Magazine sky and telescope1/6/2024 ![]() ![]() James Spann, Chief Scientist at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, gave the keynote address, “2017 Eclipse across America through the Eyes of NASA”. GRA Adam Croft controlled a telescope outside the observatory that allowed participants to view the sun, also.ĭr. Guests viewed the sun through a telescope in the new solar observatory where graduate research assistants (GRA), Katrina Sweetland and Andrew Broadbent demonstrated how the telescope operated. ![]() He discussed why the sun is so hot how solar activity effects the Earth’s climate solar flares effect on human space exploration and predicting solar weather. “The Sun’s corona extends millions of kilometers into space and is most easily seen during a total solar eclipse,” said Crews. ![]() Crews showed a slide about the layers of the sun and discussed the corona, the aura of plasma that surrounds the sun. Lionel Crews, Director of Chemistry & Physics at UT Martin, gave a prologue to solar astrophysics with his presentation, “The Sun in 20 Minutes or Less”. Mark Whorton, Executive Director of UTSI, addressed the audience and gave a presentation entitled, “Why all the fuss about getting to orbit?” Whorton discussed the rocket equation and the challenges of getting into orbit.ĭr. Carole Thomas, UTSI Stem Manager, who was instrumental in coordinating and securing funds to build the new solar observatory at UTSI, welcomed guests.ĭr. Over 100 tourists representing 5 nations and 21 US states, ranging in ages from an 11 year old from Scottsdale, AZ to an 87 year old from Hollywood, CA, heard talks about why it is hard to get to space, how the sun works, why we study it and how the desire of a childhood dream came to reality. The Sky & Telescope Magazine’s Great American Eclipse Tour group visited the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) on Saturday, August 19 to tour the new solar observatory and to hear lectures. Sky & Telescope participants waiting to enter the solar observatory to view the sun. ![]()
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