A stronomers and UNESCO have made 2009 the International Year of Astronomy, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's pioneering research, which included the first-ever use of an astronomical telescope.
"Auroras Viewed from the Universe," a photo exhibition at Konica Minolta Plaza Gallery B & C in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is one of a long list of events tied to the campaign and aimed at promoting people's interest in observing the universe.
On display are high-quality photos of auroras, which are caused by a collision of the Sun's particles with Earth's magnetic field, and live video broadcasts of auroras sent in from Alaska.
Yosuke Kamide, Japan's foremost aurora expert, will be at the event site to answer any questions on the phenomena, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Jan. 17 and 18.
The event runs through Jan. 23 and admission is free. For more information, call the gallery on (03) 3225-5001.
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