Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Annual Meeting • May 31-June 5, 2008 • St Louis, Missouri
Gary attended the 2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific annual meeting, "Preparing for the International Year of Astronomy" in Saint Louis. Preceding the meeting was a hands-on symposium. bringing together everyone interested in astronomy and space-science education and outreach to discuss international, regional, and local programs for the International Year of Astronomy in 2009. The event celebrates the 400 years since Galileo first turned his telescope to the heavens and changed humanity's understanding of its place in the universe. Since then, new telescopes have allowed us to expand Galileo's work and learn more about the universe, its geography and its evolution. This meeting hopes to create a strategy to engage teachers, families, museums, parks, amateur astronomy groups, community organizations, the media and the public at learge in a year of events and programs.
ASP Award Banquet - Tuesday, June 3
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific held their Awards Banquet on Tuesday evening at the St Louis Convention Center. An opening reception featured a screening of Interstellar Studios trailer for their video celebrating 400 years of the telescope and a pre-release of Sierra Nevada Brewing's Galileo's Astronomical Ale. During the banquet, several people were given awards. I was presented with the Las Cumbres Observatory Amateur Outreach Award, for which I am greatly honored.
Gary, Johannes Kepler and some Galileo Ale Tim Slater and John Hamilton Scott Roberts and me
AAS/ASP Annual Meeting and Symposium - Monday-Wednesday, June 2-5
Opening Plenary Session of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific provided an overview of international and national plans for IYA 2009
Phil Plait of BadAstronomy.com gave a presentation on new media: blogging David, Isabel, Nancy and Phil about to present on Cross-Cultural Astronomy Kriss Koenig of Interstellar Studios, producer of 400 Years of the Telescope on PBS in 2009
Weekend Workshops - Saturday & Sunday, May 31-June 1
I participated in several educational workshops including "Discover the Universe with NASA", "In the Footsteps of Galileo - A Workshop for Educators", and "A User's Guide for Plugging into the New Media Community".
Eddie Gonzales and Kay Ferrari (JPL), Kumiko Usuda in Isabel Hawkins' workshop Inge Heyer (JAC), Nancy Ali (WCC) Peter Michaud (Gemini) scopin' it out Doug Arion and prototype Galileo scope
Exploring Saint Louis - Friday, May 30, 2008
Panoramic view of the base of the Gateway Arch from the observation deck nearly 630 feet in elevation. Missouri River is to the top.
Gary in front of a display tram car, same as those used to transport people up the arch A view of Busch Stadium from the top of the Gateway Arch UHH Physics and Astronomy professor John Hamilton
St Louis Science Center. A mockup of the record-breaking Spaceship One that won the X Challenge Stable House of the Budweiser Clydsdale horses - really classy digs. Budweiser dog taking a snooze