For Immediate Release

At times, auroral activity occurring in the northern hemisphere is mirrored in the southern hemisphere. The swirls and ripples of auroral rays will occur in unison in each hemisphere. This phenomenon is known as the conjugacy of the aurora. For years, scientists at the Geophyscial Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have studied this effect of the aurora. Although studies are shedding more light on the issue, there isn't a clear-cut formula for when, this mirroring occurs.

For Immediate Release

For more than a decade, the Science for Alaska Lecture Series has provided Anchorage residents the opportunity to learn about scientific research conducted at the University of Alaska. This annual series, sponsored and coordinated by the Geophysical Institute, features a handful of scientists from the University of Alaska, along with experts from state and federal agencies. These experts share their research with the general public in lectures that are full of animations and visuals that appeal to all ages.

A comet's make-up is still a mystery. Scientists believe they're filled with ice, dust, and perhaps the building blocks for life, but they've never been able to get an up close and personal look. On July 3, 2005 all of this will change with a mission dubbed "Deep Impact."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The 2002 Leonid meteor showers will be visible in Alaska the evening of Monday, November 18th, weather permitting. This year’s storm is forecasted to be up to two times more active than last year.

For Immediate Release

The Geophysical Institute has a professor and graduate student participating in the NASA hypervelocity re-entry campaign for the Stardust sample return capsule. The Stardust vehicle will release the capsule into Earth's atmosphere at 12:56 a.m. on Sunday, January 15. The capsule, containing interstellar dust from the Wild 2 comet, will re-enter at a whopping 28,600 miles per hour. This re-entry is the fastest in NASA history.