Flagstaff Festival of Science Week Begins

It is the beginning if the Flagstaff Festival of Science week- 10 days of events focused on promoting science, engineering, and exploration. We started our week by visiting Lowell Observatory for a member preview of their new Giovale Open Deck Observatory (GODO) which will officially open to the public on October 5th. The new observing plaza features six advanced telescopes individually selected to showcase the many wonders of the night sky. 

The Giovale Open Deck Observatory also features daytime exhibits that highlight the science of spectroscopy, the types of telescopes astronomers use and how to preserve dark skies in Arizona and beyond. A set of six plinths along the perimeter of the observing plaza align to the locations of the sun during sunrise and sunset on the equinoxes and solstices. We enjoyed viewing Jupiter, Saturn, the Ring Nebula, the Swan Nebula, and the Andromeda Galaxy tonight. We look forward to going back again in the daylight to admire the exhibits that could not be seen in the dark. Ash and I also enjoyed the spectroscopy exhibit identifying the different elements present in stellar absorption and emission spectra. 

The observation deck was really cool in that the whole building retracted to reveal the telescopes to the sky  

Yay spectroscopy!!!!

Viewing Saturn with Jupiter bright in the foreground. 

Greg would have loved this. He would have loved seeing and hearing his nephews’ enthusiasm as they looked through the telescopes, spotted constellations, satellites and shooting stars, and interacted with the astronomers. Greg was in my thoughts the whole night. This Bob Dylan quote at the exhibit tonight really hit home. 

It is fitting that the picture collage that I made of he and I together arrived earlier today. G- I love you to the moon and back and see you in the stars.