Observing the Sun from the Moon

Prof. Edward J. Rhodes, Ph.D., of the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Southern California (and Principal-Investigator for the 60-Foot Solar Tower at Mt. Wilson Observatory and the High Degree Helioseismic Network (HiDHN)), will talk about "Keeping Our Future Lunar Astronauts Healthy by Observing the Sun from the Moon" at 7 p.m. March 21 at the San Bernardino County Museum.

The free talk will be given during the San Bernardino Valley Amateur Astronomers Club meeting.

Rhodes will speak about the research he has carried out at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the feasibility of future lunar astronauts placing a solar observing instrument on a mountain peak near the lunar South Pole. The instrument could observe the sun to predict solar energetic particle storms, which could be hazardous to the astronauts.

The museum is at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA. For further information:, call (909) 307-2669, ext. 229. --Julie Farren, San Bernardino, CA - The Press Enterprise