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Category: Astronomy/Mathematics

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Understanding Magnetic Storms Throughout the Universe, Lecture on June 11

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

The universe is full of plasma and magnetic fields actively swirling, spiraling, and colliding. These mighty magnetic mysteries can cause gigantic explosions of energy such as solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and geomagnetic storms which often enhance the Earth’s auroras. Space weather is influenced by these highly charged events which can then cause havoc with …

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Upcoming Lecture: Climate Change on Mars- The Case of the Missing Martian Atmosphere

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

Several types of evidence from past Mars missions lead us to believe that Mars used to be much different from the dry, cold place we find today.  Ancient gullies and canyons look as if they were carved by flowing water, minerals that can only be made in standing water have been found, and ancient volcanoes …

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Upcoming Lecture: The Moody Sun

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

There is no way around it- we live in the sun’s extended atmosphere. The dynamic activity of the sun and its changing behavior impacts us all. Why this might concern the citizens of Earth is that solar storms, however beautiful, can be a threat to our planet- specifically our electrical grid and technologies such as …

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Upcoming Lecture: Saturn’s Moon Titan

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

With the recent finale of the revamped Cosmos television series where Neil deGrasse Tyson drove the spaceship of the imagination, you might be wondering where you can get your next planetary science fix.  Look no further, the Library of Congress NASA Goddard lecture series can help. On Thursday, June 26th Dr. Carrie Anderson, Associate Chief at NASA …

Photograph of Ruth S. Freitag with Halley's Comet Bibliography taken at the Library of Congress, April 1985.

Celebrating Librarian Extraordinaire Ruth S. Freitag

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

In celebration of  Women’s History Month the American Library Association’s  Feminist Task Force  invited submissions to highlight valued women in libraries.  Library of Congress Science Reference Section Head Constance Carter has contributed this article about her mentor and inspiration Ruth S. Freitag. Ruth S. Freitag is a librarian who should be celebrated during Women’s History Month.   Admired by grateful …

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Carl Sagan, Imagination, Science, and Mentorship: An interview with David Grinspoon

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

The following is a guest post from Trevor Owens, Special Curator for the Library of Congress Science Literacy Initiative.  To most Americans Carl Sagan is a TV persona. To David Grinspoon, who knew him since he was a child, he is much more. Among other things, Sagan was a personal mentor. I am thrilled to be …

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Take a Course or Two with Professor Sagan

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

The following is a guest post from Trevor Owens, Special Curator for the Library of Congress Science Literacy Initiative and Digital Archivist in the Office of Strategic Initiatives. Most Americans know Carl Sagan best as a public figure and science communicator. Alongside those roles, he taught college courses for more than thirty years, first at …