[AZ-Observing] FW: LPL Mars: Fact or Fiction event on October 31!
- From: "Laurel" <laureldunlap@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: TAAAforum <taaaforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, AZ-Observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2005 17:57:20 -0700
Received notice today from LPL of this event. Thought it may be of interest
to other astronomy club members, especially ones with kids middle school or
high school. Seems like a great alternative family event for the evening.
Regards,
L Sparks-Dunlap
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From:
To:
Subject: Mars: Fact or Fiction event on October 31!
Date: Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 16:53
CELEBRATE THE MARS OPPOSITION WITH ?MARS: FACT OR FICTION!? AND VIEW MARS
THROUGH LARGE TELESCOPES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
On Monday, October 31, 2005, you and your family are invited to ?Mars: Fact
or Fiction?? -- a free public evening event -- from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the
C. P. Sonett Space Sciences building at 1541 E. University Boulevard on the
main University of Arizona campus. View the planet Mars, weather
permitting, through two large UA telescopes at Steward Observatory and
Flandrau Science Center, enjoy educational displays, and talk to scientists
and professionals who study Mars. Mars, the only planet whose surface we
can see in any detail from Earth, is now at opposition, which means it is
close to Earth and views of it through telescopes should be spectacular. Two
years ago Mars was closer to Earth than it had been for approximately 60,000
years at a distance of almost 35 million miles; this year Mars is 43 million
miles away, almost as close as in 2003!
The visitors? center at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory?s C. P. Sonett
Space Sciences Center will be open from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. with educational
displays, free handouts, spacecraft instruments and models on display from
Mars and space shuttle missions, and scientists who will talk with you about
their work. Learn how Mars has been viewed throughout history, in
literature and popular culture, and separate the facts from fiction! Two
important NASA missions will be highlighted: the High Resolution Imaging
Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera and the Phoenix lander. A live update on
the Cassini mission to Saturn, the REAL "Lord of the Rings", with the latest
images and information will also be given from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Near the Sonett building, Steward Observatory?s 21-inch aperture telescope
will be open from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Flandrau Science Center?s 16-inch
telescope will be open from 9 p.m. until midnight, weather permitting. The
Red Planet will be visible to the telescopes after about 10:15 p.m. Other
celestial wonders will also be explored. Free Halloween treats, handouts,
and hands-on educational Mars activities will be available for kids.
For more information on the web, go to
http://hirise.LPL.arizona.edu/halloween or http://www.LPL.arizona.edu/pop;
call (520) 626-7432; or send e-mail to me at loretta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx If
you are interested in Mars exploration, please don?t miss this fun event!
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WEAR YOUR COSTUME!
Directions to the event:
?Mars: Fact or Fiction!? will take place on the main University of Arizona
campus in the C.P. Sonett Space Sciences Building at 1541 E. University
Blvd. and at the nearby Steward 21-inch telescope and the Flandrau 16-inch
telescope. From the intersection of Speedway Blvd. and Campbell, go south
on Campbell to University Blvd. and turn west (right if going south) Free
parking is available in the Cherry Ave. garage after 5 p.m. or in any UA
regular parking space, Service Vehicle spaces, and parking meters after 5
p.m. Maps to the event are available on the web site listed above. (Note
that the Flandrau Science Center?s Observatory is open for this event even
though the Flandrau exhibits and planetarium are closed until September,
2006, for renovation.)
This University of Arizona event is co-sponsored by the Lunar and Planetary
Laboratory, Steward Observatory, Flandrau Science Center, and the UA College
of Sciences.
We hope to see you on October 31!
-Loretta
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