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That bright star next to the moon this morning…
Posted by astrogeek on September 15, 2009
Posted in Commentary | 4 Comments »
That bright star next to the moon this morning…
Posted by astrogeek on September 15, 2009
That bright ’star’ next to the moon this morning was Venus. Check them out tomorrow for an even better show: They will be right next to each other!
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Scale Model of the Earth and Moon
Posted by astrogeek on August 21, 2009
As well as the scale model of the solar system in my previous post, I will be using a scale model of the Earth and Moon in order to show distances, as well as demonstrate eclipses. For this model, I used a 1″ wood ball, and a 1/4″ wood ball. I drilled holes in them, and glued them onto bamboo Shish Kabob skewers.
Then I painted the moon a gray that my wife had in her craft paints, and also painted the ‘Earth’ to vaguely resemble a globe. I can’t say that I’m an artist. If I work really hard, I may someday be good enough to be fired from a sweatshop operation in China.
To use this I’ll be using a pair of spring clamps, and a yardstick (or reasonable approximation thereof). The proper distance between the Earth and Moon at this scale turns out to be 30 inches.
Posted in Astronomy Outreach, FPOA, IYA2009 | Tagged: Astronomy Education, Astronomy Outreach, FPOA, fremont peak, fremont peak observatory, fremont peak state park | 1 Comment »
Scale Model of the Solar System
Posted by astrogeek on August 21, 2009
At Fremont Peak Observatory this Saturday, I will be doing an activity for the kids that involves a large scale model of the solar system. We’re not going to do the entire solar system, just some of the inner planets.
I really wanted to make the scale model of the Solar System as outlined in “Worlds of the Solar System” activity on the NASA Night Sky Network, but the materials for it turned out to be much more difficult to obtain than I anticipated.
You can in fact order ‘Dylite’ (a.k.a. ‘Smoothfoam’) balls in various sizes… if you are willing to order multiple units. I don’t want twelve of the 1 & 3/8 inch balls, I want two! The local crafting store has a very limited selection of these. I could get the 4-inch ball but not the 3 & 7/8 inch one. Plus, they’re expensive!
So, a different solution needed to be found.
Being pressed for time, and unable to find the materials, I resorted to rendering the model in 2D instead of 3D. In the PDF file is a handout page with correctly scaled pictures of the planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune). Dwarf planets need not apply, apparently, but they are too small to be made in this 2D model anyway.
In order to accomplish my project, I printed two copies of the handout page in color. I then used a glue stick to glue the back of the planets (before I cut them out) and pasted each sheet onto cardstock (a file-folder would work here too). After letting them dry for a while, I then used scissors and a craft knife to cut out the pictures.
At this point, I had two pictures of each planet. I quickly learned in the next step that the smallest planets (Mercury and Mars) are too small to do this next step. The larger planets worked fine, and the larger rocky planets (Earth and Venus) could go either way .
The next step is to glue the two pictures of each planet together around bamboo Shish Kabob skewers (which I stole from the drawer in our kitchen). For this step I recommend using ordinary white glue. It wouldn’t work on regular weight paper, but on the cardstock it softened it up enough to mold the cardstock around the skewers. This works great for the gas giant planets.
When I got down to Venus and Earth, however, it was much more difficult because of the small sizes of the circles. When I got down to Mars, it was impossible. I resorted to using a single cut-out, and placing a drop of glue on the back, then laying the tapered tip of the skewer into the glue. I repeated this for Mercury.
In retrospect, this would work well for Venus and Earth as well. If you wanted to, there is really no reason why the planets have to be double-sided, it just seemed like a good idea at the time.
I used the label page printed on plain paper, and glued the labels around the skewers using a glue stick.
I’m actually fairly proud of the result.
Posted in Astronomy Outreach, FPOA, IYA2009 | Tagged: Astronomy, Astronomy Education, Astronomy Outreach, FPOA, fremont peak, fremont peak observatory, fremont peak state park | 3 Comments »
Interview with Doug Brown playing on KCBS radio.
Posted by astrogeek on August 20, 2009
An interview with Doug Brown, President of the Fremont Peak Observatory Association, talking about the observatory’s situation is now playing on KCBS radio.
Posted in Astronomy Outreach, Commentary, FPOA | Tagged: Astronomy, Astronomy Education, Astronomy Outreach, FPOA, fremont peak, fremont peak observatory, fremont peak state park | Leave a Comment »
What we lose if Fremont Peak Observatory closes:
Posted by astrogeek on August 19, 2009
In a blog post back in May the Frog Mom in California posted about visiting Fremont Peak State Park, and visiting the observatory:
When we admired Saturn through the telescope, I was dumbfounded. I had never really seen Saturn before I guess. It was so perfectly round and so black-and-white bright that it looked, as my friend Sue put it, “like a sticker on the lens.” A postcard perfect Saturn.
All I can say is get back up here on one of the next two weekends (August 22 or August 29) because after Labor Day the observatory may not be there anymore.
Posted in Blogging, FPOA, Observatories | Tagged: Astronomy, Astronomy Outreach, FPOA, fremont peak, fremont peak observatory, fremont peak state park | 1 Comment »
Isn’t it ironic?
Posted by astrogeek on August 17, 2009
The state of California is closing several state parks, including Fremont Peak State Park. The closure of FPSP will likely result in the bankruptcy of the Fremont Peak Observatory Association, as we will be forced to spend money we don’t have in order to disassemble, transport, and store our equipment.
Yet, on the last day we know we will be open, I’m giving a program for a boy scout troop up at the observatory for their astronomy merit badge. I’ve got a full afternoon planned, from 13:00 to 17:00, followed by the public program beginning at 20:00. We’re going to be looking at star charts, making planispheres, and building a scale model of the solar system.
Doesn’t Fremont Peak provide more benefit than just being a ’state park’? Doesn’t the observatory go well beyond just letting people look through the telescope?
Our media briefing on August 22nd begins at 17:00 at the peak. Any of you who care to support FPOA can drop me a note in comments, and I’ll pass it along to the board and have it presented at the media briefing.
Thanks in advance.
Posted in FPOA | Leave a Comment »
Letter of Support template
Posted by astrogeek on August 7, 2009
In prior posts here and here I discussed the crisis that is happening right now at Fremont Peak.
I now have a template in Microsoft Word and PDF format. Please, if you live in the state of California, or especially if you live in the greater San Francisco bay area, download it, hack it up any way you’d like, and send it to your local assembly member as soon as possible. The state assembly reconvenes on August 17th, but immediate action is necessary. If the current situation stands then Fremont Peak State Park will close down on September 7th!
This will create a cascade of events which may cause the observatory to close for good, even if the park were to reopen.
Posted in Commentary | Tagged: budget, california, FPOA, fremont peak state park | Leave a Comment »
Save Fremont Peak!
Posted by astrogeek on August 5, 2009
The Fremont Peak Observatory Association needs your help! I outlined the situation in a previous post. Now I’m asking for something specific.
We need letters of support for the educational and scientific missions of FPOA. If you can help by drafting a letter “to whom it may concern” that we can use in arguing/begging for funding, please let me know.
In a future post I will outline some of the specific educational and scientific missions carried out by FPOA.
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Really pretty view of Orion this morning
Posted by astrogeek on September 24, 2009
As I was walking out of the house this morning, I happened to see a really pretty view of Orion and Canis Major in the South. Orion was near zenith, and Sirius was burning brightly just below and to the left. Off in the East Venus was peeking through the trees. I wished I had the scope set up and about 1/2 an hour of time to take it in, but I had to get to work.
Posted in Commentary, Observation Log | 2 Comments »