Rainwater Observatory E-News 2/15/10
HELP!!! NEEDED IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
We have a some requests to do events at schools in northeast Mississippi for about 1,000 students coming up. We can handle presentations in classes and for assemblies during the day, but we are planning observing with telescopes for after supper. That’s where we need help. Edwin and I can bring 3 or 4 telescopes, but we need more scopes and help manning them. The sites are Houlka School on Thursday February 18 and Lawndale Elementary in Tupelo on Friday February 26. Contact us if you could volunteer for either of these events. 662-547-6377 or jhill@rainwaterobservatory.org. Thanks for considering.
We have over 100 cub and boy scouts coming the weekend of March 5-6 for camping and activities. We could use help with this group on Saturday afternoon and observing that night.
THE NEXT PUBLIC “BACKYARD ASTRONOMY” SERIES WILL BE FRIDAYS IN MARCH
March 5: Stories of the Moon
March 12: Leo the Lion and Other Constellations of Spring
March 19: Welcome the Spring, Here Comes the Equinox
March 26: Saturn Sheds Its Light
To register go to http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/programs/backyard.html
THIS WEEK IN SPACE
Here is an excellent review of what’s going on in space news and space science. Highly recommended. It’s episode 6 of a 25 minute space science magazine. It includes interviews with NASA and space industry officials as well as astronomy news. Teachers might find it a great discussion starter. Especially telling is an interview with the head of the company that prepares the shuttle for launch about what inspires kids to go into science and engineering.
http://www.universetoday.com/2010/02/13/this-week-in-space-with-miles-obrien-edition-6/
ONLINE HANDS-ON ASTRONOMY ACTIVITIES
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific has lots of great Hands-On activities. Here is a site with links to a couple of dozen tested activities. http://www.astrosociety.org/education/activities/handson.html
VOYAGER AND VALENTINE’S DAY
Valentine’s Day was the 20th anniversary of a project pushed by Carl Sagan to turn Voyager’s cameras back on the solar system and take pictures of the planets as the spacecraft departed our region. He is a link to a video featuring this event. http://www.universetoday.com/2010/02/14/for-valentines-day-hearts-in-space-from-sixty-symbols/ We recorded a couple of neat PBS segments about the same subject to put in our library. You can find them on pbs.org.
COMING EVENTS: ATTEND A PROGRAM NEAR YOU
If you know a group that would like a program in your community or wants to set up a field trip to Rainwater, contact us.
February 18: Houlka Middle School, afternoon school assemblies and evening star party (helpers with telescopes appreciated)
February 19-20, 2010 “Hands-On Astronomy Activities Workshop” John Frassinelli will be our clinician. http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/programs/handson.html
February 23: Houlka school star party
February 25: Starkville Newcomer’s Club 1:30pm
February 26: Lawndale Elementary in Tupelo (NEED HELP & TELESCOPES FOR THIS 5-7PM)
March 4: Houston cosmopolitan Club 7:00pm
March 5-7: Jackson Scouts and Cub Pack 30 (We could use some help with this large group)
March 16: Project WET CEU Workshop: contact Rebecca Jones at the MMNS at 601-352-7303 ext.107 or email rebecca.jones@mmns.state.ms.us
April 14-17, 2010 Mid-South Star Gaze Regional Astronomy Conference and Star Party. Flyers to previous participants will go out this week. Information and online registration can be found at http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/
April 16-17, 2010 “Mid-South Astronomy Conference Educators Workshop”. 1 CEU can be obtained by teachers.
SUPPORT THE RAA BY BECOMING A MEMBER
Rainwater Astronomical Association membership is $15. We’ll be instituting some special programs for members as the weather gets better. Thanks for your support.
ASTRONOMY FOR TEACHERS COLLEGE CREDIT COURSE
The “Astronomy for Teachers” class for 3 semester hour credit through Ole Miss is scheduled for June 13-18. This is an intensive week and you must be enrolled in the university to take the course for credit. Information at www.outreach.olemiss.edu/teachers If you have questions contact Jonnie Fitch at Ole Miss jwfitch@olemiss.edu 662-915-7158
ASTRONOMY CAMP IN JUNE
A summer astronomy camp is scheduled for June 20-26 in conjunction with the Camp of the Rising Son. This week long event will be for 13-16 year olds. Registration information can be found at info@campoftherisingson.com The cost will be $484.00 for the week.
The Jackson Star Trek Club, USS Haise, is working to help sponsor a camper using a recommendation and essay form. If you or a group you’re associated with would like to help sponsor a camper’s expenses totally or in part, please contact us.
ASTRO NEWS: If you have info or links you’d like to share, let us know.
New filters reveal star birth http://www.universetoday.com/2010/02/14/geminis-new-filters-reveal-the-beauty-of-star-birth/
The site has been picked for the world’s largest optical telescope. The Europeans will build it in Chile. It will have a light collecting area 42 meters in diameter. That’s about 15 times the size of my house. http://www.universetoday.com/2010/02/12/armazones-chile-to-be-the-site-for-the-42-meter-european-extremely-large-telescope/
Have you ever wondered about black holes. Here is an online encyclopedia from a black hole researcher at the Univ. of Texas. http://blackholes.stardate.org/ Thanks to Wayne Wooten for this heads up.
And now for something completely different. Thanks to Edwin for sharing this video of lightning in a volcanic eruption http://www.kago-net.com/index.php?itemid=127
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