What's Out There? Exploring Our Universe
December 12, 2009 - February 22, 2010
Contrary to its name, space is not empty! In this Changing Exhibition, visitors investigate the planets and other objects in our solar system. Also, there's a little glimpse into the life of an astronaut.
“We are really excited about a loan from Johnson Space Center,” said Anna Grace, exhibit coordinator. “This is a rare opportunity to see real artifacts from the space shuttle program: a space shuttle helmet used for launch and re-entry, and an EVA glove used for extra-vehicular activity. These are a great slice of America’s space exploration history.”
Additional specimens include:
- A slice of the Allende meteorite, which hit Earth in 1969. Scientists believe it was originally the size of an automobile and traveled at more than 10 miles per second.
- A piece of the skin from Apollo 11’s Columbia command module. The mission carried the first humans to set foot on the moon. It, too, is from 1969.
- A piece of tile from a space shuttle
- Real food samples from NASA’s astronaut meal program.
All these will be on display in the space and astronomy exhibition, but the “real” fun comes as you engage in the hands-on science activities. Some examples:
- Remotely drive a model Mars rover over a simulated Martian
landscape using a wireless video camera
- Step onto a unique lever to estimate your weight on other planets
- Simulate a meteor dropping into a bin of sand to observe how its mass affects its resulting impact.
One of the most fun exhibits may well be the rocket design station, well-suited to anyone who likes to make paper airplanes. “You design and make your own paper rocket,” Grace said. “Then you can launch it, using a gizmo like a stomp rocket, into an enclosure made of 420 square feet of netting. How cool is that?”
In January, the Davis Astronomy Club sponsored by Explorit will meet in the exhibition space. The gathering will feature a presentation by Kim Stanley Robinson, a science fiction novelist who lives in Davis. The talk will be free and open to the public at 7 p.m. Jan. 16.
