Dudley Observations

Volume 8, No 6 - August 2009

Greetings,

So what's a little rain? We got to see the impact on Jupiter, and the ISS with the Space Shuttle attached. We've viewed PowerPoint presentations, and perfected our stone-skipping technique (and I only hit one kid with a rock!). August will probably be better.

 

Clear Skies,
Janie Schwab
Executive Director

Sam I Am?

Summer Students Galore

We are fortunate this summer to have LOTS of student assistants, and only three of them are named Sam!
Sam Aronson and Sam Schick are starting an astrophotography research project that is partially funded by Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Shadeana Demand and Jessica Velasquez came to us through the Schenectady County Job Training Agency. They are busily digitizing all those documents from our archives that Paul Contarino  wrote about in last month's newsletter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five students from Bethlehem Central High School are doing their Participation in Government ("PIG") internships at Dudley. Sam Stern is transcribing the oral history interviews that were recorded this spring.  He also happened to be the interviewer when Bill Radigan was interviewed.  The others will be starting in August, and will be featured in the next edition...if they work hard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SkyWatch Sponsor Opportunities

Your Name Here!

Dudley Observatory is hosting another exciting series of popular astronomy lectures in Proctor's GE Theater, this fall, and we hope you will be interested in the sponsorship opportunities we are offering.

The series of three "Skywatch Lectures" will feature world-class speakers giving general-interest talks on astronomy, its history, and on rare and beautiful astronomical books. These talks appeal to a wide ranging audience, including community and business leaders, educators, students, and families. The lecture dates are Tuesday evenings, Oct 13, Nov. 10, and Dec. 8. Among the speakers this year will be Owen Gingerich, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and of the History of Science at Harvard University and Michael Turner, the cosmologist who coined the term "dark energy."
 
This year is the International Year of Astronomy - 400 years since Galileo first turned his telescope towards the sky, and 40 years since Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon.  Humankind has always been fascinated by space. Please join us as we celebrate the wonder and awe of exploring the universe!
 
Each of the sponsorship opportunities contains unique benefits for you. Please call me at 382-7583 to discuss any questions you may have.

Apollo 11 40th Anniversary

Reflecting on Apollo 11

By Benjamin Palmer, Dudley RSI

 

"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind...."

With those immortal words crackling through his headset, the world watched as Neil Armstrong let go of the Lunar Module's ladder, and shadow and body merged on the moon.
For mankind, it indeed was a giant leap. In that one moment we became a species no
longer bound by the gravity of our beloved earth. To NASA, this was the end of the beginning, the maturing of a young governmental agency achieving an extraordinary success.
Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins gave the world, particularly America, something to talk about, to wonder about, and most importantly, to cheer about. In a time where bad news speckled the globe, it was a tribute, a salute in the grandest manner, to those who made it possible.
Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, the astronauts who tragically perished in a fire during a trial run for Apollo 1, did not die in vain. Their ultimate sacrifice made it evident that the Apollo spacecraft needed fine tuning and those improvements made the Apollo program a success.
Jim Lovell, Frank Borman, and William Anders, the astronauts of ground breaking Apollo 8, demonstrated that lunar flight was feasible.
The creativity of Mission Control, including the brilliant engineers, technicians, and program directors, was the driving force behind the moon expedition.
Let's not forget the early astronomers such as Galileo, Kepler, and Brahe, whose thoughts, discoveries and concepts also laid the groundwork for modern astronomy. All
were true heroes.
Forty years later, we've come full circle. As we celebrate that momentous lunar landing, the culmination of the sixties' space program, cherish the incredible journey of this amazing feat.
July 20, 1969, is perhaps the most meaningful date in history. That footprint stamped in lunar dust and the American flag gracing its surface got the ball of modern
exploration rolling and changed the face of humanity forever.

Professional Development Workshop

Starry, Starry Night:
An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Formation of the Universe

 

Greater Capital Region Teacher Center
8/13/2009 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
10/1/2009 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Children's Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST), Rensselaer Technology Park

"I believe our future depends on how well we know this Cosmos in which we float like a mote of dust in the morning sky"...Carl Sagan.

Since elements were formed from exploding stars, one can say there is a little stardust in all of us. Learn about your beginnings! Dr. Heidi Newberg, Professor of Astrophysics at RPI will provide background and present the most current research on the formation of the universe through the use of lectures, discussion, and even song! Staff and Board Members of the Dudley Observatory will then show participants how to navigate the universe through hands-on use of star maps and telescopes.

All participants will be provided with a Planisphere and activities age appropriate for the elementary, IL and HS classroom. Though the emphasis is science, the activities support interdisciplinary teaching by integrating math, social studies, and language arts standards and skills. The Dudley Observatory encourages interdisciplinary teams of teachers from schools to participate.

This mini-course will meet for 3 hours during the summer with a follow-up meeting of 1.5 hours in the fall. In between, participants will be asked to apply the learning in the classroom and "attend" the Online Forum that will be set up on the Dudley Observatory website. Participants will be able to ask questions, share ideas, receive online support from the Dudley Observatory Forum and earn up to 3 course credit hours in addition to the 5 face-to- face contact hours. Maximum number of participants is 20. Sign up early to ensure a spot. NOTE: No fee is charged for this program; however, participants must register in advance. Attendees not pre-registered will not receive Certificate of Completion.level!

Clear Skies, (Keep your fingers crossed)

Janie Schwab
Dudley Observatory