Introduction to Solar Astronomy

This past year, which NASA coined “The Heliophysics Big Year,” has certainly delivered as promised. Beginning with the annular solar eclipse last fall, then the spectacular total solar eclipse on April 8th and culminating with the unusually brilliant May 10-11th aurora, our sun has delivered quite the show in the past year! Discuss the chemistry of energy emission from our sun and all stars, solar astronomy and the chemistry of earth’s magnetosphere and aurorae. Examine the exciting optical, infrared, and radioastronomy-based search for chemical signatures of life throughout our Universe.