Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page i Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page ii THE SCIENTIFIC TRAVELER Duane S. Nickell, Series Editor The Scientific Traveler series celebrates science and technology in America by high- lighting places to visit of interest to educators, vacationers, and enthusiasts alike. Each book gives readers an introduction to the stories behind the sites, museums, and attractions related to topics like astronomy and space exploration, industry and innovation, geology and natural science. Doubling as a guidebook, each pro- vides readers with useful and practical information for planning their own science- themed trips across America. Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page iii Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler VISITING ASTRONOMY AND SPACE EXPLORATION SITES ACROSS AMERICA DUANE S. NICKELL Rutgers University Press New Brunswick, New Jersey, and London Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page iv Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Nickell, Duane S. Guidebook for the scientific traveler : visiting astronomy and space exploration sites across America / Duane S. Nickell. p. cm. — (Scientific traveler) Includes index. ISBN 978–0-8135–4374–1 (pbk : alk. paper) 1. Astronomy—Popular works. 2. Astronomy—Miscellanea. I. Title. QB44.3.N53 2008 520.973—dc22 2008000881 A British Cataloging-in-Publication record for this book is available from the British Library. Copyright © 2008 by Duane S. Nickell All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Please contact Rutgers University Press, 100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854–8099. The only exception to this prohibition is “fair use” as defined by U.S. copyright law. Visit our Web site: http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu Manufactured in the United States of America Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page v This book is dedicated to my parents, Anna June and Carl Duane “Red” Nickell. Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page vi Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page vii CONTENTS Preface ix Acknowledgments xiii 1 Native American Astronomy 1 2 Optical Telescopes 28 3 Radio Telescopes 78 4 Planetaria—Theaters of the Sky 89 5 NASA and Space Exploration 107 6 Space Museums 131 7 Astronomers, Astronauts, and Einstein 159 8 Aliens? 183 9 Space Rocks 194 10 Top Ten Out-of-This-World Experiences 212 A State-by-State List of Sites 231 Index 235 Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page viii Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page ix PREFACE We are privileged to live in a modern world that is profoundly shaped by sci- ence and technology. Our everyday lives depend heavily on conveniences derived from advances in science and the technological applications that follow them. Our information, transportation, communications, and health care systems are deeply rooted in science. Even our democratic system of government has its origins in The Enlightenment when reason and ration- ality, as demonstrated by the science of Galileo and Newton, were applied to government. Most significant, we owe our understanding of how the uni- verse works and of our place in it to the scientific enterprise. Science stands at the pinnacle of human intellectual achievement, and American science is the envy of the world. Our citizens have won far more Nobel Prizes in the sciences than any other country, and the best students from around the world flock to our universities for their scientific training. Yet the vast major- ity of the population has no formal scientific training beyond a few required science courses in high school and college. Relatively few people have careers in science and technology. But, of course, just because your job doesn’t directly involve science doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. Just as music is not just for musicians, science is not just for scientists. Popular interest in science is high and should be encouraged. To experience and appreciate music, people go to concert halls, opera houses, and other music venues. Where are the places everyday people—nonscientists—can go to experience and appreciate science? This is the first in a series of books that answers that question. This book series celebrates science and technology in America by listing, describing, and providing background information on scientific and technological points of interest across the United States, places that conventional travel guides tend to ignore. Some of these sites are obvious and others obscure. In addition to choosing the sites based on their scientific or historical signifi- cance, the central practical criterion for selecting a site is its accessibility to the public. Some sites, especially those on military and government property, may require that visitors reserve a spot for a tour well in advance. A few very notable sites are not publicly accessible, but they can be made accessible with minimal effort. I hope these sites eventually open their doors to the public. ix Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page x x Preface The first book in this series focuses on scientific sites related to astron- omy and space exploration. There are simply too many sites to list, much less describe, so I have been very selective and included only the most sig- nificant sites in each category. I have also made an effort to search out sites that are not well known. I have personally visited about half of the sites, but time and resources have precluded me from visiting all of them. The reader may quibble with the inclusion or exclusion of some sites. In particular, sci- entific purists may object to inclusion of Roswell and Area 51 in a book of purportedly scientific sites. Fear not! The chapter on these sites is written from a highly skeptical point of view. Like it or not (and I assure you I don’t), these sites have captured the public imagination, and many people associ- ate space travel and exploration with UFOs. I hope that my approach to these sites counters the uncritical view that one finds in the mass media, especially television. Besides, many scientific travelers may have an interest in pseudoscientific sites as well. I would strongly encourage readers to contact me if they know of sites that may be worthy of inclusion in possible future editions of this book. I have striven to be factually accurate and correct. I regret any errors that may appear in this book and take full responsibility for them. Information regarding hours and admissions fees was accurate at the time of writing, but, of course, they may have changed since 2008. Please check the individual websites for up-to-date information. I have only included driving instruc- tions for a few of the more isolated locations. Again, most websites have maps and directions as well as information regarding disabled access. Feel free to send any comments, corrections, critiques, and site suggestions directly to me at [email protected]. In addition to listing the sites, the book provides background informa- tion on each location so that these special places may be more deeply appre- ciated. Every effort has been made to present the background information in a way that is comprehensible to the lay person. If the site is a museum, then I describe some of the “must see” exhibits so you know what to look for and won’t miss anything. I recall finding the famous Martian meteorite ALH84001—the one that caused quite a stir a few years ago when NASA sci- entists claimed the rock contained microfossils of Martian bacteria—in the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum. Yet because of its inconspicuous location and signage, people were walking right by. I try to alert you to the little gems hidden in the big museums. Nickell_final 6/26/08 5:35 PM Page xi Preface xi Understanding the scientific and historical significance of a place makes a visit a much more meaningful and enjoyable experience. For example, some may visit the Meteor Crater in Arizona and walk away disappointed, muttering to themselves, “It’s just a big hole in the ground!” Ah, but if you know that big hole was made by a giant rock from outer space slamming into the Earth at nearly 30,000 mph, releasing the energy of 150 atomic bombs, and if you know that a much bigger rock vanquished the dinosaurs millions of years ago and that another giant rock could some day wipe out the humans, well . doesn’t that shine a new light on that big hole? I hope that this book may provide the reader and the traveler with a deeper appreciation for science, scientists, and the beauty of the natural world as revealed by science. Although this book is written for an adult audi- ence, I hope that parents will take their children to some of these places. Who knows, maybe the child’s curiosity will be piqued by the visit, and maybe he or she will consider a scientific career. Our country certainly needs to produce a bigger crop of scientists and engineers; our economy depends on it. My own interest in science was stirred, at least in part, by looking through a telescope at a local university. Finally, I hope the reader has the opportunities to visit a few of the places described in this book. You need no more justification than simply the joy of being there—the pleasure of standing in a place where scientific history was made or seeing a telescope or a spacecraft that changed history.