Katherine Rueff's blog

Thursday the Astro Institute teachers worked Caroline Fletcher’s lab on spectroscopes and using element labs.
Here’s an example of what the spectra looked like through the spectroscope for white light:

Friday we started with Chuck Bueter presenting on the upcoming Transit of Venus (Transitofvenus.org)

The teachers then did some art on transparencies to mimic the original stained glass window commemorating a Transit of Venus

We are all looking forward to the Symposium this afternoon where the teachers will present their lesson plans and responses to the whole week at the Astro Institute!

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Aaron McNeely demonstrated his Equatorial Sundial today during the Astro Institute’s day of Solar Observations. The sundial consists of a manila folder and a folded sundial print out that is then folded according to the latitude (41-42 degrees for South Bend). (Totally recyclable!)

Each teachers then was given a manila folder, printout of the sundial, and lots of tape to build their own.

Shelley Dolan helps Gina complete her sundial.


After which all the teachers headed outside to try out their new sundials!

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Local K-12 teachers use their telescopes on the roof of Jordan Hall Observatory.

The Astro Institute is fully up and running! We have 11 eager, energetic, and excited K-12 teachers.

Monday the teachers got a crash course in Astro Imaging:

Today (Tuesday) the teachers learned all morning about telescopes and the many great things they can be use for in the classroom (as seen in the 1st image!)

Tomorrow, Aaron McNeely will present a whole morning experience in solar observing.

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What’s worse than building the next generation’s telescope, launching it into space, and then finding out it needs glasses (*cough* Hubble *cough*)?

How about not EVEN getting to put it into space at all….?

“Caption: Fully functional, 1/6th scale model of the JWST mirror in optics testbed.” Credit: NASA

The House Appropriations Committee announced this week to cut more than $430 million in funding to NASA’s Science programs and will terminate the funding for the James Webb Space Telescope.

The chief of NASA went to Congress yesterday to try and save the JWST:
http://www.space.com/12263-nasa-chief-congress-james-webb-space-telescope.html

How does this affect you?:
Well, the James Webb will be the “space telescope of the future“.  With it, we will be able to see areas and events in space that no human has ever (or could otherwise) see.
Oh, and WHO is the “Senior Project Scientist” for the JWST?  Remember this guy?

So that hits close to home.  It’s upsetting to know all of the great work these scientists have personally dedicated and then Congress having the choice to throw all of that away.
This would be a huge loss to the entire science community, and especially in the US, if the JWST isn’t allowed the chance to come to fruition.

To learn more about the James Webb Space Telescope please visit:  http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/

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Watch the LAST Shuttle Launch:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

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