Get in the Zone – Astrozone!

Here at the AAS winter meeting, part of the “mission” is to bring science to the public. So, on Saturday, before the meeting actually got underway, a small group of intrepid scientists and educators gathered in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency to do a little “public-science interface.” Tables were set up to display information and activities about the Chandra Mission, the Kepler Mission, the Solar Dynamics Observatory Group, and, of course, AstronomyCast. At the Chandra table, you could learn everything you’d ever want to know about this amazing X-Ray observatory–how it works, the Shuttle crew that took it into space, and the wild objects that Chandra is able to detect and image.  Plus, some of the most beautiful postcards, bookmarks, and pictures were available–free! Also available free were – my favorite – stickers and a coloring/activity booklet!  Must go buy crayons… At the next table, Pamela Harmon from the SETI Institute was displaying  a very cool Lego model of the Kepler spacecraft, along with some computer simulations involving gravity and planets, and more free pictures!  Kepler will be looking for extra-solar planets by searching for “transit signatures” – the dimming of a star as a planet passes in front of it.  The spacecraft is scheduled to be launched this year – stay tuned! I was sitting at the AstronomyCast table, giving away pins and CDs, and encouraging people to get involved by asking Pamela and Fraser a question on audio tape.  Thanks to all the  friendly people that stopped by! Last but by no means least, Emilie Drobnes and Jake Noel-Storr, representing the Solar Dynamics Observatory Group, were helping people to make their own “Cereal Box Spectroscope.”   This was fun!  By cutting a small slit in one end of the cereal box, and then taping a small diffraction grating over a hole in the other (be sure to take the cereal out first!), you can peer at any light source and observe its spectrum.  Very cool!  Emilie and Jake had a huge pile of cereal boxes to chose from, donated by friends and colleagues (recycling!). And, as I was starving at the time, I really enjoyed looking at all the cereal boxes–unfortunately they were all empty.