Monthly Members’ Night - second Wednesday of each month except January.

Tonight - A presentation, followed by informal chat over tea or coffee. Telescope viewing possible afterwards depending on weather and availablilty of scope operators.

Tonight’s Talk

Astronaut Radiation Exposure - What are the risks?

Speaker: Chris Benton (from Auckland Astronomical Society)

The recent NASA Artemis II mission marks the beginning of astronauts returning to the Moon, with plans to eventually build a Moon base and then move on to Mars by 2030 and 2040, respectively. How much radiation will Moon- and Mars-bound astronauts be exposed to, including traversing Earth’s Van Allen Belts, and what is their risk of radiation-related illness or diseases from such journeys? Come along for an in-depth discussion on what radiation is, where it comes from, how it affects the body, and how much is considered acceptable. Finally, we discuss current and future countermeasures, including important data from the 2022 Artemis I mission. Learn about NASA’s current research that benefits astronauts, cancer patients, and society in general. All attendees receive a comprehensive multi-page handout.