International Year of Astronomy 2009 A Celebration of the Telescope

(Astronomy for Kids)

• Galileo made his first telescope in 1609 modeled after telescopes produced in other parts of Europe that could magnify objects three times. He created a telescope later that same year that could magnify objects twenty times. With this telescope, he was able to look at the moon, discover the four satellites of Jupiter, observe a supernova, verify the phases of Venus, and discover sunspots. His discoveries proved the Copernican system which states that the earth and other planets revolve around the sun. Prior to the Copernican system, it was held that the universe was geocentric, meaning the sun revolved around the earth. This small invention opened man’s world beyond anyone’s imagination and lead to the Hubble and Spitzer Telescopes and the Chandra X-ray Observatory: which have brought views of the galactic center of the universe.

• Astronomy programs for children grades 1-6, September 22 - October 27 at Julia Boyer Reinstein Library and September 30 - November 5 at 4:00 p.m. at the Anna Reinstein Library.

• “Summer? Winter? Spring? Fall? (Reasons for the Seasons) What is your favorite season and why? Why do we have seasons? What causes these changes and how is astronomy connected? Let’s explore the answers.”

• Is it really made out of green cheese? Become a lunar expert about our very own natural satellite.

“Moon Madness (Moon Phases). The moon is a favorite night visitor. Why does it look so different as the month goes on?

• “Solar Sense (Sun). What is the sun and what does the sun really do anyway? Energy, color, weather and more await you as we learn about this brilliant orb we call the Sun.”

• “Up, Up and Away (Into Space) (Space Travel/Living in Space). Our closest “neighbor” in space is millions of miles away. How do we get up there? What do we find when we do? Launch into what it might be like to an astronaut getting to and living in space.

• “Gazing at History (Constellations). Did you know you are looking into the past when you look at the stars? What did our ancestors see? Find out how to find stars in the night sky, learn some stories about some famous “stars”, and make up your own star story.”

• “Space-y-odds and Ends (Meteorite Craters/Space Junk). Are the planets and stars the only types of stuff found out in the universe? Meteors, satellites, comets and even some space “junk” have a home in the universe and we’ll experiment with the ins and outs of these “odds and ends.”

• Partnering with the Buffalo Museum of Science Education Department to conduct programs. Fees for the series at both branches $1020. (www.sciencebuff.org)

• Other partnerships included the Buffalo Astronomical Association (www.buffaloastronomy.com) which conducted three astronomy programs for adults and children.

• Scale of the Universe, November 14, 2:00 p.m. “Exploring Our Sun With the Buffalo Astronomical Association,” Saturday, September 26, 2009, 10:30-12:00 noon. Open to all ages-limit of 35 participants. “Autumn Skies: Starlab Portable Planetarium Identifying Constellations,” November 21 at 2:00 p.m. and “Journey Through Time & Space: Exploration of the Solar System from a Buffalo backyard,” November 23, 7:00 p.m.

• Augmenting Astronomy Programming. International Year of Astronomy Image Unveilings November 10, 2009, 2:00 p.m., Julia Boyer Reinstein Library.

• A giant 6 foot x 3 foot image presents a unique view that showcases the Galaxy in near-infrared light observed by Hubble, infrared light observed by Spitzer, and X-ray light observed by Chandra. This combined image was carefully assembled from mosaic photo surveys of the core by each telescope. It provides the most wide-ranged view ever of our Galaxy’s mysterious hub.

• Unveiling attracted library patrons, local community leaders, scientists and educators.

• Partners for this exhibit included NASA (www.nasa.gov) and the Space Telescope Science Institute (www.stsci.edu).

• Informative web sites: www.nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov www.hubblesource.stsci.eduwww.spitzer.caltech.edu

www.amazing-space-stsci.edu

• Conclusion: Dissemination of information for children and adults about astronomy opens inquisitive minds. Science programs are a hook for drawing patrons to the library.

• Library unveils new images• of Milky Way Galaxy’s core