Sensing the Radio Sky

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Sensing the Radio Sky

Bob Hayward SEPA Conference Atlanta, GA June 2005
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• Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
• A not-for-profit public foundation dedicated to
  providing research and educational access to
  radio and optical astronomy for a broad
  cross-section of users
• www.pari.edu

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NSF Internships in Public Science Education
(IPSE) Students Summer 2004
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PARIs NSF IPSE Project
A collaborative astronomy project between
multimedia and physics undergraduate students to
develop a STARLAB cylinder designed to display
and present the radio sky.
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Summer 2004

• Furman University
• 1 physics student
• 1 mentor
• UNC-Asheville
• 3 multimedia students
• 2 physics students
• 2 mentors

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Three components

• Develop a STARLAB cylinder to display and present
  the radio sky, as opposed to the visible sky.
• The multimedia arts and sciences majors take the
  lead in this task.

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• Develop a special pulsar projector that includes
  light, sound and touch displays.
• The physics interns take the lead in this
  component.

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• Develop curriculum materials that include a CD
  and web-based multimedia.
• Physics interns develop content compatible with
  national science standards.
• Multimedia interns developed the web-based and CD
  graphics.

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Skills/knowledge required

• STARLAB planetarium presentation techniques

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Basic astronomy including celestial coordinates
and maps
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The sky at radio and visible frequencies Radio
emission mechanisms and radio sources
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Computer graphics including Photoshop and
Illustrator
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Construction of a STARLAB projector cylinder
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IC electronics for pulsar projector development
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Use of PARIs 26-m radio telescopes for
observation of pulsars
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Progress to date
Greyscale inverse of cylinder template
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The Cylinder
Milky Way
Cyg A SS433 Sgr A ? M1
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STARLAB Radio Sky Cylinder(prototype)
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Graphics
Milky Way
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Pulsar Projector

• Timing circuit produces
• Laser beam flash
• Ticking sound

• Mounting on cylinder not yet solved

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Curriculum Development

• Standards/objectives identified
• National
• North Carolina
• New York
• California
• Texas
• South Carolina

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Summer 2005

• Furman University
• 2 physics students
• 1 mentor
• UNC-Asheville
• 3 multimedia students
• 1 physics student
• 2 mentors

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Goals for Summer 2005

• Adjustments to the cylinder template
• Projected images
• Greyscale shades
• Match to the real radio sky

• Building the pulsar projector
• Design for compactness
• Attachment to the cylinder

• Producing a multimedia Radio Sky program
• Encompasses both the cylinder and the pulsar
  projector

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Goals for School Year 2005-06

• Final production models
• STARLAB Radio Sky cylinder
• Pulsar projector
• Multimedia program materials
• Curriculum materials

• Pilot presentations at local schools

• Dissemination of ten beta models

• Evaluation and improvement of all components

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Looking ahead.

• Development of a STARLAB cylinder presenting the
  gamma ray sky
• Application for a new IPSE grant has been
  submitted.
• Awaiting funding decision.

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The End
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