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Paper: Progress on Creating the Galileoscope for the International Year of Astronomy 2009
Volume: 400, Preparing for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy: A Hands-on Symposium
Page: 133
Authors: Pompea, S.M.; Fienberg, R.T.; Arion, D.N.; Smith, T.C.; Isbell, D.
Abstract: For the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009), we have designed an educational program based on understanding the basic principles of telescopes and using telescopes for astronomical observations. As part of this program, we have designed an educational telescope kit that can be assembled by students and used to observe the Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn from urban environments. A premise of the project is that for students, the building of their own telescope is far better than getting an assembled one. The Galileoscope is designed to create “Wow!” experiences in kids when viewing Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon. With the Galileoscope, Galileo’s observations can be easily duplicated across the country, even in major cities. We have designed the Galileoscope and its associated educational materials for use in a wide variety of educational environments including planetariums, small science and nature centers, classrooms, and amateur astronomy clubs.
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