The National Radio Astronomy Observatory-Very Large
Array (NRAO) and The Albuquerque Astronomical Society (TAAS), in
partnership with the City of Albuquerque's Open Space Division and the
Explora Science Center, will present a free astronomy event for girls
aged 8 to 18 entitled "She is an Astronomer" on Sunday, August 9, from
1:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Open Space Visitor Center on Albuquerque's
west side.
"She is an Astronomer" will feature a variety of hands-on science
activities and demonstrations, planetarium shows every half hour, and,
weather permitting, telescope viewing of the Sun. Girls will meet and
interact with some of New Mexico's top female astronomers and
scientists, who will be staffing activity stations. Educators from the
Explora Science Center and female amateur astronomers from TAAS will
also present activities.
To support the event theme, "Astronomy is Women's Work," a selection
of activity stations will take a myth-busting approach to traditional
female roles. These stations are: "Doing Dishes" (radio astronomy);
"Looking in the Mirror" (optical astronomy); "Cooking Light"
(astrophotography, the spectrum); "Applying Mineral Make-up"
(planetary geology, meteoritics, astrobiology); and "Sweeping the
Universe" (sky surveys, building models of the universe). Girls who
visit all five of these stations will receive an astronomy-related
keepsake.
The Open Space Visitor Center is located at
Coors Boulevard and Bosque Meadows Road, between Paseo del Norte and
Montano Road. For event information and directions, call 505-261-0040 or
visit the event
Web page.
