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Join astrophysicist Michael Stevens from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for an exciting look at the hottest new mission at NASA, due to launch in August 2018: the Solar Probe Plus. This satellite will go closer to the Sun than any other man-made object and will be the fastest one to date to collect scientific data at our nearest star.  The presentation will describe the special features of this spacecraft, explain why scientists are interested in going so close to the Sun, and show the Sun-diving path of the mission. Learn about the human ingenuity involved in constructing a satellite that can survive such an extreme trip, and discover just how long ago scientists set their sights on visiting the Sun.  

Following the lecture:
6:30 – 8:30 pm Stargazing at the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory

 

Astronomy Sun
How to attend

National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

6th St. and Independence Ave SW. Washington, DC 20560
Planetarium