Outreach in Astronomy

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Outreach in Astronomy Astrophysics
NSF FOCUS grant Faculty-Led Outreach Faculty
Coordinator Tammy Smecker-Hane,
tsmecker_at_uci.edu Graduate Student
Coordinator Tammy Bosler, tbosler_at_uci.edu
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I. Public Visitor Nights at the UCI Observatory

• Visitors tour the observatory, view planets,
  nebulae, stars and galaxies with our telescopes,
  see slide show, etc.
• 6 per year
• Average attendance ? 400 people

Tour guides Smecker-Hane and 8 undergrad
graduate students
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I. Public Visitor Nights at the UCI Observatory

• Tour the observatory, view objects, see slide
  show, etc.
• 6 per year
• Average attendance ? 400 people
• gt 5,000 people for Mars viewing in August,
  2003!
• Next one is Friday, March 12, 7- 930 pm

Tour guides Smecker-Hane and 8 undergrad
graduate students
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Another Option Traveling Visitor Nights held
in the community
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II. Tours of the Observa-tory for FOCUS Schools

• Evening Tours - 3 schools per tour -
  ? 150 people - Planets, stars clusters,
  galaxies
• Daytime Tours - ? 75 students
• - Solar system, sun spots solar flares

Tour guides Graduate Student Coordinator 2
undergraduate/graduate assistants
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III. Classroom Visits to FOCUS Schools

• Added because of financial logistical reasons
• Visit multiple classes at a given school
• Bring our unit on the Sun, a slide show,
  handouts to students teachers

Staff One graduate student 2 or more
undergraduates
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Slide Shows

• Content varies with the age of the Students
• The Earth and the Solar System
  elementary/middle school students
• Amazing Space Stars, Galaxies and the
  Universe
• high school students

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IV. Teachers Workshop in Astronomy Astrophysics

• Two day-long workshop held each Summer
• Features curriculum design, discussion of
  subject matter problems/computer exercises to
  illustrate basic concepts
• Material to be given to Teachers includes
• - The Universe at Your Finger Tips from
  NSF/ASPs Project Astro
• - Glossy 8x10 photos and posters about galaxy
  research done w/ Hubble Space Telescope
• - Astronomy Journal to the Cosmic Frontier
  from McGraw-Hill
• Discussion of Current Hot Topics
• Professional Contacts

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Results to Date

• Over 6000 visitors at 4 public Visitor Nights
• 127 students for Daytime Observatory Tours
• 60 students for Evening Observatory Tours
• 650 students at visits to Individual Schools
• Currently planning the Teachers Workshop

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Keys to Success

• Publicity for Public Visitor Nights
• Communicating with FOCUS representatives and
  teachers
• Blanket mailing to administrators and teachers
• Effective advertisement and communication using
  the Observatory web site,http//www.physics.uci.e
  du/observat

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Keys to Success

• Faculty Member and numerous Graduate and
  Undergraduate Students who contribute time and
  talent
• A full-time graduate student coordinator(2
  quarters) is essential