Nanaimo astronomers will hear science and legends behind aurorae

The science and mythology of aurorae will be explored at the next meeting of the Nanaimo Astronomy Society.

Maria Volosatov, public relations manager and content writer for Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Canada, will give a presentation Thursday, April 25, about the atmospheric interactions that drive auroras and how the phenomenon was explained by indigenous peoples.

Volosatov is a graduate of the University of Victoria’s physics and astronomy programs and founder of the Gabriola Elementary Astronomy Club and Gabriola Island Astrophysics. She has a keen interest in how the Sun’s coronal mass emissions of charged particles interact with Earth’s atmosphere, creating the myriad colors of auroras in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

“I will give a presentation on the Northern Lights (and) aurora australis, essentially talking about the atmospheric factors involved, the electromagnetic interactions, how coronal mass ejections and solar winds initiate these events,” Volosatov said. “I will also talk about well-known accounts of polar sightings, especially by the Inuit, who have called it the aqsarniit, but also about the Maori and their perspective.”

She said Inuit mythology explained the aurorae as the spirits of the dead who played with a walrus head in a game of “sky football.” The Maori interpreted the tahu-nui-ā-rangias as depicting bloodshed after a battle and even embarked on canoeing expeditions to try to unravel its secrets.

Volosatov said the aurorae are among the most spectacular natural phenomena on Earth.

“The majesty of these streaks of light truly cannot be compared to anything else we see; it does not have the ferocity of a lightning bolt, but rather represents the deflection of the relentless solar wind,” Volosatov wrote in a summary of her presentation. “It’s as bold and attractive as a rainbow shell, but the science behind these colors surpasses the complexity of water acting as a prism.”

It was her work with Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Canada that first sparked Volosatov’s interest in auroras.

“What I find so exciting about it is that I believe coronal mass injection studies are still waiting for their golden age…” she said. “There are many physical mechanisms and cultural aspects that are completely unexplored.”

Volosatov said much of her work since graduating from UVic has revolved around science outreach, but she will soon return to the university to pursue her master’s degree, and hopes this will lead to opportunities to collaborate with other scientists.

The Nanaimo Astronomy Society meeting will take place on Thursday, April 25 at 7pm at the Beban Park Social Centre, when Volosatov will deliver her presentation via Zoom. Non-members are invited to attend the first meeting free of charge. For more information, visit www.nanaimoastronomy.com.

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