Spring Break
Physics department celebrates International Year of Astronomy 2009 with lectures, exhibits
Jessica Tuttle
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Lifestyle
The UW-Whitewater physics department is celebrating the International Year of Astronomy 2009 with a lecture series and exhibits.
"Astronomy is neat," Physics Department Chair Steven Sahyun said. "We hope to share our knowledge with the rest of the university and the community."
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global effort started by the International Astronomical Union and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery," according to the IYA2009 Web site.
The worldwide celebration commemorates astronomy and its contributions to society and culture. It marks the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei.
The focus of the celebration is to inspire a global interest, especially among young people, in astronomy, engineering and mathematics.
UW-Whitewater's participation in the International Year of Astronomy is marked by special lectures in the Whitewater Observatory Lecture series and by a traveling exhibition of specially prepared astronomical images.
The exhibit, "From Earth to the Universe," is a collection of 40 images of galaxies, planets and other astronomical objects and is on public display in the first-floor lobby of Upham Hall through Nov. 23.
UW-Madison astronomy graduate student Laura Trouille was awarded a NASA International Year of Astronomy Ambassador grant to create an astronomical picture exhibit for Wisconsin audiences.
The display features images related to research by Wisconsin astronomers and others and showcases beautiful observations made by the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, as well as ground-based telescopes around the world.
"I think these talks and events are interesting, fun and informative," Sahyun said.
The Whitewater Observatory Lecture series is a regular scheduled sequence of events for the physics department.
"Astronomy is neat," Physics Department Chair Steven Sahyun said. "We hope to share our knowledge with the rest of the university and the community."
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global effort started by the International Astronomical Union and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery," according to the IYA2009 Web site.
The worldwide celebration commemorates astronomy and its contributions to society and culture. It marks the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei.
The focus of the celebration is to inspire a global interest, especially among young people, in astronomy, engineering and mathematics.
UW-Whitewater's participation in the International Year of Astronomy is marked by special lectures in the Whitewater Observatory Lecture series and by a traveling exhibition of specially prepared astronomical images.
The exhibit, "From Earth to the Universe," is a collection of 40 images of galaxies, planets and other astronomical objects and is on public display in the first-floor lobby of Upham Hall through Nov. 23.
UW-Madison astronomy graduate student Laura Trouille was awarded a NASA International Year of Astronomy Ambassador grant to create an astronomical picture exhibit for Wisconsin audiences.
The display features images related to research by Wisconsin astronomers and others and showcases beautiful observations made by the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, as well as ground-based telescopes around the world.
"I think these talks and events are interesting, fun and informative," Sahyun said.
The Whitewater Observatory Lecture series is a regular scheduled sequence of events for the physics department.
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