IEEE Chicago Section

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Solar Activity & Effects on Earth presented by Michelle Nichols, Director of Public Observing Adler Planetarium

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Abstract

Solar Activity & Effects on Earth

Michelle Nichols, Director of Public Observing

Adler Planetarium

In 2024 and 2025, our Sun reaches its cyclical peak of activity: solar maximum. While one visible effect of this activity is an increased number of cooler regions on the Sun, called sunspots, and beautiful atmospheric aurorae, the effects of various solar phenomena can spread out into the Solar System, potentially affecting everything from satellite operations, communications networks, energy transmission, and more. In this presentation suitable for a non-scientist, we will discuss the various types of solar phenomena - sunspots, flares, coronal mass ejections, solar wind - and the effects we can experience both indirectly and directly here on Earth.

Bio of Guest Presenter

Michelle Nichols is Director of Public Observing at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, IL, and has worked at the Adler since June 1995. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National-Louis University. Ms. Nichols leads all of the Adler Planetarium's telescope, observatory, and public sky observing initiatives and events. Before landing at the Adler Planetarium, Michelle worked at U.S. Space Camp (Titusville, FL), the Astronaut Memorial Planetarium (Cocoa, FL), and the Staerkel Planetarium (Champaign, IL). https://www.astroeducator. com/

The IEEE EMC Society Chicago Chapter and the Northwest Subsection of the IEEE Chicago present a dinner and technical session in collaboration with the Oakton College STEM Speakers Program at the Oakton Des Plaines, IL campus at 6:30 PM