NASA has announced the Washington opening of two Smithsonian exhibits, "Atmosphere: Change in the Air" and "Arctic: A Friend Acting Strangely."

The exhibits at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History will be part of the museum's "Forces of Change" series, featuring scientific data concerning the Earth's changing climate. The opening is set for Saturday.

"Atmosphere: Change in the Air" focuses on the Earth's atmospheric composition and chemistry. The latest results from NASA's Aura satellite, the third in series of large Earth-observing satellites, are shown, along with an interactive computer that explains how changes in oxygen, carbon dioxide and ozone amounts can affect the Earth.

NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration both contributed information to "Arctic: A Friend Acting Strangely," which shows how a changing climate has affected Arctic temperatures, sea ice and area life.

The exhibit also explores how changes in the Arctic are monitored by scientists and polar residents. Visitors will see objects from the Smithsonian's anthropology collections, photographs, and scientific data such as the Arctic temperature record from 1900 to the present day.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International