the sun and tools of astronomers mary kay hemenway marc wetzel university of texas at austin...
TRANSCRIPT
The Sun and Tools of The Sun and Tools of AstronomersAstronomers
Mary Kay Hemenway
Marc Wetzel
University of Texas at Austin
McDonald Observatory
OutlineOutline
Goals of McDonald programs on the sun Equipment Pre-visit/pre-conference materials Solar Student Field Experience program at
McDonald Observatory Solar videoconference program from McDonald
Observatory Preliminary Results Other McDonald Observatory Programs Contact information
Goals of the ProgramGoals of the ProgramDevelop/provide effective programming on the
sun for K-12 students and teachers who visit McDonald Observatory
Develop/provide effective programming on astronomy, including solar viewing, for those visiting the Observatory electronically through individual classroom videoconferences
Share both the content and the process of creating these programs with others involved in similar outreach programs
EquipmentEquipment
C-14 and two 76-mm TeleVue refractors
AVA Astrovid camera with computer controls
Tandberg 6000 codec H-alpha and white light
filters Paramount ME100
robotic telescope mount
Solar equipment Solar equipment
Building with roll-off roof Computer interfaced to controls in classroom
and theater
Pre-visit/pre-conferencePre-visit/pre-conference
Assessment sheet for students from "Eye on the Sky" of Project FIRST
Behavior norms for students Suggested activities for engaging
students
Student Field ExperienceStudent Field Experience
Pre-visit package Tour of observatory and 2.7-m telescope Use of exhibit area with student guides
(English/Spanish) Solar viewing (Optional) Enriched solar experience Post-visit package
McDonald Observatory McDonald Observatory Visitor CenterVisitor Center
At the observatoryAt the observatory
Astroscan telescopeAstroscan telescope
Project the sun to Observe sunspots Measure the rotation
rate of the Earth by timing the drift of the sun through one solar diameter.
Solar viewingSolar viewing
Viewing the sun with two telescopes
One for full-disk live image
One for H-alpha close-up images
Using the magnet boxUsing the magnet box
After showing the close-up live image of the sun with prominences and solar activity, insert magnet into box.
Discuss similarities with solar phenomena
DemonstrationsDemonstrations
Pre-recorded for solar viewing experience
Live for enriched Student Field Experience or Videoconference
Lava lamp Magnet box Sunspot demo
Large sun and word wallLarge sun and word wall
Cut-away sun (shows layers)Cut-away sun (shows layers)
Question and answerQuestion and answer
VideoconferenceVideoconference
VideoconferenceVideoconference
Elements of 50-minute program
Outside views of observatory
Narrated tour of the Struve 2.1-m telescope
Live views of sun Demonstrations Question and answer
session
Videoconferencing methodsVideoconferencing methods
Facilitator and technician
Two-way communication with the classroom
Script with variations for grade levels
DemonstrationsDemonstrations
Demos are done live
Solar images may be pre-recorded if weather doesn't permit real-time observations
Classroom and studioClassroom and studio
Technician at workTechnician at work
Pulling the elements togetherPulling the elements together
Comparison of pre/post Comparison of pre/post student ideas about the sunstudent ideas about the sun
Post-visit/conferencePost-visit/conference
Suggestions for activities to follow the interaction are linked with Texas and/or national science education standards
Program evaluation is continuing with a professional evaluator for formative and summative evaluation.
Formative EvaluationFormative Evaluation
Rating of program elements • Engage• Explore• Explain• Elaborate• Evaluate
Ratings done by project staff and outside Educator Advisory Board
Summative evaluationSummative evaluation
Interviews with teachers who participated in either – on-site Student Field Experience – videoconference
Teacher Professional Teacher Professional Development at McDonaldDevelopment at McDonaldAnnually - general astronomy (k-8 or 6-
12)
Special workshops2005 Texas Rural Teachers2005 SAFIR2006 FUSE2005-2007 White Dwarf
SAFIRSAFIR
10-m primary mirror
20 microns to 1mm Telescope
temperature < 5 K Launch 2015 - 2020 5 year mission PI = Dan Lester,
UT- Austin
SAFIR - workshopSAFIR - workshop
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Dr. Sheila Kappannan Dr. Dan Lester
Workshop elementsWorkshop elements
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QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
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QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
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Coudé room2.7-m telescope
Galaxyactivity
SOFIA "Active Astronomy" infrared kit activities
Contact informationContact information
Mary Kay Hemenway: [email protected]
Marc Wetzel: [email protected] Observatory website:
http://mcdonaldobservatory.org Videoconference website:
http://outreach.as.utexas.edu/Marykay/McD_0105/mcd_videoNASA.htm
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
Support for HST-ED90282.01-A was provided by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities in Astronomy, Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555.
Support for the “Future Astronomy:The Infrared Universe” workshop was provided by NASA under an Education and Public Outreach supplement to Grant/Contract/Agreement No. NNG04GJ63G issued through the Office of Space Science for the study of SAFIR - the Single Array Far Infrared Observatory.