Lecture - 21st September 2017 - 7.30pm
"Should we fear solar tornadoes?" - Dr Nicolas Labrosse
A few years ago, specialist journals were relaying news of tornadoes observed in the solar atmosphere by an American satellite launched by NASA. The media also spread the discovery. Since then, researchers like myself have tried to understand these peculiar phenomena. I will aim to address some of the questions that we've been asking ourselves: are these tornadoes actually rotating or not? What do they have in common with tornadoes on Earth? Is there a link with other better-known solar phenomena (yet as mysterious)? Why haven’t they been detected before? Is the Sun taking a new turn? Are solar tornadoes dangerous?
Biography - Dr. Nicolas Labrosse is Senior Lecturer in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. His primary research interests are in understanding complex processes in the Sun's atmosphere which affect Space Weather. He is particularly interested in solar prominences and in solar flares. Nicolas can be found on Twitter @niclabrosse
Location - Room 6.41 Royal College, Strathclyde University. Access is via the Montrose Street entrance, take the lift to Level 3, exit the lift and take the 2nd set of steps on your left, go through the double glass doors. Room 6.41 is on your left approximately half way along the corridor.
Public lectures for the 2017-2018 session
The ASG's free public lectures for the 2017-18 session are as follows, the dates and titles are shown below. They are normally held in Room 6.41 Royal College, Strathclyde University unless otherwise advised. Access is via the Montrose Street entrance, take the lift to Level 3, exit the lift and take the 2nd set of steps on your left, go through the double glass doors. Room 6.41 is on your left approximately half way along the corridor. The lectures start at 7:30pm and are preceded from 6:45pm by either a presentation on the month's skywatching highlights or by a social event giving you the opportunity to meet other members.
The lecture programme for the 2017-18 session is as follows:
| Thursday 21st September 2017 | Should We Fear Solar Tornadoes? The Eric Tomney Lecture Dr. Nicolas Labrosse, Senior Lecturer in the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Glasgow |
| Thursday 19th October 2017 | Radio Astronomy from your Back Garden Prof. Graham Woan, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Glasgow. Director of the University Observatories and head of the Astronomy and Astrophysics research group in the School of Physics and Astronomy |
| Thursday 16th November 2017 | The Universe is full of noises: a new perspective from gravitational waves Mr. Daniel Williams, PhD candidate and researcher working in the Institute for Gravitational Research in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow |
| Thursday 21st December 2017 | Attaining the ultimate resolution limits of large ground-based astronomical telescopes Dr. Stewart McKechnie, Member of the ASG |
| Thursday 18th January 2018 | METI – Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligencies The Tannahill Lecture Dr. Alan Penny, Honorary reader and visiting scientist in the Astronomy Group of the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews |
| Thursday 15th February 2018 | Members' Night Talks |
| Thursday 15th March 2018 | The Gaia Mission: unravelling the composition, formation and evolution of our galaxy Dr. Nick Rowel, Researcher and developer with the Wide Field Astronomy Unit at the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh |
| Thursday 19th April 2018 | The Sun's Evolving Magnetic Skeleton The Leon Davies Lecture Prof. Clare Parnell, Professor of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews |
| Thursday 17th May 2018 | Asteroid Exploration and Exploitation : from nanoprobes to asteroid engineering Prof. Max Vasile, Professor of Space Systems Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Strathclyde |
| This lecture will be followed by the Society Annual General Meeting |