throughout the solar system, driving “stormy” conditions which in turn drive all kinds of dynamics. We will explore famous space weather storms throughout Earth’s history, and the impacts they have had on human technology. Finally, particles which “rain” down on the Earth’s atmosphere dramatically drive the Earth’s aurora: it’s Northern and Southern lights, and similarly driver aurorae throughout the Solar System.

Speaker: Dr Alexandra Ruth Fogg (DIAS)

Alexandra is a Space Scientist working at DIAS Dunsink Observatory, a site of historical significance in Irish (and international) astronomy. She has always been passionate about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and so completed her Physics degree with a specialism in space science and technology at the University of Leicester in 2016. With a passion for space physics, Alexandra completed a PhD on Earth’s Space Weather in 2020, which was a springboard for a career in space science.
Since 2020, Alexandra has worked in Dublin, researching Earth’s Space environment and Space Weather through many different avenues. She has also explored similarities and differences with the space environments of different planets of the solar system.

New members and attendees are very welcome.

We look forward to your company.