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IYA Multiwavelength Image Unveiling

Teleconference Briefing:

What You Need to Know for Your Institution’s Great Observatories

IYA Image Unveiling Event

Denise Smith and Carolyn SlivinskiSpace Telescope Science Institute

Sept. 22, 2009

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Call-In Etiquette

Please remember to mute your phone unless you have a question or comment during the telecon.

Use the MUTE function key on your phone OR press *6 to mute or unmute if you don't have a mute function key.

Do NOT use the Hold Key as that sometimes plays music to the telecon!

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“Whenever something happens in the sky--an eclipse, a falling star, a NASA mission--people call their local museum or planetarium.”

--Bill Gutsch and Jim Manning (former presidents of International Planetarium Society)

The Museum Alliance aims to make the local museum or planetarium staff the local experts on space . . . and NASA.• You are already knowledgeable space enthusiasts• You do live educational and public programs every day• Museum Alliance provides advance alerts about launches, landings

• Allows you time to plan, schedule, and publicize• Museum Alliance provides professional development about NASA topics

• Direct access to NASA experts on current topics• Timely access to high-quality, accurate materials

• Museum Alliance is a “front-door” into NASA not previously available • Museum Alliance is a two-way street: we listen to your needs• It’s all about relationships . . .

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadena, California

NASA Museum Alliance: a nationwide network of professionals at museums, science centers, planetariums, observatory visitor centers . . .

Register at https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/alliance

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The International Year of Astronomy

VisionTo help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day and night time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery.

CelebrationA global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, highlighted by the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo.

http://astronomy2009.org

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U.S. and NASA Contributions

U.S. GoalTo offer an engaging astronomy experience to every person in the country, nurture existing partnerships and build new connections to sustain public interest.

NASA’s Contribution

http://astronomy2009.nasa.gov

•Opportunities for youth and adults to make their own observations of the universe

•Professional development experiences for educators

•Community-based activitiesThese activities aim to increase awareness of astronomy, and

to strengthen interest in science and science education.

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Your Contributions

You play an important role in bringing the wonders of the universe to your community during the International Year of Astronomy (and beyond)!

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• The International Year of Astronomy Great Observatories Image Unveiling is supported by the NASA Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Division.

• The project is a collaboration between the Space Telescope Science Institute, the Spitzer Science Center, and the Chandra X-ray Center.

• As a partner in this collaboration you will:– Receive two large prints of the Galactic Center– Host an event for the public to “unveil” these two prints between Nov. 10,

2009 and Nov. 30, 2009– Install the prints in your institution on a “permanent” basis– Report back to us about your event

The Basics

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Reminder on the Embargo

• Why is there a specific time frame for the events? We will have the prints more than a week before Nov. 10… can my institution hold the event before Nov. 10?

NO!

The images you will receive may not released to the public until Nov. 10. In signing up for this event, you have agreed to abide by the embargo date. The official NASA press release will occur on Nov. 10. Your unveiling event must not be scheduled before that date.

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The Great Observatories

Each of the three Great Observatories (Chandra, Hubble, Spitzer) detects different wavelengths of light.

Check out “Telescopes from the Ground Up” at http://amazing-space.stsci.edu

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“Invisible” Light in Astronomy

Each part of the electromagnetic spectrum provides a piece of the puzzle in understanding our universe.

Messier 51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy

Please contact Carolyn for image credits

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Hubble - Spitzer - Chandra Images of the Center of Our Milky Way Galaxy

• These are preview images to help you understand what you will receive.

• Reminder: the images are embargoed.

• More about the science of the Great Observatories, and these images in particular, will be covered in the next telecon!

Print size: 36” wide by 48” tall

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“The Multiwavelength Composite”

You can download larger versions here:http://hubblesource.stsci.edu/events/iyafinale/support/

Putting it all together…

Print size: 72” wide by 36” tall

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About the print material

• Will the print be stiff or flexible?– The prints are quite sturdy, yet are flexible enough to be rolled for

shipping.

• Are they paper?– No, they are made of Duramax, which has a plastic feel

• Will fingerprints be a problem?– No, the prints are very resistant to fingerprints

• Will they crease?– Yes, folding the print may cause permanent creases

• How can we mount the prints?– There are many options: some may apply Velcro to the back and

mount on a fabric- or carpet-covered wall; some may frame the images; some may glue them to glass (this may destroy them on removal, however)

• Can they be backlit?– No

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Other Resources?

• Check out the education sections of the Hubble, Spitzer, and Chandra websites:–http://amazing-space.stsci.edu–http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu–http://chandra.harvard.edu

• What other material will we receive?–A small number of print materials will be shipped to you

separately–Samples of a Press Release and Media Advisory will be posted

on the password-protected site–Links to the IYA logo will be posted on the password-protected

site

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Partners: Observing Experiences

http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov

NASA Night Sky Network•Amateur astronomy clubs committed to bringing the wonders of the universe to the public– Telescopes – Hands-on activities – NASA resources

•Partner with a local club to provide observing experiences for your community

•Find out about telescope observing opportunities and activities

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Observing Resources

http://www.astrosociety.org/iya/guides.html

IYA Discovery Guides•Build on the contributions and excitement of the Night Sky Network, NASA missions, and ASP partners

•Activity for each NASA IYA topic of the month•Finding chart for each NASA IYA object of the month

•Article, links, and more!

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Technical Details:

6in Maksutov reflector

B,V,R,I, ND-4 filters

650x500 pixel at 5”/pxl

1º x 0.75º field

MicroObservatory A network of 5 telescopes Automated, weather-proof Control via the Internet Intuitive web interface E-mail response after image taken Half million images since 1998 Users in all 50 states

Online Telescopes

http://www.microobservatory.org

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What about the next telecon?

• The next telecon will be held Tuesday October 6 at 2 pm Eastern• This telecon will cover the SCIENCE behind the images, how they

were created, and what scientists are hoping to learn about our universe.

• This telecon will have scientists from the Chandra, Spitzer and Hubble programs presenting.

• This telecon is to help you to prepare and to learn - ask questions!

Reminder: The information covered on these teleconferences is embargoed. You may not invite members of the public to the

telecon.

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After the event…

Your event is one way that NASA shares its discoveries with the public. It is very important for us to be able to report back to NASA about the success of the program, to help NASA understand the public impact. For that reason we ask you to:

• Fill out a short post-event summary (we will provide a form for you)

• Send us pictures of your unveiling event– Please include Photo Releases for any photos with children under 18

• Check back later on the public website to see some of the photos of your successful events!

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Key Information

• The public website: http://hubblesource.stsci.edu/events/iyafinale/ – Contains specifics about the requirements, updated FAQ’s, key dates

• The password protected website: http://hubblesource.stsci.edu/events/iyafinale/support/ – Username and Password were emailed to you on 9/16– Contains information about telecons– Telecon presentation slides will be posted– Telecon transcripts will be posted at a later date– Will post low-resolution versions of the images– Will post the full high-resolution images at a later date; these images will be

EMBARGOED until Nov. 10, 2009