<<< Return to Newsletter Archives list January eNewsletter from the Minnesota Planetarium society In this issue from the Minnesota Planetarium Society President's Message As we celebrate the arrival of 2009, the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) and Galileo's discoveries with the telescope, it feels right that the Minnesota Planetarium Society (MnPS) sets its sights on the skies as well. We are planning several IYA activities like the one detailed in this newsletter; we will continue our marvelous ExploraDome outreach program; we have hired a search firm and begun the process to hire an Executive Director; and we begin our Make Contact campaign to raise the private money needed to build the Planetarium and Space Discovery Center. These are ambitious goals in a time of economic uncertainty, but they are worth all our efforts. Please join the MnPS and encourage your friends to do likewise. Galileo changed our thinking with his discoveries. Today's astronomers and technologies are teaching us even more, and we need to tell that wondrous story. Happy New Year to you all! The skies end 2008 and begin the new year with a beautiful conjunction. On December 31, look southwest at about 6 p.m. for bright Venus and a slim crescent Moon. The next night the Moon will be about 15 degrees above Venus. Later in the evening at about 9 p.m., Orion dominates the southeast sky. Follow Orion's belt (three stars in a row) up to find Aldebaran in the face of Taurus the Bull. Keep on along that same line for a small cluster of stars called the Pleiades or Seven Sisters. Now go back to the belt stars and follow them down to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. In the north, the Big Dipper sits on its handle but the pointer stars still lead you to Polaris. Cassiopeia reigns high in the northwest shaped like an M. Be sure to take a few minutes from time to time in 2009 and enjoy nature's sky show. Sky maps can be found at http://heavens-above.com. The Universe, Yours to Discover The International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) will be a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, marking the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first astronomical observations with a telescope. More than 135 countries around the world will host events and activities over the coming 365 days and beyond, in order to encourage worldwide interest in astronomy, stimulate young people’s interest in science, portray astronomy as a global peaceful endeavor, and show the universe to millions. Learn more about the International Year of Astronomy at their website: http://iya2009.org/ The universe is yours to discover with the Minnesota Planetarium Society! Please celebrate with us at our kickoff event on January 15 (see below), and check our website calendar for future events. Come Celebrate the International Year of Astronomy with the Minnesota Planetarium Society
EVENTS: Astronomy Open House, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Domecast, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
PARTNERS include:
This event is open to all ages and does not require registration. Activities take place indoors, except for stargazing, so dress accordingly! We hope to see you there! As we begin the International Year of Astronomy, we remember Galileo Galilei, widely recognized as the father of modern astronomy for his first use of a telescope for astronomy 400 years ago. Galileo’s telescope and lens can still be seen at the Museum of the History of Science in Florence, Italy, a couple of blocks from the more well-known Uffizi. Galileo would be in awe at what telescopes look like today. The University of Minnesota, for example, is a partner in an international consortium building and operating the world’s largest optical/infrared telescope, the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), a pair of 8.4 meter (27.6 foot) telescopes on a single mount. This telescope will take us to the most distant reaches of the universe, to watch the birth of stars and galaxies. While Galileo discovered the moons of Jupiter with his 1.5” lens, the LBT will be used to find and study planets, and perhaps even moons, around other stars. For some great photos and further information, check out http://lbtwww.arcetri.astro.it/observatory_images.htm.
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