by Pamela | Jun 23, 2007 | Observing
Last night I attempted to give a star party for a group of about 50 girl scouts. It was a noble effort, but I have to admit that it devolved into learned old(ish) person speaking before a group of seated in rows youngish people. I’m generally opposed to this...
by Pamela | May 27, 2007 | Observing, Teaching
Today, while in a meeting for the International Year of Astronomy, someone mentioned hearing someone state that we need a goal of no child left inside. Instead of just showing them imaged stars with robot telescopes across the Internet, we need to send them outside to...
by Pamela | May 19, 2007 | Observing
Tonight, all across the world, guerilla astronomy will be waged on the public as amateur and professional astronomers inflict their hobby on individuals in random locations. Today is the 1st Annual International Sidewalk Astronomy Night. There is a nice article...
by Pamela | Mar 20, 2007 | Observing, Teaching
I have to admit I have spring fever. I seem to have moved to a part of the country where the seasons actually follow the solstices and equinoxes, and politely divide themselves into 4 fairly equal parts. My crocuses are blooming, shorts are starting to appear on some...
by Pamela | Mar 13, 2007 | Nebulae, Observing
As I’ve mentioned before, press releases that don’t really contain science are one of my pet peeves. That said, one such press release came across my inbox this morning and made me giggle happily. The image was of the Crab Nebula (above left: credit:...
by Pamela | Mar 8, 2007 | Light Pollution, Observing, Politics
Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight…First star? Hello? You’re supposed to come out now. Stars? Someone? Shine? Please? While I was a graduate student at the University of Texas in Austin I watched the Ring Nebula (M57) disappear. When I first...
