PROJECT DOWN UNDER PALMDALE STUDENTS TO OPERATE TELESCOPE IN AUSTRALIA.Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer PALMDALE - Palmdale School District's $66,000 telescope has been shipped to Australia, and school officials hope to have it up and running for local students to operate by computer by early next year. Jeremy Amarant, district planetarium planetarium, optical device used to project a representation of the heavens onto a domed ceiling; the term also designates the building that houses such a device. A modern planetarium consists of as many as 150 motor-driven projectors mounted on an axis. director, returned last week from a two-week trip to Australia to check on the progress of the observatory being built atop a college physics building. ``I wanted to meet with the faculty, check out the site, see the plans, see how it's going to sit and make sure everything is going to work properly,'' Amarant said. ``I wanted to help them understand how to set it up properly.'' Amarant's trip was funded by an Australian grant as part of the country's National Science Week. He traveled 800 miles around the nation and gave talks at five schools. The telescope, which was sent to Australia in July, will be ready to operate in the spring semester, Amarant said. The observatory building is being constructed at James Cook University Situated in the tropical gardens of the campus, the halls of residence provide students with modern social and sporting facilities as well as the opportunity to choose between catered or self-catered accommodation. in Townsville, situated on the northeastern coastline of Queensland. Palmdale School District The Palmdale School District is a school district that serves a major part of the city of Palmdale, California (USA). The Palmdale School District was first formed in 1888. Approximately 28,000 students are enrolled in the Palmdale School District. has been working on the telescope project for some five years. In 1999, officials intended to lease a telescope in Australia, but said they later found it would be more affordable to buy one instead. For a time, Palmdale officials worked with the Mount Wilson Observatory Mount Wilson Observatory, astronomical observatory located in California on Mt. Wilson, near Pasadena. Mt. Wilson Observatory was founded in 1904 by George E. Hale. Its equipment includes 100-in. (2.5-m) and 60-in. (1. telescope education program, but backed out because they said that was taking too long. As part of the project, the district upgraded its $26,000 telescope to make it fully robotic. The district paid for the improvements with a $40,000 state grant. The school district is doing the telescope project in conjunction with the Lawrence Hall of Science The Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) is a public science center featuring hands-on exhibits and activities. Located in the hills above the University of California, Berkeley campus, LHS is also a resource center for preschool through high school science and mathematics education. at the University of California at Berkeley (body, education) University of California at Berkeley - (UCB) See also Berzerkley, BSD. http://berkeley.edu/. Note to British and Commonwealth readers: that's /berk'lee/, not /bark'lee/ as in British Received Pronunciation. . Advisers at the Lawrence Hall of Science resource center have developed a math and science curriculum for students in preschool through high school, as well as a public science center offering hands-on experiences for learners of all ages. Established in 1968 at Berkeley in honor of Ernest O. Lawrence, the University of California's first Nobel laureate Noun 1. Nobel Laureate - winner of a Nobel prize Nobelist laureate - someone honored for great achievements; figuratively someone crowned with a laurel wreath , the hall is a leader in developing innovative educational materials and programs. Karen Maeshiro, (661) 267-5744 karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com |
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