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1 THE THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2013 LOWELL EXPANDING OUR UNIVERSE OBSERVER The quarterly newsletter of Lowell Issue 96 Winter 2013

This infrared image was taken at 1.6 Pointing microns with the Keck 2 on Mauna Kea. The star is seen the Way for here behind a partly transparent coronagraph mask to help bring out faint companions. The mask attenuates the light from the primary by roughly a factor of 1000. The Search young brown-dwarf companion by Tom Vitron in this image has a mass of about 32 masses. The physical separation here is about 120 AU. Though the search for , Also, the primary star was identified or around other stars, is as a young star for the first time by Dr. Shkolnik. Image Credit: showing researchers that planets are B. Bowler/IFA abundant in our , it helps a great For more information about this deal to have directions when searching research, visit our blog at for as-of-yet undiscovered exoplanets. www.lowell.edu/news/ Lowell astronomer Evgenya Shkolnik and her collaborators have collaborators were able to carefully most planets probably reside in these written such a set of directions, if you examine the age of each star. Since environments,” says Mr. Bowler. “Finding will. low-mass stars are small and dim, young versions of these stars to search for In their paper, recently published they are good candidates for directly planets is fundamental to understanding in The Astrophysical Journal, the imaging planets around them. And the galactic census of exoplanets.” researchers examined new and young stars make it even easier since “These young stars help point the way. existing data from stars and brown the young is still hot and bright. And if the Jupiter-mass planets are there, dwarfs (often called “failed stars”) Plus, knowing the planetary system’s we will find them,” notes Dr. Shkolnik. that are less than 300 million years age allows for the characterization In this search, planet hunters are happy old, as determined from strong X-ray of the planet itself beyond the initial to have directions but they know the emission readings. In all, the authors detection. landscape of our understanding is subject identified 144 young targets for The authors sifted through to change. exoplanet searches, with 20 very strong data of about 8,700 stars within candidates, according to Dr. Shkolnik. 100 light years of the Sun to find IN THIS ISSUE This candidate list is being searched for these candidates. The spectra planets with Gemini’s NICI Planet- were collected using two Hawaiian 1 Exoplanet Search Finding Campaign and the Planets Mauna Kea (Keck and the 2 Director’s Update Around Low-Mass Stars survey, led by Canada-France-Hawaii telescopes), 3 Cool Stars 18 astronomer Michael Liu and graduate and distances to the stars were 3 LMI Sees First Light student Brendan Bowler, respectively, measured by Guillem Anglada-Escude 4 End-of-Year Appeal both at the Institute for , (Universität Göttingen) using the du 5 Archiving the Baum Collection University of Hawai‘i. Pont Telescope in Chile, operated by 6 Chandler Solar System Walk By looking for markers in the Carnegie Institution for Science. 7 In Memoriam spectroscopic data and measuring the “Since low-mass stars are the most motions of the stars, Shkolnik and her common type of star in our galaxy, 8 Upcoming Events 2 THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2013

our colleagues from doors of the Steele Visitor but one would hardly and the Center this year — a very expect otherwise for a place University of Maryland. strong showing in a time undergoing our kind of We celebrated first light of cautious discretionary growth. On behalf of all with a gala masterminded spending. Thanks to Tom of us, I’d like to extend an by Chuck Wendt, and for Vitron, the publication end-of-year thank-you to our very good reason, people you’re holding is looking Friends, Advisory Board, are still raving about better than ever. Our foray benefactors, and all those in Director’s it. It was a magnificent into summer camps for the community and beyond Update evening. We could not kids set a gold standard who have supported our have known at the time for that kind of program mission. Best wishes to all by Jeffrey Hall that the riveting speech in Flagstaff. Antoinette of you over the holidays given by Neil Armstrong Beiser is spearheading the and in the new year, and we Well, just like that we’ve would be his last public fundraising for the new look forward to keeping you arrived at the end of 2012. The appearance, but we now feel Collections Center and is up to date on all the good deputy directors and I have especially honored by Mr. well past $2 million in cash things in store for 2013. spent the past several weeks Armstrong’s participation, and pledges. The Science looking ahead to the 2013 and I hope that giving him Endowment Fund — which budget and operations plan — a chance to look through I view as a vital part of our as well as farther downstream the DCT the day after the future research support, to prepare for the operational Gala was as fun for him as ultimately intended to challenges the newly-completed it was for us. lessen somewhat the soft Discovery Channel Telescope In the face of increasing money exposure and (DCT) will present, but it’s also pressure on federal support burden on the scientific a good time to look back and of research, our astronomers staff — now has $8 million see how we’ve done over the have maintained a steady in pledged testamentary past 12 months. Thanks to our stream of grants and have gifts, a sum for which I am excellent and dedicated staff, we won new ones, as well as very grateful. have much to be proud of. winning selection of Lowell Underpinning all this First on the list is of course and Flagstaff to host a major activity is a campus that first light for the Discovery and prestigious conference works well. Cash flow Channel Telescope. Bill on stellar astronomy has continued to proceed DeGroff and the engineering in June 2014. A large steadily and efficiently DCT TOURS TO crew, Ted Dunham and the grant won by Northern thanks to Kay McConagha BEGIN instrument group, and Stephen Arizona University (NAU) and her staff, and Dave Levine went full bore to meet astronomer David Trilling Shuck and Jim Gorney Monthly public visits to the mid-year first light deadline, will provide access to have kept the campus the Discovery Channel and they got there with NAU at our currently looking nice — as does Telescope (DCT) will flying colors. Subsequently, dormant 24” telescope our Trustee Bill Putnam, begin in January. the instrument group has at Anderson Mesa, whose stone walls provide Features include a van completed the National Science increasing the interaction a dose of Yankee charm ride to the site, a box Foundation-funded Large and collaboration between here in the high desert, lunch, an hour tour Monolithic Imager (LMI), and Lowell and our local and whose new memorial of the facility with an the DCT commissioning team university. We’ve also grove overlooking Flagstaff expert educator, and a (along with LMI Principal hosted some excellent is a lovely place to unwind. souvenir photo of you Investigator Phil Massey) has conferences, tirelessly And Bill’s dog Lena next to the DCT. For already obtained spectacular coordinated by remains as faithful as ever more information about images from the new camera. Deidre Hunter. in guarding the cars in the reservations, contact We are also very pleased to Kevin Schindler and parking lot. Leslie Wells at welcome the University of our outreach team have Not bad for one year, [email protected] or Toledo as a formal, long-term welcomed more than I’d say. It wasn’t without (928) 233-3278. partner in the DCT, joining 80,000 people through the its bumps and stresses, THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2013 3

Cool Stars 18 Dr. Jeffrey Hall. “From modest Athens, GA; Barcelona, Spain; Boulder, beginnings, Cool Stars has grown to CO (2 times); Cambridge, MA (4 by Tom Vitron become one of the more substantial times); Florence, Italy; Hamburg, astronomical conferences, with Germany; Pasadena, CA; Santa Fe, NM; Artist’s impression international renown that attracts the Seattle, WA (2 times); St. Andrews, of a young low-mass star, world’s top researchers in the field. Scotland; Tenerife, Spain; and Tucson, AZ. that is undergoing We’re delighted to have them here for Cool Stars 17 (CS17) was held this contraction and a week sharing all the latest discoveries year in Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Mercedes accretion as it evolves towards and enjoying everything Flagstaff and López-Morales, the chairwoman of becoming a northern Arizona have to offer.” CS17, noted, “The selection committee middle-aged main Cool Stars gathers worldwide in Barcelona was thrilled by Lowell’s sequence star. experts in low-mass stars, solar physics proposal to organize Cool Stars 18 in (Source: coolstars17.net) and exoplanets, creating a stimulating Flagstaff. The combination of science cross-disciplinary exchange environment and location were just perfect.” in these fields. Cool Star meetings have One of the largest and most a long tradition of presenting cutting- prestigious astronomy conferences is edge science, as shown by outstanding V.M. Slipher Podcast coming to Flagstaff in 2014. results such as the discovery of the Lowell Observatory and its hometown, first extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, Reporter Diane Hope produced a 21-minute podcast during Flagstaff, Arizona, were recently selected and the first confirmed brown dwarf, the “Origins of the Expanding to host the next “Cambridge Workshop which were both announced at Cool Universe: 1912-1932” conference on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems, and the Stars 9 in Florence, Italy in 1995. held in Flagstaff in September, Sun”, also known as Cool Stars. This Lowell astronomer is 2012. Listen to leading voices biennial conference began in Cambridge, chairing Lowell’s Cool Stars effort. “It is celebrate the centennial of Lowell Massachusetts, in 1980, and is now held a real honor to have been competitively legend V.M. Slipher’s first evidence at locales around the world. selected to host this prestigious meeting of the expanding universe, and the Cool Stars 18 will take place at the series,” Dr. van Belle said. “It says a related work of other luminaries. High Country Conference Center, June lot about how Lowell is viewed with The podcast was funded by a 8-14, 2014. More than 400 astronomers high esteem in the world astronomy generous gift from Sue Durling. from around the world are expected to be community.” Simply go to www.lowell.edu/ in attendance. Since 1993, Cool Stars hosts have collectionscenter.php and click the “This is a major feather in Flagstaff’s alternated across the Atlantic; previous link in the right-hand column. cap,” says the Observatory’s director, Cool Stars venues include

LMI Sees First Light the faint light around separates it from cameras The Large Monolithic Imager that use a mosaic of CCDs to (LMI), a camera built at Lowell produce images. Observatory and funded by the The first-light image (left) is National Science Foundation of NGC 891, an edge-on spiral (NSF), recently took a set of galaxy about 30 million light- first-light images on Lowell’s years away in the constellation 4.3 meter Discovery Channel Andromeda. The image was Telescope (DCT). At the heart of obtained by Lowell’s Phil Massey the LMI is the largest charge- (LMI Principal Investigator), Ted coupled device (CCD) that can Dunham, and Mike Sweaton, be built using current fabrication and then turned into a beautiful techniques and the first of its color composite by Kathryn kind to be made by the firm e2v. Neugent. The exposure consisted The 36-megapixel CCD’s active of 10x1min (B), 5x1min (V), and surface is 3.7 inches on a side. 6x1 min (R), all unguided. See The LMI’s ability to provide much the Winter 2010 Observer for more accurate measurements of more about the LMI. 4 THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2013

philanthropy played a major role in the End-of-Year telescope’s success. The support we receive from people Appeal like you is what distinguishes us from by Chuck Wendt being a good research institution to being an exceptional place of learning and discovery. As you can see, we are “A New Perspective A telegram was sent from the enthused with the desire to build upon cosmopolitan eastern city of Boston to a the past. Our future holds great promise. on : The Red backwoods lumber town in the Arizona All we need is your support. Planet in 3D” Territory more than a century ago. “Site Please consider a year-end tax probably Flagstaff (stop) Prospect for best deductible contribution today. With This fall, an engaging offering seeing (stop) Report climate… compared your gift we will be able to maintain an opened in the Steele Visitor with Tucson.” The telegram was sent on environment in which our astronomers April 10, 1894 by to Andrew are free to add to our understanding Center’s exhibit hall. The Douglass. Lowell Observatory was effectively of the universe and our place in it, and German Aerospace Center’s “A founded on that day and, over the next 118 where we can quickly share discoveries New Perspective on Mars: The years, the Observatory has been a leader in with you. Red Planet in 3D” features 3D astronomical research and education. Thank you again for what you do for images and short films created The discovery of , evidence of an us and, in advance, for your continued using images taken by the expanding universe, mapping the Moon for support. To make a charitable donation to European Space Agency’s Mars the Apollo missions, and other endeavors the Observatory, please contact Antoinette Express satellite, which has been have provided a rich foundation for future Beiser at (928) 233-3216 or e-mail orbiting the Red Planet for nearly explorations. Times have changed and our [email protected]. a decade. Lowell’s Rotunda ability to produce quality research and Museum hosted an earlier and education relies more heavily on support • Read a digital version of the smaller version of this exhibit from our friends in the community. in 2008. Many new, incredibly 2011 Annual Report at Two major fundraising projects are detailed images — and a much www.lowell.edu/about.php underway. A new Library/Collections Center larger space — have helped is planned for Mars Hill. This building will and click the link in the right- make this exhibit a hit since its be the first new structure built on the Mars hand column. first day back on Mars Hill. The Hill Campus in the last 17 years, at a cost exhibit runs until January 13th. of $2.5 million plus a $1.5 million building • Visit our new device-friendly endowment. We are pleased to announce mobile site at m.lowell.edu (Image Credit: NASA, edited by Joe Jaeger) that $2.2 million has been raised and/or committed. Federal budget issues have put future Educators Recognized NASA and NSF grants in question. While Lowell scientists have a highly successful Two Lowell educators recently talented undergraduate science, track record of obtaining research grants, received Robert Noyce Teacher technology, engineering and it has become apparent that we need an Scholarships. Todd Gonzales math (STEM) majors and post- endowment for scientific research that is an undergraduate fellow baccalaureate students holding would allow scientists the opportunity while Sone Sithonnorath is STEM degrees to help them to continue research if grant money isn’t a post-baccalaureate fellow. earn a teaching credential and available. Our goal is to raise $10 million to Both study at Northern Arizona commit to teach in high-need endow a research program. To date we have University. Supported by the school districts. Congratulations commitments for $8 million. Good news but National Science Foundation, the Todd and Sone! we still have a ways to go. program offers $15,000 each to Lowell Observatory, being a not-for-profit entity, has become the “gold standard” for innovation and efficiency with our new Discovery Channel Telescope that is completed and being commissioned. The $53 million project, built with no taxpayer money, was completed under budget and ahead of schedule. The power of THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2013 5 Archiving the William A. Baum Collection Story and photos by Lauren Amundson

Left: The Baum Collection as archived by Samantha (pictured). Right: The collection in its previous storage space in the Slipher Building attic. re-housing the contents in acid-free the Web. This information consists of In December of 2011, the Center for folders and boxes. In addition to papers, box and folder numbers, folder titles, History of Physics at the American Institute she came across maps, charts, slides, dates, and subjects. A finding guide for of Physics awarded the Lowell Observatory photographs, reel-to-reel tapes, lantern the collection will be made available Archives a $9,600 grant to process the slides, and glass plates. Major areas of through Arizona Archives Online, papers of former Lowell Observatory focus in the collection are the Planetary and selected materials will be digitized employee Dr. William A. Baum. Baum Research Center, International for inclusion in the Arizona Memory was the director of the Planetary Research Planetary Patrol, Large Space Telescope Project. The papers will be housed in Center (PRC — now called the Hendricks (later the ), the Chalet on the Lowell campus until Center for Planetary Studies) from 1965 Carnegie Image Tube Committee, 1975 completion of the new Collections to 1991. In addition to overseeing the Viking mission to Mars, Space Shuttle, Center. operations of the PRC and coordinating and NASA. The Baum Collection is a significant the International Planetary Patrol Program, After re-housing the materials, addition to the Lowell Archives and Baum was actively involved with the 1975 Samantha entered information about is now available for use by researchers Viking mission to Mars, the Carnegie Image the collection into the Lowell Archives and historians. A big “thank you” to Tube Committee, and the Hubble Space online database, which is searchable on Samantha for all her hard work! Telescope. He retired from Lowell in 1991 and moved to Seattle with his wife, Ester. He passed away on June 10, 2012 (see Volunteer of page 7). the Year: For many years after Baum’s retirement, his papers were stored in the attic of the Jill Allen Observatory’s Slipher Building, where A former schoolteacher, Jill inspires Jill (red shirt) educates visitors about the Sun. they sat uncatalogued and unavailable to all those she encounters. As a questions about the composition of researchers. In the spring of 2012, Lowell docent, her infinite energy and the Sun. She leaves the girl with one hired Samantha Thompson to process insatiable appetite for educating last thought that is sure to linger the collection. She had previous archives visitors is unparalleled. Featured in in her curious young mind for a experience working at the Smithsonian the 2010 Annual Report, Jill and her long time. “We are all made of star National Air and Space Museum, where enthusiasm are best encapsulated in stuff!” Jill exclaims after explaining she became familiar with Baum’s work on the following quote from that article: the critical role that stars play in the image tubes. Samantha began by moving “As the hour of solar viewing comes formation of elements. “Doesn’t that the boxes from the attic to the library and to an end, Jill answers a child’s eager just tickle your brain!” 6 THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2013 Walking in Howard’s Footsteps by Tom Vitron

Left: Howard cutting the ribbon, with daughter Sharyn (far left), wife Maddy (in beige), and son Steve (in pink). Top: A child investigates one of the Walk’s signs. Bottom: Lowell Trustee Bill Putnam at the dedication. Photo Credit: Craig Younger/City of Chandler

If you’re a fan of our Pluto Walk — the for astronomy, a new self-guided walk thing. I’ve been intimately involved in scale model of the Solar System along the opened at Veterans Oasis Park in July. writing the copy for the signs, designing path to the Pluto Discovery Telescope — The Chandler Solar System Walk is the handout brochures. I was actively you need to come see our new Galaxy and along the 2,500-foot-long path around involved in this thing. It was like doing Universe Walks. And the next time you’re the park’s lake. The Walk includes it for somebody else.” in the Phoenix area, there’s now another a series of monuments and signs Sharyn Younger, Howard’s daughter, “walk” to take. In July, a new self-guided representing the Sun, eight planets, told the Republic that she believes aiding astronomical walk opened in Chandler, asteroid belt, dwarf planets, and with the Walk’s design helped her Arizona, and it has very special meaning… comets. Signs are placed at distances father deal with his illness. Every stargazing fanatic has a tale of relative to the scale of the Solar System. “Sometimes, I wonder what he how they came to be passionate about the Each foot on the walk equates to 1.5 would be doing with his time if he celestial sky. For Lowell docent Howard million miles. In comparison, on the wasn’t hounding us with, ‘Hey, did you Israel, the “ah ha!” moment came nearly 300-foot-long Pluto Walk, every inch think about this? Did you think about 20 years ago after an unforgettable represents 1 million miles. For example, that? I’ve been doing some research,’” encounter on the deck of a cruse ship the distance between Earth and the Younger said. “This has really kept in the South Pacific. Howard happened Sun along Howard’s Walk is 62 feet, him occupied and very engaged. It’s upon a navigator closely looking at the representing the actual 93 million something for him to really look stars above. Once the navigator explained miles, while that distance is 93 inches forward to and to strive to be able to that he was verifying the ship’s position on the Pluto Walk. The Chandler Walk make. It has worked out on any number using the stars, Howard realized he had also includes information about ancient of levels.” stumbled upon a new passion. To pursue cultures and their relationship with the Celebrate Howard’s legacy by taking this hobby, Howard joined the East Valley night sky. Howard’s family and friends a free tour of the Walk, which you can Astronomy Club, became a docent at Lowell raised the money for the project, with do anytime from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (along with his wife Maddy), worked with collaboration from the city’s Recreation daily. Veterans Oasis Park is on the the International Dark-Sky Association, and Parks divisions and the East Valley northeast corner of Chandler Heights gave on-board lectures for every major Astronomy Club. and Lindsay roads. For information, call cruise line, and taught astronomy classes “Can you imagine having something (480) 782-2887 or visit at the Environmental Education Center at being dedicated to you while you’re www.chandlersolarsystemwalk.com or Veterans Oasis Park in Chandler. still alive?” Howard told the Arizona www.chandleraz.gov/veterans-oasis. In honor of Howard (who died in August Republic in July. “That’s pretty cool, after battling lung cancer) and his passion I would say. I even helped design the THE LOWELL OBSERVER | Winter 2013 7

In Memoriam

William A. Baum (1924-2012) Albert G. Wilson (1918-2012) Howard Israel (1934-2012) William Alvin Baum, who directed the Former Lowell Observatory Director An avid amateur astronomer, Howard Planetary Research Center (PRC) at Lowell Albert G. Wilson died at his home in was a docent at Lowell for more than Observatory from 1965 to 1991, died Sebastopol, CA on August 27, 2012. five years. He died August 31, 2012 in June 10, 2012, in Seattle. He was 88 and He was 94. An astronomer, observatory Phoenix. He is survived by his wife, Professor Emeritus at the University of director, and discoverer of comets, Madeline, as well as three children Washington’s Department of Astronomy. galaxies and supernovae during a and five grandchildren. His son, Steve, A concert in his honor by the Oceana long career as a scientist, Wilson also is the U.S. Representative for New String Quartet took place Sept. 12 in supervised the National Geographic York’s 2nd Congressional District. See Seattle. Baum was a versatile astronomer Society- Sky article on page 6 for more. who helped Richard Tousey obtain the first Survey, and was the founding co-editor ultraviolet spectrum of the Sun, developed of Icarus. His discoveries included four the first photoelectric photometers for the dwarf galaxies in the Local Group, Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) Mt. Wilson and Palomar , several supernovae, a comet, and at Former astronaut, test pilot, college worked with J. D. McGee in London on least five asteroids. His main interest, professor, Mr. Armstrong — the first early solid-state imaging devices, headed however, was theoretical cosmology, human to set foot on the Moon and the PRC to monitor Mars (and other especially the idea of discretization. the special guest speaker at the First planets) and plan the first spacecraft Wilson served as Director of Lowell Light Gala — died August 25, 2012. (Viking Mission) to it, and helped plan from November 1954 to January 1957, Armstrong is survived by his second and use the Hubble Space Telescope. He is having succeeded legend V.M. Slipher wife, Carol, and by two sons. See Gala survived by his wife of 50 years, Ester. at that post. feature from Fall 2012 Observer. The American Astronomical Society contributed to Wilson and Baum text.

This exquisite 3D region that the ARRIVALS/PROMOTIONS ornament of the Flagstaff branch Samantha Christensen, Clark Telescope was of American Education Coordinator recently unveiled at Association of Samantha Thompson, the Starry Skies Shop, University Women Curator of Exhibitions Lowell’s remodeled (AAUW) has sold DEPARTURES science store. It is to raise funds for Caryn Fitch, the fifth in a series of college scholarships Anderson Mesa Site Manager ornaments depicting for local Flagstaff Lauren Hill, special places in the women. Media Intern Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Flagstaff, AZ Permit No. 170 Winter2013

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noon - 9:30 p.m. noon - 5:00 p.m. noon - 9:30 p.m. noon - 5:00 p.m. Eco-friendly printing by Eco-friendly EXPANDING OUR UNIVERSE EXPANDING At 7:00 p.m. we will discuss the astronomical night Observatory for the longest Join Lowell Lowell Observatory will extend our open Observatory will extend our open Lowell SCAN TO SCAN TO GO TO our Facebook page ELL Winter Solstice Winter Holiday Celebration Regular Public Hours: Regular M/W/F/Sat T/TH/Sun Star of Bethlehem and Mayan Calendar Regular Public Hours: Regular M/W/F/Sat T/TH/Sun For comments about the newsletter, contact comments about the newsletter, For The Lowell Observer is published quarterly by Observer The Lowell WINTER SPECIAL EVENTS WINTER SPECIAL 928.774.2096 • www.lowell.edu • Find us on Facebook us on Facebook • Find 928.774.2096 • www.lowell.edu 2012-2013 PUBLIC PROGRAM PUBLIC PROGRAM 2012-2013 Lowell Observatory, 1400 W. Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, 1400 W. Observatory, Lowell Contents Copyright 2012 by Lowell Observatory ISSN 1054-0059 Contents Copyright 2012 by Lowell

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The quarterly newsletter of Lowell Observatory The quarterly THE

OBSERVER LOW daytime hours and offer indoor programs and building tours. Throughout the daytime hours and offer indoor programs and experiments you can do on day and evening see a presentation of science fruit to make fireballs and a your own kitchen counter or dinner table. Use of light! Aftercommon kitchen appliance to measure the speed dark, we will objects. Note: we will close set up numerous telescopes for viewing celestial at 5:00 p.m. on the 31st. JANUARY & JANUARY 26 – 31 (9:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.) – (6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.) – FRI 21 (7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.) – A New Perspective on Mars: The Red Planet in 3D: on Mars: The Red A New Perspective 13 (regular open hours) Exhibit open until January 1/2 and 2/6 Nights: Wednesdays Upcoming Flagstaff 1/11 and 2/8 Fridays Science Nights: Second Friday 2/17 Sundays 1/20 and Upcoming Star Fests: 2/18 Days: Mondays 1/21 and are Free School’s Out & Kids DECEMBER 17, 19, 22 interpretation of the Star of Bethlehem. At 8:00 p.m. we’ll share the facts 21, 2012 marks the end-date December of about the 2012 Mayan Calendar. will wade through the doomsday fables We the Mayan long-count calendar. date. In addition to these and discuss the scientific facts surrounding this through telescopes and presentations, view breathtaking celestial objects enjoy exciting multimedia programs. winter solstice. At and 9:00 p.m. see a simple 6:00, 7:00, 8:00 of the year, tonight. demonstration showing why our night is so long FEBRUARY