| 7 | | This page is designed to keep members of the Columbia astro community informed of outreach events. Most importantly, it allows people who are interested in volunteering to check in and see what is being planned and where their help is needed. There is also a mailing list for outreach volunteers that can sign up for at [https://lists.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/astro-outreach-volunteers]. [[BR]] |
| 8 | | |
| 9 | | The official homepage for our outreach activities (the public website) is [http://outreach.astro.columbia.edu]; there you can read the schedule, sign up for our public mailing list, and check up on the weather and other links.[[BR]] |
| 10 | | |
| 11 | | If you're interested in giving an outreach lecture in a coming semester, or if after reading this you think there's a way you'd like to help out, or you have a suggestion, please contact [mailto:janagrc@astro.columbia.edu Jana Grcevich]. Remember that you do not have to have any experience doing outreach/teaching to participate. The most important thing is that you care and want to share the Universe with people; after that everything will fall into place! [[BR]] |
| | 7 | This page is designed to keep members of the Columbia astronomy internal community informed of outreach events. Most importantly, it allows people who are interested in volunteering to check in and see what is being planned and where their help is needed. There is also a mailing list for outreach volunteers that Columbia students can sign up for at [https://lists.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/astro-outreach-volunteers]. [[BR]] |
| | 8 | |
| | 9 | The new homepage for our outreach activities (the public website) is currently under construction [[BR]] |
| | 10 | |
| | 11 | If you're interested in giving an outreach lecture in a coming semester, or if after reading this you think there's a way you'd like to help out, please contact the outreach coordinator, Jana Grcevich, at [mailto:jmg2223@columbia.edu Jana Grcevich] or call at . Remember that you do not have to have any prior experience doing outreach/teaching to participate. The most important thing is that you care and want to share the Universe with people and the rest will fall into place! [[BR]] |
| 31 | | '''VIRTUAL Friday, September 18th 7PM?''' Kathryn Johnston [[BR]] |
| 32 | | Lecture Captain: Jana Grcevich[[BR]] |
| 33 | | |
| 34 | | '''VIRTUAL Friday, October 2nd 5:30pm''' TBD [[BR]] |
| 35 | | Lecture Captain: Jana Grcevich[[BR]] |
| 36 | | |
| 37 | | '''VIRTUAL Friday, October 16nd 5:30pm''' TBD [[BR]] |
| 38 | | Lecture Captain: Jana Grcevich [[BR]] |
| 39 | | |
| 40 | | '''VIRTUAL Friday, October 30th 5:30pm''' [[BR]] |
| 41 | | Lecture Captain: Jana Grcevich [[BR]] |
| 129 | | These are a lot of fun when the weather cooperates. Turnout is typically around 100 - a mixture of Columbia students (15%), local families (20%), and amateur astronomers (5%) and interested adults from the community (60%). At a recent event we took an informal poll of the attendees and determined that only 25% of them were affiliated with the University, meaning that 75% of our audience is from the general public as a whole (great news)! Furthermore, 25% of our audience is coming from outside of Manhattan, which surprised us all. |
| | 83 | These are a lot of fun when the weather cooperates. In pre-COVID times turnout was typically around 100 - a mixture of Columbia students (15%), local families (20%), and amateur astronomers (5%) and interested adults from the community (60%). At a recent event we took an informal poll of the attendees and determined that only 25% of them were affiliated with the University, meaning that 75% of our audience is from the general public as a whole (great news)! Furthermore, 25% of our audience is coming from outside of Manhattan, which surprised us all. |
| | 84 | |
| | 85 | Due to university requirements, talk and stargazing for Fall 2021 (and possibly beyond) will be open to Columbia affiliates only, but will be recorded for |
| 133 | | Our volunteer staff consists almost entirely of graduate students, although we have a few undergrads and post-docs who make occasional appearances. We currently have a healthy core of observing volunteers, but it's always good to have different faces, so sign up (or just show up to see what it's like)! If you are unfamiliar with our equipment, training sessions with the veterans can be arranged. [[BR]] |
| 134 | | |
| 135 | | If you're interested in giving an outreach lecture in a coming semester, please contact [mailto:summer@astro.columbia.edu Summer]. |
| 136 | | |
| 137 | | Here is a list of instructions/responsibilities for the various roles associated with Public Lecture and Stargazing Nights. If you are signed up for a given role, you must know your responsibilities. |
| | 89 | Our volunteer staff consists almost entirely of graduate students, although we have a few undergrads and post-docs who make occasional appearances. [[BR]] |
| | 90 | |
| | 91 | If you're interested in giving an outreach lecture in a coming semester, please contact [mailto:jmg2223@columbia.edu Jana Grcevich] by email or by calling . |
| | 92 | |
| | 93 | Here is a list of instructions/responsibilities for the various roles associated with our Public Lecture and Stargazing Nights. If you are signed up for a given role, please review your responsibilities. |
| 154 | | In addition to our normal public lectures and stargazing, we sometimes offer science fiction film screenings |
| 155 | | |
| 156 | | These events begin with announcements by the Movie Captain, a brief(along with relevant themes to look out for during the film, or the context in which the film was made or other interesting non-spoiler information). Then the film is shown in its entirety. After the film, the audience is invited to remain for the ~the relevant science in the film, as well as an informal (~ discussion between scientists and the audience. In addition, if the weather permits, we have telescopes set up outside of Pupin for audience members to look through on their way out. Since the films have varying durations, this event can take anywhere from to in total. |
| | 110 | In addition to our normal public lectures and stargazing, we sometimes offer science fiction film screenings, usually during the summer months when sunset is too late to . The idea is to show people astrophysically-themed films with varying amounts of fact and fiction. Each film is accompanied by a short lecture discussing the relevant science and fiction. As in all our Friday night events, we also offer observing if the weather cooperates. However, we don't open up the roof but just have our portable telescopes brought to College Walk or in front of Pupin.[[BR]] |
| | 111 | |
| | 112 | These events begin with announcements by the Movie Captain, a brief(along with relevant themes to look out for during the film, or the context in which the film was made or other interesting non-spoiler information). Then the film is shown in its entirety. After the film, the audience is invited to remain for the the relevant science in the film, as well as an informal discussion between scientists and the audience. In addition, if the weather permits, we have telescopes set up outside of Pupin for audience members to look through on their way out. |
| 188 | | We take our portable telescopes out and engage the public on their turf. We carry one/two 6" Dobsonians to the Adam Clayton Powell Plaza and clear evenings. Sky lights are bright, but from here we have a good view of the ecliptic, Orion, Taurus, etc. Observation of deep-sky objects is difficult, but views of the first-quarter moon and planets. Very rewarding with ~ stopping to look through the telescopes per hour. |
| | 144 | We take our portable telescopes out and engage the public where they are. We carry one/two 6" Dobsonians to the Adam Clayton Powell Plaza on clear evenings. Sky lights are bright, but from here we have a good view of the ecliptic, which allows us to see the moons of Jupiter or the rings of Saturn when those planets are visible, as well as Orion, Taurus, etc. Observation of deep-sky objects is difficult, but views of the first-quarter moon and planets are extremely popular. |
| 200 | | The middle school program is designed to bring astronomy, in particular galaxies, into classrooms throughout New York City through presentations by Columbia astronomers. The presentation currently available is called, 'A Day in the Life of an Astronomer', and follows an astronomer to an observatory and discusses the light detected and the nature of the observed galaxies. The program is interactive throughout and includes numerous pictures and movies of galaxies, astronomers observing, and the basics of light and gravity. The students also receive a 'kit', including a diffraction grating, a pencil to demonstrate gravity, and a galaxy picture. An additional program entitled, 'Our Place in the Milky Way', is being developed that will involve flying from New York City to the outskirts of our Galaxy. The program began visiting schools and reached over. Please contact mputman@astro.columbia.edu if you are interested in this program. |
| | 158 | The middle school program is designed to bring astronomy, in particular galaxies, into classrooms throughout New York City through presentations by Columbia astronomers. The presentation currently available is called, 'A Day in the Life of an Astronomer', and follows an astronomer to an observatory and discusses the light detected and the nature of the observed galaxies. The program is interactive throughout and includes numerous pictures and movies of galaxies, astronomers observing, and the basics of light and gravity. The students also receive a 'kit', including a diffraction grating, a pencil to demonstrate gravity, and a galaxy picture. An additional program entitled, 'Our Place in the Milky Way', involves flying from New York City to the outskirts of our Galaxy. Please contact mputman@astro.columbia.edu if you are interested in this program. |
