Astronomy Night on the National Mall Brings the Universe Down to Earth

Saturday, April 28, 2012   7 – 11 pm, Washington Monument NE, 15th Street and Constitution Ave. (rain/cloud date April 29th)
Largest Astronomy Event in the History of the National Mall
Bringing Astronomy to the Public – A Washington, DC Tradition

In Washington, DC, on Saturday evening, April 28 on National Astronomy Day, guided tours of the Capitol, monuments, and museums will give way to free guided tours of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars as the third annual Astronomy Night on the National Mall, sponsored by Hofstra University and co-sponsored by theUSA Science and Engineering Festival, takes place from 7 to 11 pm. This astronomical extravaganza will feature telescopic viewing, exhibits, hands-on activities, a multimedia presentation, the ability to take images of the Moon or Saturn with an iPhone, and a chance to mingle with real astronomers.  NASA Astronaut and Associate Administrator for Science John Grunsfeld will talk about space and answer questions.  In case of inclement weather, the event will be held on Sunday, April 29th.

Dr. Donald Lubowich, Coordinator of Astronomy Outreach at Hofstra University, is organizing this free public star gazing event. “Bringing Hofstra’s program to the National Mall and partnering with astronomical organizations gives us a special opportunity to encourage children to pursue their interest in science or math and to promote public understanding of science,” said Dr. Lubowich. “Gazing at the rings of Saturn or the Moon’s craters and mountains captures the imagination, no matter how old you are.”

Dr. Lubowich and local volunteers from the National Capital Astronomers, the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club, the Astronomical Association of Greenbelt, the Goddard Astronomy Club, will set up fifteen telescopes on the Mall.  Starting at 7 pm., visitors will be able to view sunspots with the help of specially filtered telescopes.   After dusk and until 11 p.m. telescopes will provide close-up views of the first-quarter Moon, Saturn with its beautiful rings, Jupiter and its moons, Venus, Mars, colorful double stars, and star clusters that sparkle like diamonds on black velvet.  Thanks to science educators and Marc Spiegel and K. Lynn King, visitors will get to meet two important figures from scientific history: Albert Einstein and astronomer Caroline Herschel (the first modern female astronomer and the sister of William, who discovered Uranus).

Representatives from some of the nation’s foremost astronomical institutions will be on hand to present exciting demonstrations and activities and to answer questions about careers in science, celestial objects and events, and the latest astronomical discoveries including: the American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Astronomy Magazine, Astronomy Outreach Foundation, International Dark-Sky Association, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics/Chandra X-ray Center, Hubble Space Telescope (Space Telescope Science Institute), NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical Sciences,  and  the NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

Dr. Lubowich also runs Hofstra’s very successful NASA-funded Music and Astronomy Under the Stars program, which takes telescopes to concertgoers on Long Island, and at the Ravinia Music Festival, Highland Park, Il outside Chicago. For more information and the 2012 schedule for Astronomy and Music Under the Stars, visit http://www.hofstra.edu/music&astronomy.