June 21, 2015, 1:30 p.m.

A talk by Dr. Bethany Cobb Kung, George Washington University

The influence of the Sun on life on Earth is complex — without the Sun, life couldn’t exist and yet the Sun will eventually render the Earth uninhabitable. This talk considers the various connections between the Sun and the Earth — from solar energy, to coronal mass ejections that trigger aurora, to the ultimate fate of our solar system. Bring your active brains, as the talk will feature interactive elements.

Bethany Cobb Kung is an astronomer who received her Ph.D. at Yale University in 2008 for research on massive stellar explosions. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Honors and Physics at The George Washington University, where she studies gamma-ray bursts and teaches physics and astronomy primarily to non-science majors.

Recommended for all ages.

Our capacity is 58 seats. We set aside 20 seats to accommodate those who arrive without a reservation, so if the show is sold out you can still try to attend by arriving close to 1 p.m. However, although we will do whatever we can to seat all comers, there is no guarantee of admission without a reservation.