Astronomy Day activities encourage interest in outer space

Space enthusiasts shared the stars with mammoth fossils Saturday.

It was Astronomy Day, an annual day designed to provide interaction between astronomy clubs, space enthusiasts and the general public near the first quarter moon of the year. The day has been recognized since 1973.

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, members of the Prairie Land Astronomy Club and other UNL student organizations sat behind interactive games and booths at the Nebraska State University Museum in Morrill Hall.

But, there was something a little different about Astronomy Day this year: NASA programs aimed to gain experience working in space are being canceled or dramatically altered, and America's role in the future of space exploration is unknown.

"(NASA) is one of those things that need to be funded," said Randy Parde, a manufacturer from Ceresco who was at the event with his family. "Not just for the good of the country but for all mankind."

But the event, attended by 628, didn't have a gloomy air of uncertainty to it. It was mostly filled with kids looking at telescopes, playing flight simulators and asking questions about space. A basic hovercraft floated children around the second floor of the museum.

Everyone, regardless of age, seemed more educated and interested in space than previous years, said Mark Dahmke, a software designer and member of the Prairie Land Astronomy Club. He sat behind a scaled version of the solar system and talked to people about the planets' sizes and orbits and the general vastness of the Milky Way.

"Last year, half the kids didn't recognize Saturn," he said. "This year they seem to be more aware."

The most commonly asked question: Is Pluto a planet?

"My position is that the universe doesn't care how we classify it," he said.

But officially it's a dwarf planet, he tells them.

A life-sized picture of Nebraska astronaut Clay Anderson was propped against the corner on the first floor. Jack Dunn, the director of the planetarium, got the replica made for a launch party for Anderson's family and other guests.

Dunn has seen both of Anderson's launches from the space station and credits Anderson for some of the enthusiasm seen at the Astronomy Day celebration. But he said there is not as much curiosity in outer space as there should be.

"(Anderson) does have an effect. But I wish he had more of an effect," he said. "When I was on the flight home from the launch, I had my laptop open and there was a picture of Buzz Aldrin on it and the lady next to me said, ‘Isn't he the guy from Dancing With the Stars?'"

Trinity Christofferson, a 7-year-old from Tekamah, rode the hovercraft but thought the best display came from the UNL physics department. Students created a vacuum in a long tube with a pingpong ball in it. Then they poked the back of the tube and air rushed in, making a loud popping sound not normally heard in a museum, and the ball rushed out of the front of the tube and crushed a pop can.

"We come down to this every year," said Andy Christofferson, Trinity's father. "The kids get to interact (at the booths), and we can see the rest of the museum. It's a good family outing."

ryanboetel@
dailynebraskan.com