When: Tuesday, August 6 at 7pm (doors open at 5pm)

FIRE IN THE SKY: Secrets of the Earth's Aurorae

There are few phenomena in nature as widely recognized or admired as the aurora borealis -- the "Northern Lights." Seen as scintillating curtains and swaths of light in the night sky, they are most readily visible in the far north and far southern regions of Earth (the "Southern Lights" are called the aurora australis). Occasionally, there is a "space weather event" and the aurora can be visible as far south as the continental United States. What causes these fantastic displays of light? What do the colors mean, and why do they constantly shift and change? These are questions that have been asked about the aurora for many generations of humans, but modern astronomy has revealed that they are a stunning result of Earth's intimate connection to the Sun and the winds…