Author: Roland Roberts
PS102 TV Turnoff Week Stargazing – CANCELLED
Due to poor weather, tonights event is being canceled. I am an optimist at heart, but the forecast is now for cloudy all the rest of today and overnight. The original announcement is below, but the event is canceled. We’ll be hosting the annual stargazing event in Shore Road Park on Sunday evening from 8:00-9:30 …
Free Poster: 7 Myths about High School Physics
Well, they’re really only free if you print your own, but you can do that by downloading the PDF from posters section on the APS web site.
Physics Central Web Site
I guess this falls into the “how far behind are you in your reading” category. The December issue of APS News reported that Physics Central was a finalist in the web awards from the Institue of Physics after a redesign late last year. PhysicsBuzz was listed as a finalist in the “Best Blog” category. I …
Water Pressure Experiment
Usually I’m blogging about astronomy, but the March issue of Science and Children had an article “Water Pressure in Depth” that covers an experiment that is part of the Webelos scientist activity pin, and something I have done with Webelos. They turn the simple demonstration activity into an inquiry activity. They also use plastic milk …
Easy Moon Phase Model
I just saw this one in the March issue of Science and Children, and it’s something I definitely have to incorporate into the moon phase activities I do with the kids. The original comes from the Top Science web site, and while I’ve enjoyed their short ads in the magazine, I never looked at their …
Supermoon? Well, sort of….
I’ve had several people ask me whether I went out to look at the full moon on March 19. Uhm, no, I didn’t. Why not? After all, it made the local (radio) news as “supermoon” since it was going to be closest it has been in nearly 20 years. First, while there are astronomers who …
Spring 2011
It’s been a while since we had an astronomy club at PS102, but we’re back! Most of the sessions are repeats but since the original class that took them is now in 7th grade, that shouldn’t bother you. In fact, you’re getting a better deal since it means the activities are tried, improved, and in …
MESSENGER Orbital Insertion around Mercury
On March 17, MESSENGER will finally settle into orbit around Mercury. While Mercury seems, in most people’s minds, one of the well-known inner planets, this is the first spacecraft sent explicitly to probe the planet. Details, including a link to view a live webcast during the insertion, are available at the MESSENGER web site.
Rockland Astronomy Club Summer Star Party
The annual family camping and summer star party sponsored by the Rockland Astronomy Club and held at Shady Pines campground in Savoy, MA will be held Jul. 29-Aug 7. Details can be found at http://www.rocklandastronomy.com/SSP/index.html.
North East Astronomy Forum
The 20th annual North East Astronomy Forum will be held at Rockland Community College in Suffern, NY. As usual, the two-day event will include well over 100 vendors, an open to the public solar observing session (weather permitting), numerous speakers, and hourly children’s activities. Children under 16 are admitted free with a paying adult. More …