!! STELLA-BALOO !!
April 4, 2009
1:00 - 5:00pm and 7:00-10:00pm
- Astro-Cat Prowl Learn, make and take
- Telescope consulting and shopping guide
- Sun viewing (weather permitting)
- Refreshments
- Night star party with FREE telescope viewing
- (A downloadable program Acrobat Req'd.)
The PVSG join forces with Jordan Planetarium and Observatory to bring telescopes out in the daylight and celebrate the International Year of Astronomy with any and all Maine sky watchers and space-curious visitors April 4th on the Orono campus.
A telescope clinic starts at 1:00pm in Wingate Hall for all those interested in learning about, shopping for or troubleshooting their own telescopes. The IYA celebration starts with a cake cutting welcome ceremony in Wingate Hall at 1:30.
Visitors should plan to pick up a program complete with map of the event and tour the activities from talks at the Planetarium and sun viewing on the mall to the Astro-Cat Prowl of science activities where all ages learn and become "Science Lions" all along the Astro0Cat Prowl trail.
Stella-Baloo Activities
April 4, 2009 on the Orono campus
Something for EVERYONE!
Drop in/ Look up
Stella-Baloo will stretch across the center of UMaine's Orono campus with activities in Jordan Planetarium - Wingate Hall, on the mall in front of Fogler Library, in the MP room of the Memorial Student Union, at the Jordan Observatory behind the Union, and in the Physics and Astronomy Department's Bennett Hall. Maps will be provided with programs. Look for them at any of the Stella-Baloo activity sites. A complete program/map will be available to download here by March 28th.
Some of the activities:
Telescope clinic (Wingate Hall 1-5pm):
A free telescope clinic is a great time for scope owners and buyers to find out more about how they work and what is available on the market. PVSG members will explain how to observe planets, stars, galaxies and more. For scope owners, they will also look at their telescopes (bring your with you) and help with any set-up or operating problems. Get answers to one or one hundred questions about telescopes, drop in anytime between noon and 6:00pm.
Shopping for Telescopes- Speakers Dave Clark and Scott Burgess :
Thinking of purchasing a telescope? Or, need help in setting one up? Club members will have various models on display for you to learn what styles might fit your needs and budget. Amateur telescopes on the market today range in price from forty dollars to thousands of dollars. PVSG club members will offer valuable information to compare the various models and options to consider before buying.
Official Welcome & Cake Ceremony - (Jordan Planetarium 1:30)
The welcome and official start of Stella-Baloo. Cake will be served until gone and other refreshments can be found at the MP room in the Memorial Student Union during the day.
Astro Cat Prowl:
The Astro Cat Prowl is a tour of hands-on demonstrations and activities for all ages. Complete all of the Prowl sites to receive a Science Lion certificate, and be entered into the drawing for a Galileo model telescope kit ( $25 value). Galileoscope kits are being produced by the Galileoscope project team of the International Year of Astronomy and will be shipped to winners as soon as they are available to the public.
Astro Cat Activity Stations (2-5pm):
- How to find your way around the sky - Observing Basics
- Make a Constellation projector
- Make a portable solar system to scale
- Discover how different kinds of light reaches the earth
- Identify a mystery chemical by viewing its spectrum
- See a historic video on the history of Galileo's achievement
- Identify a telescope by its type and look at an earthly target through one
- Walk the outdoor scale solar system (weather permitting)
- Learn how to save the night sky with good lighting at home
- Hands-on demonstrations
Astro-Science Demo Show- David Clark (137 Bennett Hall 4pm)
Dr. Clark has some very interesting equipment and ways to demonstrate the properties of the universe and astronomical concepts in a mad-scientist kind of way. Expect sparks and explosions and hope they are only the intended pyrotechnics! Suitable for all ages of curious minds.
Observatory Portraits: (2-5pm Jordan Observatory)
Visitors can have their pictures taken at the eyepiece of the 8" 9-foot-long Alvan Clark refractor and have the photographs emailed to them. The Clark telescope is over 100 years old and is used today still for teaching and public observing as weather permits. It will be in use for visitors to look through at real celestial bodies during the evening Stella-Baloo star party. A special wide-angle lens is used to include the entire telescope and observer in the frame.
Who's in the Sky?- David Clark (7pm MP room Memorial Union)
A tour of the constellations through astro-photographic imagery and some of the telescope targets of rare beauty and distinction. This talk will introduce the spring stars and planets before the time comes to step out into the dark and join in a Star Party.
Star Party- Everyone welcome- Jordan Observatory 8-10pm (Observing session)
Weather permitting, a night telescope session will assemble at the Jordan Observatory with an assortment of telescopes. Visitors can bring their own and even ask for assistance with their equipment from knowledgeable amateurs. [If weather interferes with telescope use, a tour of the planetarium spring's sky will follow "Who's in the Sky?"]
The Penobscot Valley Star Gazers is a Bangor area astronomy club formed to promote education and enjoyment of the night sky. The club meets on the second Monday of each month in room 310 at John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor at 6:30 pm. Visit their web site at Gazers.org
For more information about the clinic or the UMaine astronomy facilities, contact Alan Davenport 581-1341 or visit the Planetarium on the web: http://www.GalaxyMaine.com.
The night holds a thousand mysteries in light and movement so plan to return for an introduction to deep space by David Clark and a peek through the Alvan Clark refractor (plus other PVSG telescopes) on the green at the Jordan Observatory. Saturn, galaxies and Moon craters will fill each telescope for everyone to discover and enjoy. In the event of bad weather, a tour of the planetarium sky will be substituted.
There is no charge for any part of the day's events except for the non-Baloo regularly scheduled planetarium program: "Origins of Life" at 7:00pm. Visit the Jordan Planetarium web site for more information.
