HR: 0830h
AN: ED51C-1225    [PDF]
TI: Cosmic Origins: A Traveling Science Exhibit and Education Program
AU: * Dusenbery, P B
EM: dusenbery@colorado.edu
AF: Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AU: Morrow, C A
EM: camorrow@colorado.edu
AF: Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AU: Harold, J
EM: harold@colorado.edu
AF: Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AB: The Space Science Institute of Boulder, Colorado, is developing a 3,000 square-foot traveling exhibition, called Cosmic Origins, which will bring origins-related research and discoveries to students and the American public. Cosmic Origins will have three interrelated exhibit areas: Star Formation, Planet Quest, and Search for Life. Exhibit visitors will explore the awesome events surrounding the birth of stars and planets; they will join scientists in the hunt for planets outside our solar system including those that may be in "habitable zones" around other stars; and finally they will be able to learn about the wide range of conditions for life on Earth and how scientists are looking for signs of life beyond Earth. Visitors will also learn about the tools scientists' use, such as space-based and ground-based telescopes, to improve our understanding of the cosmos. Exhibit content will address age-old questions that form the basis of NASA's Origins and Astrobiology programs: Where did we come from? Are we alone? In addition to the exhibit, our project will include workshops for educators and docents at host sites, as well as a public Web site that will use a virtual rendering of exhibit content. The exhibit's size will permit it to visit medium sized museums in underserved regions of the country. It will begin its 3-year tour to 9 host museums and science centers in early 2005. A second 3-year tour is also planned for 2008. The Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) will manage the exhibit's national tour. Current partners in the Cosmic Origins project include ASTC, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Lawrence Hall of Science, NASA Astrobiology Institute, NASA missions (e.g. PlanetQuest, SIRTF, and Kepler), New York Hall of Science, the SETI Institute, and the Space Telescope Science Institute. The exhibition is supported by grants from NSF and NASA. This report will focus on the Planet Quest part of the exhibition.
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting