The Center for Earth & Space Science Education Newsletter - Winter 2012

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Volume 12, Issue 4 Winter 2012 Thank you for your active involvement in the Center for Earth & Space Science Education. In this quarterly newsletter, we will talk about upcoming exhibits and events, new shows, and our extended holiday schedule.    Clear skies!     Dr. Tom Hooten, Director, Center for Earth & Space Science Education Life: A Cosmic Story   How did life on Earth begin? Come join us on a journey through billions of years to the origins of the elements themselves and discover how it all came together to create the world we know today. Narrated by Jodie Foster.    Starting February 1st!  Want to get more out of visiting the planetarium? Become a member!                  Science on the Half Shell   You've seen their shells on the beach. You've eaten them "on the half-shell." But what do you really know about bivalve mollusks?    "Science on the Half Shell" is an exhibit featuring video travelogues, hands-on interactives, and a large array of specimens to examine. Learn how this interesting group of organisms can do just about everything but fly!       Starting   February 1st!      Check out the Your Universe  blog for more frequent updates!   "Maya: Beginning to End" & "Tales of the Maya Skies" Show - Open this holiday season Interested in Mayan culture? So are we! This December, The Center for Earth & Space Science Education is proud to present "Maya: Beginning to End," a new exhibit about the Maya civilization. Come learn about the civilization that fully developed advances such as writing and epigraphy, and even play with their infamous calendar.   With the "Maya: Beginning to End" exhibit, we are also proud to offer our newest planetarium show, "Tales of the Maya Skies." Produced by Chabot Space & Science Center, "Tales of the Maya Skies" immerses you in Mayan astronomy, art, and culture. Through its description of the Maya's accurate astronomical achievements, learn how astronomy connects the Maya (and you) to the Universe.   The exhibit will be open early December, and the show is available now. Both will only be available until January 27th, so come see them while you can! Times for the show are available online, and tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket counter when you arrive.    New Show: "Star of the Magi"      This holiday season the Center for Earth & Space Science Education is happy to present a new Christmas show - "Star of the Magi." Join the three Magi in their journey to find the newborn King.    But who were the Magi? What exactly was the Star they followed? And can the Star be explained by the principles of contemporary astronomy? We'll answer these questions and more.   Starting December 10th and only playing through December 31st. Don't miss out!    Extended Holiday Schedule Looking for some fun? For your convenience, this December, The Center for Earth & Space Science Education is open even longer! Come explore our Maya exhibit and see a public show on our 40-foot dome!     Monday: Closed Tuesday-Friday: Open at 1:30pm, Close at 6pm Saturday: Open at 10:30am, Close at 6pm Sunday: Open at 1:30pm, Close at 6pm     This schedule is for a limited time only, beginning December 10th and continuing through December 31st. Our state-of-the-art domed theater seats up to 85, so bring your family and friends! For more information on specific show times and ticket purchase, visit our website. Have a large group? Book a field trip for a private showing of our exhibit, a classroom experience, and one planetarium show of your choice! For more information on field trips, visit our website. To make your reservation, call 903-510-2312 or use the online form.   Upcoming Events:  Star of the Magi show starts December 10th    Christmas (CESSE closed)  December 25th  Quadrantids Meteor Shower January 3rd    Last day to see "Maya: Beginning to End" exhibit   January 27th  Grand opening of Science on the Half Shell exhibit  February 1st     Life: A Cosmic Story show starts February 1st  Contact Us:                                                            The Center for Earth & Space Science Education 1411 East Lake St.  Tyler, TX 75701                                                                                    903-510-2312

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Texas Parks and Dark Skies

Greetings everyone.

As many of you know, Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) is actively seeking to protect the night sky environment in and around state parks, rapidly becoming the last publicly accessible bastions of dark skies (see article below).  Astronomy groups are playing critical roles by partnering with regional park staff to help them adopt dark sky friendly outdoor lighting and offer night sky programming.  Other groups are helping with limited funding for lighting hardware and are spreading the word about night sky preservation.

Astronomers are uniquely qualified to help TPW evaluate existing and planned lighting installations.  Some light fixtures might simply need adjustments (like re-aiming floodlights), others may require hardware retrofits, replacements, switches, timers, etc.  Attached is a spreadsheet provided by Cindy Luongo Cassidy that can be used for a systematic approach to conducting audits.  Additionally, photographic documentation of existing lights at night is extremely valuable for before and after comparisons.

TPW plans to continue sending staff to McDonald Observatory for training in night sky programs, and we are looking into the possibility of inviting astronomy groups to the observatory to train in working with the parks on both outdoor lighting and public programming.  More on that later.

Key to the success of the TPW initiative is dark sky friendly lighting.  Please keep this in the front of your mind and on the tip of your tongue as we move forward.

Trying to put together a mailing list so if you received this message in error, please let me know.

Best regards,

Bill Wren

Special Bulletin - October Star Party!

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Special Bulletin Fall 2012 Hello Friends,   This is a special newsletter bulletin. Come observe the stars with our astronomers! The Center for Earth & Space Science Education will be hosting another star party this Saturday, October 20th. This event is free to the public and sponsored by the Astronomical Society of East Texas. Starting at 8:00pm, we will be showing East Texas Live Sky in our 40-foot dome (three showings, one every half-hour). If weather permits, we will also have telescopes set up outside of the planetarium for viewing.     What: Star Party!  Where: The Center for Earth & Space Science Education at Tyler Junior College   When: October 20, 2012, 8:00pm  Tickets: Free!   For more information on this event or other events at the Center for Earth & Space Science Education please visit our website at www.tjc.edu/cesse or call 903-510-2313.   Thanks, Tom   Dr. Tom Hooten, Ed.D. Professor, Physics & Engineering Director, Center for Earth & Space Science Education NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Tyler Junior College   Contact Us:                                                            The Center for Earth & Space Science Education 1411 East Lake St.  Tyler, TX 75701                                                                                    903-510-2312

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Special Bulletin - Star Party and New Schedule!

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Special Bulletin Fall 2012 Hello Friends,   This is a special newsletter bulletin. Come observe the stars with astronomers! The Center for Earth & Space Science Education will be hosting a star party this Saturday, September 22nd. This event is free to the public and sponsored by the Astronomical Society of East Texas. Starting at 8:00pm, we will be showing East Texas Live Sky in our 40-foot dome and, if weather permits, setting up telescopes outside of the planetarium for viewing.     What: Star Party!  Where: The Center for Earth & Space Science Education at Tyler Junior College   When: September 22, 2012, 8:00pm  Tickets: Free!   In addition, I'd also like to take this opportunity to inform you that our public show schedule will be changing slightly. Starting this week (Monday, September 17th), our hours will change to the following:   Monday-Wednesday: Closed Thursday-Friday: Open at 1:30pm, Close at 5:00pm Saturday: Open at 10:30am, Close at 5:00pm  Sunday: Open at 12:00pm, Close at 5:00pm   For more information on this event, other events at the Center for Earth & Space Science Education, or our schedule, please visit our website at www.tjc.edu/cesse or call 903-510-2313.   Thanks, Tom   Dr. Tom Hooten, Ed.D. Professor, Physics & Engineering Director, Center for Earth & Space Science Education NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Tyler Junior College   Contact Us:                                                            The Center for Earth & Space Science Education 1411 East Lake St.  Tyler, TX 75701                                                                                    903-510-2312

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The Center for Earth & Space Science Education Newsletter - Fall 2012

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Volume 12, Issue 3 Fall 2012 Thank you for your active involvement in the Center for Earth & Space Science Education. In this quarterly newsletter, we will talk about upcoming exhibits and events, new shows, and the fall schedule. We also have a "Meet the Staff" section, and a coupon for our gift cart.    Clear skies!     Dr. Tom Hooten, Director, Center for Earth & Space Science Education End of the World Party   Come celebrate the end of the Mayan calendar. There will be a show, special events, the "Maya: Beginning to End" exhibit, and much more! Keep an eye on our website for upcoming details.     December 12th   Want to get more out of visiting the planetarium? Become a member!                  Star of the Magi    This holiday season the Center for Earth & Space Science Education is happy to present a new Christmas show - "Star of the Magi." What was the Star? Who were the Magi? And can the Star be explained by the principles of contemporary astronomy? We'll answer these questions and more.      Starting   November 27th!      Check out the Your Universe  blog for more frequent updates!   "Suited for Space" Exhibit & "Astronaut" Show - Now Open "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," said Neil Armstrong, taking mankind's first step on the moon. The July 1969 mission, Apollo 11, may have been his last mission - but it was by far the most remarkable.   Now available at the Center for Earth & Space Science Education:  "Suited for Space," a national traveling exhibition created by the Smithsonian. Come see the spacesuits of NASA, from life-size pictures of suits from the first stages of production, all the way to the Apollo 11 spacesuits - including a replica of the same suit as worn by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. See a day in the life of an astronaut and just what it takes to live out in space.    With the "Suited for Space" exhibit, we are also proud to present our newest planetarium show, "Astronaut." Narrated by Ewan McGregor. Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut and explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space. From floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body, it's a blast!      The exhibit and show will only be available from August 25th-November 18th, so come see it while you can! Times for the show are available online, and tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket counter when you arrive.      "Maya: Beginning to End"      Interested in Mayan culture? So are we! The Center for Earth & Space Science Education is proud to offer "Maya: Beginning to End," an exhibit about the Maya civilization. Come learn about the civilization that fully developed advances such as writing, epigraphy, and their infamous calendar. "Maya: Beginning to End" will only be here from November 27th-January 27th. Don't miss out!     Fall Schedule Looking for some fun? Come explore our exhibit and see a public show on our 40-foot dome at the Center for Earth and Space Science Education!     Monday: Closed Tuesday-Friday: Open at 1:30pm, Close at 5pm Saturday, Sunday: Open at 12:00pm, Close at 5pm    This schedule began on August 25th and will continue through November 18th. For more information on specific show times and ticket purchase, visit our website. Have a large group? Book a field trip for a private showing of our exhibit, a classroom experience, and one planetarium show of your choice! For more information on field trips, visit our website. To make your reservation, call 903-510-2312 or use the online form.     Upcoming Events:  Autumnal Equinox  September 22nd  Total eclipse of the sun  November 13th  Last day to see Suited for Space exhibit  November 18th  Thanksgiving (CESSE closed)  November 22nd  Grand opening of "Maya: Beginning to End" exhibit  November 27th  End of the World Party  December 12th  Christmas (CESSE closed)  December 25th  Quadrantids Meteor Shower January 3rd    Last day to see "Maya: Beginning to End" exhibit   January 27th  Grand opening of Science on a Half-Shell exhibit  February 1st     Meet the Staff Misty Thompson, Scheduling Coordinator, Center for Earth & Space Science Education Misty has been a part of the Center for Earth & Space Science Education team since 2005. As the Scheduling Coordinator, she schedules new exhibits, shows, and field trips, helps run the day-to-day operations of the Center, and keeps our staff sane. In her spare time, Misty likes to read, watch movies, and go bowling.    Contact Us:                                                            The Center for Earth & Space Science Education 1411 East Lake St.  Tyler, TX 75701                                                                                    903-510-2312 10% OFF total gift cart purchase Present this coupon to the gift cart cashier when making your purchase to take 10% off of your total purchase. Limit one coupon per customer per transaction.     Center for Earth and Space Science Education | 1411 E. Lake St. | Tyler, Texas 75701 | 903-510-2312   Offer Expires: October 8, 2012

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