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1 THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2012

LOWELL EXPANDING OUR UNIVERSE OBSERVER The quarterly newsletter of Lowell Issue 93 Winter 2012 Eyes on the Mountain by Tom Vitron

In November, Dr. Deidre Hunter and predoctoral fellow Hongxin Zhang spent four nights observing dwarf irregular for the LITTLE THINGS* survey with the 4-meter Mayall at Kitt Peak National Observatory, southwest of Tucson. They graciously invited me to join them for a night of this Dwarf d50; observed by Dr. Deidre Hunter and Hongxin Zhang “observing run” and I pounced on the Image Credit: Lowell intern Lauren Hill opportunity with little hesitation. For Mayall’s dome stands out above the look out the Mayall dome’s vents, a them, data collected with the Mayall rest of Kitt Peak. Once upstairs in retrofit planned and implemented by will add to the wealth of insights being the control room, it was a sight to Lowell’s Dr. Phil Massey when he was gleaned about these special galaxies. behold: various tall structures of Kitt Peak’s 4-meter telescope scientist; For me, it represents the continuation different shapes and sizes jut out from the vents have improved temperature of a charmed life for a lucky the plateau, and that’s just the array control, allowing for sharper imaging. geek. of coffee-making gear found in the As sunset nears, all the (save In the span of a year (1985-86), the control room’s kitchen area. Once the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope) came suburban astronomical naivete of my calibration concluded, Dr. Hunter to life. It’s an orchestral deployment of early youth dissipated as I saw Saturn toured me around the telescope like world-class instruments, each surveying through the 24” Clark Refractor and a proud parent or a pilot showing off different objects in various parts of the caught a glimpse of Halley’s Comet her gleaming machine. The Mayall is at l’Observatoire de Paris, Meudon. a special telescope and one that the continued on page 4 Getting to spend a night in the control Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) room of the Mayall at Kitt Peak ranks project team looked at as a reference. IN THIS ISSUE alongside these previous experiences Since it saw first light in 1973, the and was a privilege I did not take for Mayall has been a cutting-edge 4-meter 1 Eyes on the Mountain granted. telescope, as the DCT will be when 2 Director’s Letter As I neared “the mountain with it becomes operational this year. (The 3 Moon Mapping at Lowell eyes” in the early afternoon, the 4-meter Blanco telescope at the Cerro calmest sense of giddiness swept over Tololo Inter-American Observatory in 5 DCT Agreements me. After finding the dormitory and Chile is a twin of the Mayall.) 6 Profile Stories quietly settling in as others concluded After a quick dinner in the their slumber, the three of us headed main cafeteria, we headed back to 7 TIME World’s 100 Most Important Places to the telescope for calibration around get positioned before the sun set. 4 p.m. Perched 18 stories high, the Dr. Hunter and I took one more 2 THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2012

anonymous, but that’s not appropriations – but that’s to all. The historian Will the case. As I work through only part of the reason for Durant, in the opening the stacks of renewal Lowell’s efforts in creating pages of his 11-volume thank-you letters, I’m connections to the private magnum opus, put this always struck by how many sector. concept as beautifully as I’ve of the names I recognize, Federal appropriations ever seen it: Education, he even if I’ve never met you. and distribution via peer wrote, may be defined as the Gifts both large and small review will remain a useful technique of transmitting come with names I know and necessary method of civilization. Forging direct I’ve seen before: Oh yes, enabling large programs and conduits between our Director’s there are those names handling the management research and all of you who Update from Texas, and here’s of many individual enable it is not merely a this family from Illinois. investigator projects, but means to supporting our by Jeffrey Hall I take the letters back to the several steps between mission, but an integral part Jonathan Wilkendorf in your tax dollar and a grant of that mission. the development office disbursement’s arriving in Therefore, in 2012, we’ll for mailing, feeling quite one of our astronomers’ continue our daily programs, L ast month, I finished up grateful for all of you project accounts creates tours, and telescope viewing my day by signing an especially who help us carry out our a barrier – not solid, but for tens of thousands of large stack of thank-you letters mission. definitely a bit opaque – visitors and K-12 students. to our Friends who had renewed I can’t overstate the between the enablers and You’ll see a growing effort their Lowell membership, and importance of our Friends’ the practitioners of science. targeted at youth, from as the end of 2011 approached, involvement and engagement saw the value online videos for very small a steady stream of these letters in enabling basic science. of scientific inquiry as a kids to summer camps for continued to arrive on my Our scientific staff does partnership with the public, grade schoolers and unique desk. Thanks to the continued very well in winning NASA as we at his observatory learning opportunities efforts of Rusty Tweed and the and National Science do today. Astronomers, to for high school students. outreach staff who make such a Foundation grants for their put it succinctly, educate If you visit Lowell, you fine impression on our visitors, research, but the funding themselves about the might run into one of our our ranks of Friends continue prognosis heading into cosmos and if their pursuit astronomers answering to grow, now at 2,300 and 2012 and beyond is grim is to thrive among the next questions at our evening climbing. and competition for each generation of scientists, it is programs. And in June, our You might imagine that federal dollar gets ever imperative to communicate relationship with Discovery in such a large support group stiffer. Your donations help that education transparently Communications will reach any one person might be fairly buffer us against fluctuating full speed with the airing of the first prime-time feature While many of us on the Discovery Channel were braving the Telescope. Flagstaff cold to In 1994, our then- see this event new Steele Visitor Center Lowell board vastly increased our ability member Michael to transmit the wonder and significance of what Beckage took we do. In 2012, we, our these gorgeous institutional partners, and images of the lunar Discovery will extend this from Maui reach still further. We on 12/10/11. He are perfectly positioned used a Canon to transmit our part of 20D attached to civilization, and we could a 95mm Vixen not (and should not) do it telescope. without you. THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2012 3

was not available for a regular and today is known as the Hendricks Mapping the Moon observing program, contacted Lowell Building and serves as the headquarters for by Kevin Schindler & William Sheehan Observatory on the advice of USNO the Discovery Channel Telescope. director (and future Lowell director) ACIC’s expansion also resulted in the Art Hoag. Lowell director John Hall need for another telescope for making lunar hen John F. Kennedy gave W offered Cannell the use of the Clark observations. In 1963 Observatory director his stirring and now legendary “We 24-inch refractor and soon Cannell John Hall and trustee Choose to go to the Moon” speech and assistants made monthly observing arranged to purchase a 20-inch Tinsley on September 12, 1962, he galvanized trips to Lowell. Due to this early refractor from Texas oilman Benjamin Americans to combine their collective success, the ACIC contracted with Morgan. After the telescope was moved to talents, ambitions, and skills toward Lowell for a long-range observing Flagstaff it was dedicated on April 15, 1964 the common goal of landing people project and on September 1, 1961 and used by ACIC observers until the end on the moon. Over the ensuing years established an office at Lowell in the of the program. an estimated 400,000 individuals old machine shop just south of the The ACIC office operated at Lowell worked on the diverse efforts required wooden garage. from 1961 through 1969. During this time, to meet this challenge. In Flagstaff Cannell ran the office and was staff produced drawings for more than 60 alone, scientists, engineers, and joined by observer James Greenacre and lunar charts. Also, thanks to the efforts of others built and tested equipment, Patricia Bridges, a scientific illustrator cartographer Jay Inge, ACIC developed a trained astronauts, and developed and cartographer. Greenacre made 16-inch lunar globe. A highlight for many communications procedures. At Lowell, telescopic observations and then shared of Lowell’s ACIC staff was the 1963 visit scientists and artists combined forces on these with Bridges, who reviewed by the second group of NASA astronauts, another relevant project: mapping the them along with photographs of the the “Next Nine,” which included America’s moon. moon. Using pens and an airbrush, first space walker Ed White and future In 1959 the U.S. Air Force’s she then rendered drawings that moonwalkers Neil Armstrong, Pete Conrad, Aeronautical Chart and Information accurately depicted lunar features. and John Young. Center (ACIC) began mapping the Bridges’ drawings became the basis for Today the moon based on lunar photographs. topographic maps and were reviewed by Observatory still Scientists would ultimately use these lunar experts such as Kuiper and Ewen possesses many of maps to pinpoint landing sites for the Whitaker at the Lunar and Planetary the ACIC’s maps, Apollo program. Astronomer Gerard Laboratory in Tucson. drawings, and Kuiper, then at Yerkes Observatory, NASA approved of the maps and other documents. realized that the photos did not reveal soon increased the lunar area to be With the help of adequate detail but that telescopic covered. The number of ACIC staff librarian Lauren observations would. He suggested grew, reaching a maximum of 18 by Amundson, her doing this in the southwest and in 1966. This larger staff required more legion of volunteers October 1960 ACIC cartographer office space and additions were made to (including Winston William Cannell traveled to Flagstaff the ACIC building, ultimately resulting Fredrickson, pictured), and a proper storage to experiment with the U.S. Naval in a new wing added in late 1964. facility, they will remain an important Observatory’s 40-inch telescope. While the original ACIC office is gone, record of Lowell’s contributions to fulfilling Cannell was encouraged by the the newer wing has been refurbished Kennedy’s quest. results and, learning that the 40-inch During the astronauts’ January 1963 visit to , Lowell staff briefed them on the Observatory’s efforts to map the moon and . Here, Neil Armstrong (standing at far left) and Tom Stafford (sitting at far right) look on as Lowell astronomer E.C. Slipher points out features on a Mars map.

Courtesy NASA/JSC Digital Image Collection. 4 THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2012

Eyes on the Mountain the night: oatmeal for me, sandwiches continued from page 1 for Zhang and the operator, and soup Flagstaff Festival for Dr. Hunter. After midnight, Dr. of Science night sky. Also, the view across Hunter declared that it appeared the southern and into Mexico script was working perfectly, which In September, Lowell hosted 10 is breathtaking at dusk. “That’s one she did not say lightly after Zhang’s Flagstaff Festival of Science talks, of the great things about being an unsuccessful observing runs earlier such as Dr. Kim Herrmann’s astronomer: you get to be in beautiful in the 2011. First, a run with the “Wonders Beyond Our Solar places at sunset and sunrise,” explains Mayall was cancelled when cracks were System.” Topics of other talks held at Dr. Hunter. found (and subsequently repaired) in Lowell (and given by local scientists) As Zhang got started, he gauged the dome; this lead to a “generous included giant sloths, Joshua trees, the “seeing,” or measured image allotment” of time when Zhang turtles, volcanoes, Mexican wolves, sharpness, in the field surrounding reapplied, said Dr. Hunter. Then, climate change, and the Mayan the first galaxy he wanted to observe she went to Chile to use the Blanco calendar. Especially interesting to and crafted a tentative script, or game but no observing was possible on any locals were presentations about plan, for the rest of the evening. A of the four nights. Finally, a remote northern Arizona’s 2010 tornado band of clouds loomed large, with observing run from Tucson to utilize outbreak and the Schultz Fire, which the telescope operator and Zhang the Blanco, as well as this run, proved has caused continued flooding estimating that it would pass by successful, though the data from these events on the eastern edge of around midnight. (The 4-meter runs was not included in the special Flagstaff. Each of these presentations operator is the “head of the hill” session regarding LITTLE THINGS attracted approximately 400 for the night, bearing responsibility held in Austin, TX at the 219th attendees. Thanks to outreach for shutting down operations if the meeting of the American Astronomical manager Kevin Schindler for his weather gets bad.) With this added Society in January. efforts organizing the Festival and impetus, Zhang gave the operator As the weary hours of the night these events. coordinates and so the observing came and went without further began, using the FLAMINGOS* glitches, a silent sense of success instrument. The Mayall makes imbued the room. As the glow of unseen, somewhat ominous noises as dawn approached, Zhang completed it is slewed into position. It took about his script and began copying the data. 20 minutes to execute each automated All this time, Dr. Hunter exhibited her observing script, leaving time to trademark mentoring skills, both with On October 16, Lowell keep a close eye on the weather. Zhang and with a German researcher hosted a reception as part Each surrounded by no less than who wanted to sit in on the evening’s of ScienceWriters 2011, the five screens. Zhang and Dr. Hunter observation in preparation for her annual gathering of national monitored a multitude of data streams first observing run with the Mayall. and international science in real time. Even so, the cloud band From a novice’s point of view, the writers, which took place at arrived at 7:30 p.m., having gained grandeur and privilege of observing Northern Arizona University’s speed over the Sea of Cortez. The with the Mayall was sealed with a High Country Conference disruption was temporary but affected classic orange-pink sunrise that did Center. About 300 guests the quality of at least one set of not fully explode with color until my enjoyed appetizers from Main images. The issue of ongoing concern overstimulated mind was futilely trying Street Catering, talks from Dr. was focus, as it required keeping an to fall asleep in the dormitory. Lisa Prato and DCT project eye on the truss temperature, the best manager Bill DeGroff, and a gauge of the telescope’s temperature. *LITTLE THINGS: Local Irregulars That chance to see through The temperature proved fickle Trace Luminosity Extremes and The HI the Clark Telescope. So far, so finding the proper focus was a (Neutral Hydrogen) Nearby Galaxy Survey several articles about Lowell constant task. have appeared in national After a quick visit to the ice-cold *FLAMINGOS: Florida Multi-object media as a direct result of the restroom and a walk around the Imaging Near-IR Grism Observational reception. A great time for all! dome’s indoor panoramic walkway Spectrometer, a wide-field infrared imager for a complete view of the night sky, and spectrometer in use since 2001 and it was time for “night lunch,” or the built by the University of Florida, in meal astronomers eat in the middle of cooperation with NOAO. THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2012 5

to David and are very important to me,” Honoring a explains Stacy. “This program feels very VIDEO UPDATES in-line and consistent with those ideals.” Since August, we’ve been sending Legacy While the rollout of Uncle Percy is video e-mail updates to our by Tom Vitron coming soon, the bonds and feelings that Friends, keeping you abreast of tie the Lerner family to Lowell continue to observatory news and research grow stronger. “It means so much for me updates in an engaging and to honor David’s life and values in such appealing fashion. We hope you a small way through the great work of are enjoying these videos. If you Lowell,” says Stacy. “My connection will are not receiving the updates, always be strong and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to support please subscribe by sending an Lowell.” e-mail to constantcontact@lowell. edu with “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.

Hailing from the Midwest, David and Stacy Lerner (pictured above) discovered Lowell Observatory while visiting northern Arizona for pleasure. An organization development consultant and executive coach, David became a friend of Lowell; in 2008, he became a member of the advisory board on which he served until his passing in April 2010 of metastatic prostate cancer at the age of 45. “David always enjoyed his connection to Lowell and felt very much a part of that community,” recounts Stacy. “Before he passed away, he and I discussed the importance of me staying connected to Lowell and his desire that I continue to support programming and the mission of the Observatory.” DCT AGREEMENTS Though she had not been as involved with Lowell as David, Stacy did attend the As testing and commissioning of the Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) June 2008 advisory board meeting and continues, Lowell Observatory recently announced the first two partnership felt a strong tie to the place. As a physical agreements for use and instrumentation of the telescope. First, University therapist for nearly 19 years, Stacy specializes (BU) signed a long-term agreement to become a partner for the DCT. The in working with infants and children with agreement in perpetuity grants BU astronomers use of the world-class, four- developmental and neurological impairments. meter telescope for 40 or more nights each year. BU will pay $10 million “Given my strong science background in divided into one-year installments during the next decade, most of which will go medicine, I felt connected to the work of toward the University’s perpetual-use share of the DCT. Thereafter, BU will pay Lowell and especially appreciated their roughly $500,000 per year for ongoing operating costs for its share of both the desire to educate children about science and DCT and Lowell’s telescopes on Anderson Mesa. BU is second only to Discovery astronomy,” says Stacy. Recently, she spoke with development manager Rusty Tweed Communications and Discovery founder John Hendricks in its contribution to about supporting Uncle Percy’s Adventures the DCT project, and the only Lowell partner to have opted for a long-term use in Space and doing so in memory of David. investment in the facility. In 1998, the Observatory and BU formed a partnership “Since his death, I have been trying to find to share in the use and operational costs of the Perkins Telescope, along with impactful ways to honor his memory and State University. In addition, the University of Maryland (UMD) signed a felt this programming would greatly benefit five-year agreement for use of the DCT, including development of an instrument many children throughout the U.S. and for the telescope. UMD will pay $450,000 per year for five years. Talks with provide all children equal access to this type other potential partners continue. (Photo credit: Len Bright) of education, all things that were important 6 THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2012

for a strong professional Stewart “cherishes” mutually are keen to upgrade the Captain relationship. Bill’s daughter beneficial relationships NOI,” says Capt. Stewart. Erica and Capt. Stewart’s such as this one that “The bottom line: we need to Stewart sister were best friends in allow the government to find the money to make this by Tom Vitron high school in Longmeadow, work with academic and go forward.” The addition MA. Capt. Stewart, research institutions. NOI of interferometry expert a space cadre officer, is a specialized astronomical Dr. to oceanographer, and the telescope capable of the Lowell staff “excites the Commanding Officer of the producing extremely detailed Navy,” says Capt. Stewart. Naval Research Laboratory stellar images. Instead of a “He has the vision on where since 2008, is now an single telescope, an array of the NOI can go.” advisory board member and telescopes spanning one- As an advisory board technical advisor to Lowell. third of a mile collects and member, Capt. Stewart’s Though he knew about the precisely directs beams of concerns for Lowell go Observatory when he was light from a star to a complex beyond just the NOI. He younger, Capt. Stewart’s first set of beam-combining optics, feels the Observatory’s exposure to the ongoing creating a high-resolution strong leadership bodes well relationship between the image equivalent to the as the DCT era begins in Navy and Lowell came when combined spread of the earnest. “There is very real

he joined the Office of Naval telescope array. interest in the DCT,” says Research in 2005. The array’s recent Capt. Stewart. “It will open You don’t need to be an renaming – from the up even more partnership Located on Anderson astronomer with an array of Navy Prototype Optical avenues for Lowell.” Mesa, about 12 miles telescopes to know that we live Interferometer (NPOI) to the southeast of Flagstaff, the on a relatively small . NOI – marks the beginning Navy Optical Interferometer When Navy of the next chapter in the (NOI) is the result of a Captain Paul Stewart encountered instrument’s history. As collaborative effort between Follow us on Lowell trustee Bill Putnam at a plans for expanding the the U.S. Naval Observatory space-related gathering a half- telescope array are being Twitter: (USNO), the Naval decade ago, what seemed to be a pursued, the potential future Research Laboratory, and serendipitous run-in soon turned of the Lowell-managed NOI @PercivalLowell Lowell Observatory. Capt. out to be the starting point is coming into focus. “We

Volunteer of the Year: There, Rich maintained daughter and her family in Chemistry is at the the CAS Registry, the most Prescott. “This move also Richard heart of Lowell, be it comprehensive collection of fulfilled our desire to live in Comnick chemical reactions inside disclosed chemical substance a western state,” says Rich, celestial objects or finding information in the world, who loves hiking, skiing, by Tom Vitron the right mix of employees according to him. “[The CAS travel, and photography. and volunteers. Volunteer of Registry] contains more than Intent on pursuing volunteer the Year Richard Comnick is 60 million unique organic work once settled, Rich no exception. After growing and inorganic substances, happened to meet advisory up in the small farming and more than 62 million board member Sue Durling community of Lakefield, sequences,” explains Rich. “I while hiking up O’Leary MN, Rich translated his mainly worked in the organic Peak, northeast of Flagstaff. interest in the composition synthesis and natural Sue encouraged him to of chemical substances product sections, being volunteer alongside her at the into chemistry degrees, responsible for the content Observatory’s library. Soon, culminating with a PhD in of abstracts, concept indexes Rich was using his skills to organic chemistry from the and registry indexes.” Rich scan and index the historical University of Nebraska. He retired in 2006 after 36 years logbooks, starting with the then worked as a Chemical at the company. Information Analyst for Shortly after, he and Continued on page 7 Chemical Abstracts Service his wife, Claire, moved to (CAS) in Columbus, Ohio. Flagstaff to be near their only THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2012 7

Continued from page 6 1894 books. “Many of Percival Lowell’s logbooks, containing both his observation notes and drawings, were about 100 years old, and the pages were yellowed and brittle,” recounts TIME Rich. “It was difficult to interpret his handwritten notes, The World’s 100 especially those describing the regions and markings on Most Important Places Mars referred to as canals by Lowell and others.” Putting in An Illustrated Journey many long hours, Rich recently completed indexing Percival’s observations of Jupiter’s satellites, which were recorded only two days before Percival’s death. “It was meaningful to me to index his final notations,” says Rich, who also worked on the logbooks of A.E. Douglass, William H. Pickering, and . Rich finds volunteering at Lowell rewarding, both in educating him about historical astronomy as well as working with great people, like librarian/archivist Lauren Amundson and development officer (and former librarian) Antoinette Beiser. Though Rich took home the prize - and deservedly so - we’d like to thank all our volunteers for their hard work and dedication to Lowell in 2011. We couldn’t do it all without you!

Employee

of the TIME World’s 100 Year Most Important Places TIME recently named Lowell Observatory one of the world’s 100 most important places in a special Congratulations to Robin Melena on being collector’s edition. The Observatory is listed in named the 2011 Employee of the Year! Robin the “Places of Inquiry” section, alongside such took on the challenging role of deputy director iconic places as the Galapagos Islands, the Royal for operations during a very busy time. She Observatory, and McMurdo Station, to name a few. is now looking forward to returning to her We are humbled and thankful for the recognition! accounting duties as newly hired deputy director Kay McConagha takes the operations reins.

ARRIVALS School’s Out & Kids are Free Monday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m. - 5p.m. Diana Weintraub, Retail Specialist Lisa Foley, NOI Observer Enjoy family-friendly activities thoughout the day, Kay McConagha, Deputy Director for including science demonstrations, telescope viewing Operations of the sun, tours of the campus and multimedia presentations. Kids can also complete a scavenger hunt for prizes. Sponsored by the Arizona Lottery. DEPARTURES If your business would like to sponsor an event at Peggy Landau, Retail Specialist Lowell, please call 928-233-3267 or e-mail tweedr@ lowell.edu Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Flagstaff, AZ Permit No. 170 Winter2012

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Issue 93

Sunday Noon - 5:00 p.m. Noon - 9:30 p.m. EXPANDING OUR UNIVERSE EXPANDING Weds. 2/1 & 3/7 Weds. Eco-friendly printing by printing Eco-friendly

This year we celebrate Arizona’s This year we celebrate Arizona’s This year we celebrate Arizona’s centennial This year we celebrate Arizona’s – – 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.: page SCAN TO SCAN TO GO TO our Facebook & Spring Break ELL M/W/F/Sat 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. T/TH/Sun 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. T/TH/Sun Centennial Series at Lowell Observatory Centennial Series at Lowell Observatory Regular Public Hours: Regular School’s Out & Kids are Free School’s Out & Kids are Free Regular Public Hours: Public Regular M/W/F/Sat Centennial Series at Lowell Observatory For comments about the newsletter, contact comments about the newsletter, For 2/19 The Lowell Observer is published quarterly by The Lowell 2012 PUBLIC PROGRAM PROGRAM 2012 PUBLIC

WINTER SPECIAL EVENTS WINTER SPECIAL 928.774.3358 • www.lowell.edu • Find us on Facebook us on Facebook Find • 928.774.3358 • www.lowell.edu Lowell Observatory, 1400 W. Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, 1400 W. Observatory, Lowell fsc logo Contents Copyright 2011 by Lowell Observatory ISSN 1054-0059 Contents Copyright 2011 by Lowell

Chuck Wendt, Deputy Director for Advancement [email protected] Chuck Wendt, Tonight we celebrate our founder Percival Lowell, born in March Lowell, we celebrate our founder Percival Tonight

Tonight we celebrate the discovery of on this date in 1930. Tonight Sunday

The quarterly newsletter of Lowell Observatory The quarterly

OBSERVER LOW 1855. At 7 p.m. Lowell outreach manager Kevin Schindler will present, outreach manager Kevin 1855. At 7 p.m. Lowell Hear about our Lowell”. Cultured Man of Science: The Life of Percival “A a brilliant, passionate, controversial astronomer and Observatory’s founder, popularizer of science. (regular hours of operation) the unique contributions centennial with a series of programs highlighting made to the scientific heritage of the state. Observatory has Lowell WED 21 multimedia presentations. Kids complete scavenger hunts for prizes. multimedia presentations. Kids complete scavenger Sponsored by the Arizona Lottery. MARCH MON 20 including science throughout the day, activities Enjoy family-friendly tours of the facilities and demonstrations, telescope viewing of the sun, At 7 p.m. Lowell outreach manager Kevin Schindler will present, “The Search outreach manager Kevin At 7 p.m. Lowell struggles that led to the for Planet X”. Hear about the scientific and personal successful search for this tiny world. (regular hours of operation) contributions Lowell with a series of programs highlighting the unique of the state. Observatory has made to the scientific heritage 18 SAT FEBRUARY Upcoming Flagstaff Nights: Upcoming Flagstaff Upcoming Star Fests: Winter