Message from CFHT Librarian, Liz Bryson
Aloha!! There are some exciting events happening on the Big Island. We want to let you know of the upcoming opportunities available through the Mauna Kea Visitor's Center.
"Malalo I Ka Lani Po" (Under the Night's Sky) Free monthly program of sharing the cultural aspects and uses of Mauna Kea, the Mauna Kea Visitor's Information Station is proud to announce an innovated program of cultural experiences shared by members of our Hawaiian communities. On the third Saturday of each month the Mauna Kea Visitor's Information Station will present different cultural practitioners sharing their mana'o (thoughts and ideas) explaining past and present uses of Ka Mauna a Kea (mauna Kea). The presentations will begin at 6:00pm on the third Saturday night at the Visitor's Information Station on Mauna Kea and will continue for approximately one hour.
The Visitor's Information Station is located at the 9,300 elevation of Mauna Kea and is accessible from Hilo, Waimea and Kona via Saddle Road. There is no admission charge and seating is limited and will be provided on a first-come-first serve basis.
For more information needed on programs at the Visitor's Information Station you may visit : www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis .
We are grateful for your feedback and support of our venture. email.
Contents:
- Malalo I Ka Lani Po
- Astronomy Education Review
- Solar System Simulator
- Living in Space
- A Pocket Guide to the Universe
- Buy a Piece of the Solar System
- Astro-Venture
- Item about girls and AAUW
- Upcoming Astronomical Events
Astronomy Education Review
A new online only journal was announced recently edited by Sidney Wolff, at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO). This journal accepts articles from astronomers and educators with interesting statistics, hands-on projects, inter-diciplinary topics to help in astronomy education, and is for all grades. It is hoped that educators will find it useful for science education in their classrooms.From the AAS Newsletter - March 2002.
Solar System Simulator
"This superb site aims to be a "spyglass on the cosmos". It allows you to create stunning simulated images of the planets and their moons, just as they would actually be seen from another body or spacecraft, at your chosen date and time. This virtual Solar System uses many scientific databases for planet and star positions, as well as images of planet surfaces and rings derived from spacecraft missions, to make the views as accurate as possible. A set of test images shows the accuracy of the simulation, allowing you to compare generated images with the real views from spacecraft, or to see a virtual lunar eclipse. A page of technical background explains how it's all done. There are plenty of options to help you create your own image of the Solar System by choosing a specific viewpoint, target, date, and time. However, if you're feeling lazy, just take a look at the beautiful sample scenes which the site author has already created! Highly recommended. DP-P"From the New Scientist Site of the Day.
Living in Space
[Flash, Audio Player]NASA's Living in Space Web site allows kids of all ages the opportunity to learn how astronauts cope with zero gravity conditions in space. Everything from eating, dressing, working, and having fun is explained through descriptions, photographs, movies, audio files, and more. Other interesting items are also available, such as the interactive daily timeline of an astronaut's activities and several other links to fun pages.
A Pocket Guide to the Universe
Unless you have Wesley Crusher or another luminary from Starfleet Academy to pilot your starship, the universe can be tough to navigate. Finding your way around is a little easier when you visit AbsoluteAstronomy.com. Up front, you can tell this site is designed for quick navigation, what with seven pull-down menus, eight browsable categories, and a smart ("Ask an astronomy question") search box. This is basic astronomy - encyclopedic, though not deep. Search on "moons of Jupiter" and you get links to 16 moon pages. Looking for a few details about stars such as Acrab or Maaz? Piece of cake. We wish there were more graphics and external links. There's probably no such thing as a comprehensive astronomy site, though, in view of the subject matter. Science teachers would do well to add AbsoluteAstronomy.com to their list of recommended sites. It's super.
Buy a Piece of the Solar System
Skeptics will want to visit the Lunar Embassy, which calls itself "the leaders in extraterrestrial real estate and the ONLY company in the world to be recognized to possess a legal basis for selling and registering extraterrestrial properties." The FAQ addresses questions such as "How do I know this is not a fraud?" and "Why is it so cheap?" Check out the Property Info page if you want to buy a piece of the Moon, Venus, or Mars. Will your children inherit your property? What about taxes? These questions and others will likely be addressed at the Galactic Government Constitutional Congress in May 2003, which is described in the site's May-July 2002 newsflash. The Galactic Government already has ambassadors in various countries. "We are also negotiating with Hungary, Switzerland, Poland, India, China, and the Koreas.... All of our Ambassadors are enjoying much financial success with this enterprise and if you have the qualifications we would like to share the wealth with you in your countries." Worlds of opportunity await the first homesteaders from Earth. Instead of giving you a gold watch at retirement, your employer might give you a mountain or crater. The marketing campaign is already in place.
Astro-Venture
This multimedia website deals with NASA careers and astrobiology research. The concept is to search for and design a habitable planet. Students enter training, are quizzed on their knowledge, and adjust the features of potentially habitable planets to see what makes a planet habitable and why. The recording of student observations ties this activity to the basics of the scientific process.
Item about girls and AAUW
AAUW (American Association of University Women) in Illinois has a great Web site full of best practice information on gender equity in technology for girls. Highlights in the fall issue includes "Power Stuff: Girls" - hear from girls who attended local technology summer camps and learn what turns girls on to technology, and Chicago's Only All-Girls Public School Focuses on Science, Math and TechnologyFrom the Women Tech Educators Newsletter, 9/12/02
Upcoming Astronomical Events
- Equinox - The autumnal equinox occurs at 6:55pm on the evening of September 22nd. The sun will be setting just above the equator this evening.
- Meteor Showers - The Orionid meteor shower will have its peak on the morning of October 22nd. Best viewing time is Midnight to Sunrise. Predictions are 15-20 meteors per hour. Not quite as spectacular as the Leonid or Geminid showers. The Leonids will be visible the mornings from Movember 18-20th. This shower has two seperate peaks the morning of the 18th and the morning of the 19th. A number in the hundreds was recorded last year and though this year might not be as spectacular, you will not be disappointed. Just make sure you are in a very dark place, the darker the observation point, the more faint meteors you will see. Don't forget the Geminid meteor shower the morning of December 14th. They will be visible the morning before and after the 14th as well. See the August 2001 issue of Hoku in the archive to learn more about watching meteor showers.
- Eclipses - There will be a penumbral lunar eclipse during the afternoon and evening of November 19th. It will start at 1:32 pm and end at 6:01pm. The moon rise at 5:05 pm on this evening will show a slightly darkened moon but we will have missed the darkest position. This will be a challenging event to see.
- Planets - Uranus is in the constellation Capricorn and can be seen just above the star delta capricorn (the upper left corner of the triangle) on November 1. Best thing to do to see the motion of the planet is to try to find it on Oct 1st close to mu capricorn. Record the positions of the objects in your binocular field. Then go back out on Nov 1st to see it at its furthest from mu capricorn. It will then slowly move back toward mu. The planet is about 5.5-6th magnitude which is visible in priciple to the naked eye, but using binoculars would help. Now staying in the constellation capricorn, you will also find Neptune. It is located just down and to the left of alpha and beta capricorn the upper right corner of the triangle). This planet will be at greater than 7th magnitude so you will need a pair of binoculars or a small telescope to see it. Happy planet hunting.
All times listed above are HST. The link below contains many calendars and includes a nice section on astronomical events. Check it out!!
We gratefully acknowledge the following online sources: Yahoo's Search Engine, The Scout Report, Blue Web'N, and the Librarian's Index to the Internet.This page is compiled by Liz Bryson, CFHT Librarian
This page was designed by Lisa Wells, CFHT Observing Assistant
We appreciate your comments and questions.