The JPL website has a lot of fascinating stories for you astro folks right now!
There's one story about new evidence of ancient volcanic explosions
on Mars and another about the molten core of Mercury. Ice on Mars?
Read all about it! There are also details about JPL Open House and,
drumroll please......What's Up for May, my new monthly podcast!
You can get to the 2 minute podcast from the JPL main page:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/ The JPL education page has the video,
and tools for amateur astronomers, such as sky charts you can
download, links to amateur astronomy networks, and this is where the
What's Ups will be archived. This month we feature the Dawn mission's
Amateur Observer Program, since I talk about observing the asteroid
Vesta - that's where the Dawn Mission will be heading later this
summer.
For those of you with iPods you can subscribe to the NASA Jet
Propulsion Laboratory video and audio podcasts (podcasts are free and
on iTunes under science podcasts) and have "What's Up" and other JPL
podcasts downloaded automatically every month when you sync your
iPod. Of course you can watch them on your computer too!
Our next sidewalk dates will be May 18 and 19. May 19 is also JPL
open house. Se you then! Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
This notification just went out to all the people who like to get
email announcements from JPL, so I thought I'd pass it on to you.
Our annual JPL Open House occurs May 19 and 20. I'll be in the
Cassini Tent in person, and also a 1/4 scale model of me will be
stationed next to a 1/4 scale model of the Cassini Spacecraft, so you
can see two of me, possibly at the same time!
You can find me (and Cassini) near the entrance to the laboratory -
I'll be there all day, both days. The large Cassini tent will be the
first exhibit when you enter the west entrance to JPL on Open House
days. Saturday night, May 19 is International Sidewalk Astronomy
Day, too, so we'll be setting up telescopes in Monrovia that night.
Check out our Old Town Astronomy website for information - we'll
update the pages soon for our June trip to both the annual Death
Valley and Bryce Canyon Star Parties, July and August Yosemite (at
Glacier Point) star parties, and proposed trips to the Southern
California desert for stargazing without city streetlights or LA
lights.
Here's that announcement - stop by and say "hi"! There can be up to
15, 000 to 20,000 people at JPL open house on each day. It's best to
arrive early, plan for the heat (wear a hat and sunblock), Sunday
morning seems a little less crowded than Saturday. Jane
JPL Open House Takes Visitors on a Journey to the Planets and Beyond
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., invites the
public on a "Journey To the Planets and Beyond." The laboratory will
open its doors during its annual Open House on Saturday and Sunday,
May 19 and 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors will learn about JPL's exciting space missions and see
robots in action. Scientists and engineers will also answer questions
about the solar system, the universe and our home planet.
A giant balloon that may someday explore Venus will be on display in
JPL's Spacecraft Assembly Facility, the clean room where spacecraft
and instruments are built.
Visitors can see unique 3-D images from space, including
stereoscopic views of the sun, and view movies highlighting current
and upcoming JPL missions. At the Robo-Dome, a pair of 700-pound
robots will glide in a high-tech arena under artificial stars, while
the Saturn Moonwalk will display the ringed planet's vast system of
unique moons.
JPL Open House will offer lots of fun activities for kids of all
ages who want to learn more about science and technology. Kids can
get rolled over by a mechanical Mars rover, fly in outer space and
view the sun with high-powered telescopes.
Admission is free and reservations are not required. No backpacks or
ice chests are allowed; visitors may bring small purses and diaper
bags. Visitors, vehicles and personal belongings are subject to
inspection. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, along
with space souvenirs and JPL and NASA merchandise. Vendors will only
accept cash. ATMs will be available.
JPL is located at 4800 Oak Grove Drive. Exit the 210 (Foothill)
Freeway at the Berkshire Avenue/Oak Grove Drive exit in La
Canada-Flintridge. Parking is available near the Oak Grove Drive main
gate and on the eastern boundary of JPL, accessible from Windsor
Avenue via the Arroyo Boulevard exit off the 210 Freeway. Buses and
tour guides will move people between different locations around the
facility. Walking is required to some locations. Comfortable shoes
are recommended.
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
It looks like we'll have a great weekend for the moon and Saturn.
Jane and I will be in Old Town Pasadena tonight from about 7:30 'til 10
p.m., somewhere near Colorado and Delacey depending on parking.
Tomorrow in Monrovia there's a 24-hour cancer fund-raising event at
Library Park, and they're expecting us at our regular corner, at Myrtle
& Lime. We'll be there about the same time, 7:30 p.m. 'til at least 9:30.
Sunset is close to 7:30, and we should be able to see Saturn by about
8:00. The nearly full moon should provide a great view.
Cheers,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Tonight's forecast is a difficult call! It looks certain that there
will be clouds, even though we'll probably have periods with our targets
in the clear.
But other events are conspiring to call off tonight's Monrovia sidewalk
astronomy, and try again next weekend.
We'll be hoping for clear skies on Friday the 27th in Pasadena, and
Saturday the 28th in Monrovia, where we'll be joined by a cancer fund
raising event at Library Park. (They're looking forward to having us. :) )
Hope to see you then ...
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
We're going to keep our telescope optics dry tonight, instead of setting
up in Old Town Pasadena. We can't see through clouds either!
Saturday night in Monrovia doesn't look too promising at the moment, but
I'll give it another day to decide for sure.
We'll try again next weekend, April 27-28, same locations -- Friday in
Pasadena, Saturday in Monrovia. We'll have an almost-full moon to enjoy
and Saturn high overhead. Weather permitting. :)
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org
HI Old Town Astro folks
I have a request from a JPL colleague for some help at a school star
party event on Friday April 20 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Longfellow
Elementary in Pasadena. I have another telescope event that night
(Sidewalk Astronomy in Pasadena), and I can't be in two places at the
same time.
He is looking for some enthusiasts who could either:
Answer questions about the planets or be excited about their work in
science or about science in general (or enthusiastic about answering
kids questions) from the K-5th graders. It's the schools star party
night.
Aim telescopes at moon, Saturn or Venus - I have several simple to
use and easy to carry reflectors in the 4.5-inch, 6-inch and 8-inch
aperture range if someone has the interest but doesn't have a
telescope. I'm happy to lend them out. I'll have an info sheet
available with facts about moon, Venus and Saturn, too.
I have one volunteer from the JPL Astronomy Club who will help out.
He does a lot of school events. I'll help out by creating some star
chart handouts for the night, provide some NASA handout material,
supply a human solar system activity. If you have the time or the
inclination, send me a note, and I'll connect you with Sven, or
provide the logistics. I also asked my fellow JPL Astronomy Club
members, but we JPLers often live far from work, making it hard to
volunteer locally in Pasadena. If you haven't done a school star
party before there is usually a flurry of setup, then it seems like
in an hour the whole event is over and you take your equipment down
and go home. Telescopes with a quick setup time usually are the
easiest to use at a school. Let me know if you're interested. Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
What's Up?
There's a new video feature debuting on the JPL web pages today. The
new monthly feature, which I host :-), is called "What's Up". It
will highlight an astronomical viewing opportunity everyone can
enjoy, usually even without a telescope, and usually in the most
light polluted sky. All of you on our Old Town Astronomers list know
all about light polluted skies - it's where we set up telescopes
every month!
In April there is a fantastic viewing opportunity all of you can
enjoy right from your own back (or front) yard. No telescope
required! The moon rises from near Venus on April 21, (which is
National Astronomy Day) through April 25, when the moon is above
Saturn. Most of the images in the video came my 350+ worldwide
volunteers, called the Cassini-Huygens Saturn Observation Campaign.
The video is here on the JPL home page : http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ .
On the JPL Education Gateway page is the video plus amateur astronomy
resources: http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
Here you can download the sky chart which will show you where to find
Venus, Saturn, and watch the crescent moon rise in-between the two
planets later this month. You might try looking for the moon April 19
or 20 below Venus. it'll be a very thin crescent.
Please forward this to your own network of friends or students if you
think they'd be interested. Or link to the JPL Education's Amateur
Astronomy page
http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html so that
your pals can use the charts, and listen to the video, and use the
other great links on the page.
I have one more tidbit. April 21 is National Astronomy Day. Mojo
will be set up as usual in Monrovia (weather permitting), and
possibly in Pasadena on April 20, but I will be in England that
weekend. Here is a really nice (and free) astronomy chart for April.
It usually is available only by subscription, but the Abrams
Planetarium has made it available for Astronomy Day. I know a lot of
you are members of other astronomy clubs or may be holding your own
observing events on April 21 which is why I am sharing this link.
Print it out and enjoy! You might even want to subscribe! I used
this chart when I was a brand new amateur astronomer unsure what to
aim at. It provided me years of enjoyment!
http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/SkyCalendar/Index.html
Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
I thought some of you might be interested in this exhibit - There
will be a talk by the artist, who is a co-worker here at JPL, on
March 18 at 7 p.m. followed by telescopes provided by JPL and
sidewalk astronomers. Dan says: "I'm giving a talk on Sunday March
18th @ 7pm in conjunction with the "hidden light" show at PMCA. It
will be and a Kepler Mission scientist and engineer talking about
planet finding as well as space art that is not paintings. The museum
has an amazing deck and we were hoping to have a couple telescopes,
weather permitting."
JPL visual strategist Dan Goods applies some of the complex
principles studied at the Laboratory to his artwork in a project
called "The Hidden Light," now underway through April 8 at the
Pasadena Museum of California Art.
Goods' work makes scientific phenomena more accessible and
meaningful. The Hidden Light begins with the idea that some physical
entities in the universe are hidden or invisible until scientists
discover new ways for understanding or seeing them.
In the installation, the film projection depicting planets in space
is washed out by another projection until the viewer casts a shadow
on the wall. The process directly refers to how astronomers at JPL
invent tools with which to find and see planets in the far reaches of
space that are hidden by the light of stars. By activating the space
of the installation, the museum visitor will also discover how to see
the unseen.
The Hidden Light is presented in the museum's Project Room, a
700-square-foot gallery devoted to installations by early and
mid-career California artists. Artists chosen to participate are
charged with transforming the space through site-specific
installations. With a selection of artists working in a variety of
media, the Project Room was designed to present a vital cross-section
of the diverse work being produced in California.
The museum is located at 490 E. Union St. Admission is free for
museum members, $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and students. Call
626-568-3665 or visit www.pmcaonline.org.
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
It's clear tonight in Monrovia, and Saturn is in the evening sky, so
Jane and I thought we'd set up our telescopes at Myrtle & Lime. We'll
be there from at least 6:00 'til 8:00 p.m.
You might have heard that there is a total lunar eclipse today.
Unfortunately by the time the full moon rises here in California, the
most visible part of the eclipse will be over. We'll have a full moon
with no shadows and lots of bright highlights to explore.
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Sorry for the late announcement - we've been busy.....
The forecast for Friday and Saturday nights is mostly clear. That
means the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will be setting up telescopes
for public views of Saturn (and the moon) both nights. Venus will
also be a beautiful sight, in the west, no telescopes needed.
The same locations as every month - (weather will be clear and cold)
Friday Night Feb 23, 6:30 -9:30 p.m. Colorado Blvd somewhere between
Fair Oaks and Pasadena Avenues depending on parking. 2 telescopes,
long lines (there is no room for more telescopes, and we pick them up
and move them to get out of the trees and lights.
Saturday Night Feb 24, 6:30 9:30, or later if there is a big crowd)
Library Park, corner of Myrtle and Lime Streets, Monrovia. Our usual
group of astronomers bring 4 to 8 telescopes usually, less crowded,
lots of free parking. :-)
Website: http://www.otastro.org/ You can always check the weather
in the top right of the page. Click on "weather permitting".
Other events for the astronomy enthusiast: http://www.mwoa.org/events.htm
Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
