Please forward this as you see fit…thanks!
dave
space odyssey
05.30.14 volunteer update
Click below for quick access to:
Storytelling with Uniview
Space Odyssey News
Trainings and Meetings
Space Science Lectures & Events
Museum News and Lectures
Volunteer Enrichment Committee (VEC) Events
storytelling with uniview
by Dr. Ka Chun Yu, PhD Curator of Space Science DMNS
Click the links below to read Ka Chun's latest helpful articles on astronomical insights which are helpful at the Orbits Table as well as other stations in Space Odyssey.
Lucky 13: Cosmology Misconceptions II
To read all of Ka Chun's previous columns, you can find them on the Portal Training page under Storytelling with Uniview:
NOTE: If you're having issues viewing this column in Firefox, try using Safari or Explorer as those seem to show the column in the best quality. I'm not sure about Chrome.
space odyssey news
SCHOOL GROUP ISSUES AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
We are on the home stretch in terms of hosting large groups of students in the Museum. Well done everyone! You all have done a spectacular job this Spring, thank you for all your wonderful work. Most of the groups coming through this year have been fine to work with and some of these school groups have been a challenge. If you end up witnessing outlandish behavior, there is something you can do: Call Museum Security first and foremost, get the name of the school if you're able, then let me know. It is not your responsibility to discipline school group individuals when you feel that they are out of control. If you feel like they'll listen to you and you want to engage them, please respond to their behavior in a respectful way. There's no need to engage in a debate or argument with any chaperones or group leaders. If you feel it's coming to that, take yourself out of the mix and call Security, that's what they're here for. If you feel like you need to take a break, by all means do so and just let your Guide Captain or team mates know. You all are an amazing group of folks and I don't want you to feel like you need to put up with unruly behavior, so take care of yourselves first and foremost and inform Museum Security and myself if need be. If you have further questions, please let me know, thanks.
UPDATED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
For your edification...the newly updated DMNS Emergency Procedures manual which can be found on the upper left corner of the Portal Training Page:
NEW DELTA IV HEAVY MODEL INSTALLED
Find more info about this rocket on the Portal here:
GRAVITY WELL WORKAROUND
This computer is still out of commission. So on Thursday morning this past week, we experimented with doing the demo as is. As it turns out, the demonstration still works very well in this mode. Since the projector won't work because there's no computer to drive it, we used the "Street Theater" lighting setting to light-up the whole audience area which lit-up the gravity well dish quite nicely. If you want to try this, wheel the cart out to the audience area, then go to the AMX panel on the Galaxy Stage column facing the stage, login, select "Lighting" and click the button that says "Street Theater." Gary on the Thursday AM team said it worked well in this mode and he could teach about almost all the various aspects of this demo. Dimitri said he liked this idea and thought it would work equally well to add the use of the fabric as well. If you're really ambitious, you can put up an image of planets rotating about the Sun on the two side screens using a website like this: http://www.astro.cornell.edu/~randerson/Inreach%20Web%20Page/inreach.html. This website will be on the Gravity Well page on the Portal as well which you can access from the Galaxy Stage computer. So give it a shot and let me know what you think. If you need assistance, let myself or Dave Cuomo know. Meantime, we're still working to get the computer back in action and will let you know when it's ready to go. Thanks for your patience!
LAMP CART RING BACK IN ACTION
Dave Lewis has fixed the lighted orbit ring on the LAMP cart. Apparently it was a loose connection that was the culprit.
NEW ON THE PORTAL
Amazing real-time tracking and video from ISS:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV/
You can also view this on the homepage of the Portal under the NASA highlights page, and on the ISS page:
SPECTROSCOPY UPDATE
Dave C ordered more spectroscopy tubes this past week. No updates on a possible resurrection of our favorite spectroscopy site.
NASA TV...IS BACK!
The satellite repair folks swung by and fixed the dish, so we're back in business though there is still some issue with the signal as it becomes garbled sometimes. Fortunately, we were all "home" when they came by. Hate it when I'm out eating lunch and I miss the satellite repair people. ;)
SCFD COMMUNITY FREE DAYS
As part of the Museum's agreement to receive funds from SCFD, which account for a significant portion of the Museum's operating budget, the Museum offers "community free days" throughout the year to allow those who can't afford admission the privilege to visit DMNS. Below are the dates for the 2014 free days.
The Museum is offering 12 Community Free Days in 2014, made possible by the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District. For more information, click here.
- Monday, June 2
- Monday, June 30
- Sunday, July 20
- Monday, September 8
- Sunday, September 28
- Monday, October 27
- Monday, December 1
trainings and meetings
SOS USER GROUP MEETING
Tuesday June 17th
5:30 to 8:30
Galaxy Stage/SOS
RSVP to Dave Blumenstock
Food and Drink provided
Here's the proposed agenda:
- Big news is that DMNS will be attending the annual SoS Workshop in Minnesota June 10.
- Bob Raynolds will present See The Seas and See The People.
- Matt Brownell will demonstrate the new iPad controller app with search capability. Stay tuned for the release of this app here at DMNS, after testing is completed.
- Dave B. will report on the meeting at the June SSUG meeting,
- NESO software and app.
- The new NESO ipad app is more useful than the older NEO software.
- Dave B. will be going to a NESO training session at the meeting in Minnesota.
- Here's a teaser from Maurice Henderson from Goddard who created NESO:
- NESO provides a richer library of high resolution earth and space data
- We can handle this higher resolution by using a pan/zoom function.
- The data sets cover extensive time horizons, and NESO allow you to create and measure time series. These time series can be animated to create SOS playable clips including zoomed pips.
- For more info about NESO, Click Here
space science lectures & events
RESERVATION INFO
Volunteers have the opportunity to attend most After Hours programs priced at the $8 member/ $10 nonmember rate for free on a space-available basis! Volunteers always receive the member rate for all other Adult Programs. As of May 12, please call Guest Services at 303.370.6000 to make a reservation. Guest Services is open daily, 9:00 - 5:00 p.m. Admission to 60 Minutes in Space is free and is on a first come, first seated basis.
On the evening of the program, please enter through the same entrance as our guests and pick up your ticket from the will-call cashier. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm for Adult Programs!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Digital Earth: Explore the World from Space
Where have we come from and where are we going? Using immersive global satellite images, geologist Bob Raynolds and space scientist Ka Chun Yu take you to the Rift Valley in East Africa. Our ancestors grew up here in lush lands, then left Africa and wandered widely, ending up concentrated by rivers, where major civilizations developed along the Nile, the Tigris, and the Indus rivers. We will discuss how today we are once again concentrating, now along the "energy rivers," where we are urbanizing and developing into digital natives.
Location:
Gates Planetarium
Date/Time:
Thursday, June 12, 7 p.m.
Tickets:
$8 member, $10 nonmember
museum news
SUMMER NIGHTS @ THE MUSEUM STARTS MAY 30TH
This is a brand-new program occurring Friday nights at DMNS from May 30th thru August 22nd. Click here to learn about Summer Nights @ the Museum
FREE DAY PROGRAM FOR JUNE 2ND
This Monday, June 2, is SCFD Community Free Day! Below is a listing of the fun and educational activities planned for the day. Please take a moment from your busy day to enjoy!
RocketWorks!
Build your own rocket and launch it to see how far it goes!
10:00am - 4:00pm, Level 1 South East Atrium
GeoDome Portable Planetarium
Step inside and see the wonders of Earth and the stars in our inflatable planetarium.
Various show times 10:00am - 4:00pm, Level 1 Leprino Family Atrium
Free Face Painting
Get you face painted with a fun design!
10:00am -12:45pm and 2:00pm - 4:45pm, Level 1 South East Atrium
African Drumming
Join group members from Umoja to play drums, learn songs and more.
Level 1, Morgridge Family Exploration Center, 11-2
Plus many of our regular offerings including Mr. Bones, Scavenger Hunts, Secrets Tours, and more! Please see for all the information.
Community Programs note: Umoja will be performing with the DMNS team at the Juneteenth Music and Arts Festival Saturday, June 14, at Five Points. More to come on the festival soon.
NEW ADDITION TO GEMS AND MINERALS ENTRANCE JUNE 2-3
On Monday June 2, Exhibits and Earth Sciences will be installing a permanent petrified tree exhibit by the Coors Gems and Mineral Hall entrance.
- The installation will begin at approximately 5 p.m. on Monday, June 2., after the Free Day guests have departed. We anticipate all installation will be completed Monday evening after hours; however, there is a chance installation could also be happening early morning on Tuesday, June 3. Our goal is to have installation completed by 9 a.m. June 3.
- The tree will be on permanent display to the north side of the entrance to the Coors Gems and Minerals exhibition gallery. The exhibition entrance will be flanked with the current minerals display/title wall on the left, and the new petrified tree on the right as you enter.
- The tree is from the Jurassic, from near what is now the Xinjiang region in China. After the tree died approximately 150 million years ago, water carried minerals into the decaying wood. The minerals crystalized an replaced the wood in a process called petrification. The specimen is a relatively new acquisition by our Earth Sciences department, and it is large and stunning.
Starting onTuesday, June 3rd the south road from the Traffic Circle down to the turn around on the south side of the park will be closed. Our contractor will be removing the last sections of asphalt from the old asphalt road and installing new curb/gutter and asphalt to make one continuous road. The road will be closed to all traffic (bikes included). The work is expected to last for 2 weeks, pending any weather delays.
A GOOD USE FOR YOUR OLD CAR
Thinking about getting rid of your car, boat, motorcycle, truck, or RV? Donate it to the Museum instead! When you donate your vehicle to the Museum, you will be supporting your favorite cultural institution and receiving a tax deduction when you itemize your return. The Museum is partnering with Cars Helping Charities to give you the opportunity to quickly and easily donate a vehicle in any condition. Car donations are 100 percent tax deductible. Find out more or schedule a pickup @ 866.697.0697 or Thank you for your support!
RESERVATION INFO
Volunteers have the opportunity to attend most After Hours programs priced at the $8 member/ $10 nonmember rate for free on a space-available basis! Volunteers always receive the member rate for all other Adult Programs. As of May 12, please call Guest Services at 303.370.6000 to make a reservation. Guest Services is open daily, 9:00 - 5:00 p.m. Admission to 60 Minutes in Space is free and is on a first come, first seated basis.
On the evening of the program, please enter through the same entrance as our guests and pick up your ticket from the will-call cashier. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm for Adult Programs!
Click here for Evening Lectures
Click here for Museum IMAX information
Click here for Museum Planetarium Information
Click here to learn about the new Discovery Zone opening June 2014
volunteer enrichment committee
Click here for more information about VEC events:
Or see the bulletin board in the Volunteer Lounge for more info.
Dave Blumenstock
Coordinator of Volunteers for Space Science
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Phone 303.370.8344
Fax 303.370.6005
Join the Museum's Online Community