Why Auroras Are Appearing in New Places: Learn About New Discoveries from NASA’s PUNCH Mission on April 8th

NASA’s newest solar mission, PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere), is transforming how we understand our home in space. Recently launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, PUNCH is a constellation of four small satellites in low Earth orbit making global, 3D observations of the Sun’s outer atmosphere as it transitions into the solar wind that fills the solar system. PUNCH’s mosaic view fills half the sky with effervescent flows and dynamic eruptions, connecting the Sun, the solar wind, and Earth as never before.

In this talk, Dr. Sarah Gibson will explore PUNCH’s first images, how they are changing our understanding of solar storms, and why phenomena like auroras have been appearing in unexpected places around the world. This is a rare opportunity to see the Sun not as a static disk, but as a dynamic, living system that directly affects Earth and our technology.

We are thrilled to be collaborating with Cal Poly’s Physics Department to bring Dr. Gibson, a Senior Scientist at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research’s High Altitude Observatory and an internationally recognized leader in solar and heliospheric physics, to speak with our community.

Whether you’re a longtime observer or simply curious about our place in the solar system, this presentation offers a fascinating look at cutting-edge space science in action.

Wednesday, April 8th 
at Cal Poly State University

This will be a fascinating evening for anyone curious about how the Sun drives space weather, how scientists study the solar wind, and how new missions like PUNCH are transforming our understanding of the Sun–Earth connection. All are welcome to attend.