Saturday, August 23, 2008

Mesquite ISD teams with Texas Astronomical Society for Big Universe Astronomy Day

By Pegasus News wire

On Sat., Sept. 6 from 2 p.m. 'til 10 p.m., the folks at Mesquite ISD are inviting the general public to participate in their Big Universe Astronomy Day.

In collaboration with the Texas Astronomical Society, the Mesquite ISD's Russell Planetarium will have all afternoon and into the evening to show off their new SciDome projector with programs under the planetarium dome starting at 2, 6 and 8 p.m.

In addition to the star shows, there will be hands-on instruction in the use of small telescopes (of the sort that youngsters might talk their more credulous family members into buying for them); microscopic study of meteorite slices; lectures on the "bigness" of the universe in general, and on stellar vs. non-stellar objects in particular; and an astrophotography primer.

If this model of the universe was actually to scale, those buttons at the base of the controller would be the size of quarks

Meanwhile, outside on the lawn, there will be a specially-designed solar telescope set up allowing folks to get an intimate look at the surface of the sun without - one presumes - frying their retinas.

Also, instructors will be on hand demonstrating how one can build a scale model solar system. (You know: the kind of thing where the basketball right THERE = the sun, the crab apple over under the bleachers = Earth, and the cranberry hidden away in a shady locality somewhere in New Jersey = Pluto.)

Rounding out the evening (after dark) is a star party that will include live astrophotography imaging - along with, I'm betting, the chance to view celestial objects through a consumer telescope or two.

The Russell Planetarium is on the campus of West Mesquite High School near 636 and Scyene Road - the easiest way to find it is to head for the base of the big radio antenna located at the football stadium. All events are free.

posted by JM

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