(Intended to enhance your general science education with respect to Astronomy)
**One of the following activities must be completed by November 30, 2006**
Visit one of the astronomical observatories or planetariums listed below, preferably in the evening. You may carry out this visit individually or with classmates or family. Peruse the exhibits and observe the program for that night. If possible, utilize one of the telescopes made available to the public. Upon your return, write a short (one page or less) summary outlining where and when you visited and what you learned that was of personal interest and relevant to the GSC 116 course.
John Drescher Planetarium; Santa Monica College; www.smc.edu/planetarium
You may purchase advance tickets to special lectures or shows for $5 ($8 for double feature) through the web link at: events.smc.edu/planetarium.html
Special shows, lectures, or programs are scheduled on Friday evenings at 7PM and/or 8PM
Griffith Observatory; www.griffithobservatory.org The main observatory is still closed for renovations, however, a temporary satellite facility is open in Griffith Park. Special events and star parties are frequently advertised
UCLA Planetarium and Telescope Shows; http://www.astro.ucla.edu/planetarium/
Tele: (310) 825-4434
Free public planetarium shows (suitable for all ages) are given by UCLA professors, post-doctoral researchers, and current graduate students on Wednesday evenings. All Planetarium shows start precisely at 8:00 PM and last 45-60 minutes. Telescope viewing (on clear nights) begins at 9:00 PM. Get there early; parking can be difficult.
Mt. Wilson Observatory; www.mwoa.org/tour.html
Grounds open to public Saturday and Sunday 10AM-4PM all year; free guided walking tours at 1PM Saturday and Sunday between April and October. Or you can take a self-guided tour of the facility and museum.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory; www.jpl.nasa.gov
Public tours of the NASA facility are offered to groups or individuals. This commonly includes a multi-media presentation. You must make reservations in advance. Go to the main JPL web site, select Events, then JPL Tours
Also check out links to other local planetariums listed at
Option B Special Lecture or Museum visit
You may attend a special lecture or attend a local museum that focuses on any relevant topic of astronomy. Upon your return, write a short (one page or less) summary outlining where and when you visited and what you learned that was of personal interest and relevant to the GSC 116 course. Special opportunities may be announced in class. For example:
JPL’s von Karman lecture series presents:
“Advanced Technology for Life Detection and Biology” Thursday and Friday, Oct 12-13,
“Black Holes in the Universe” Thursday and Friday, Nov 16-17,
Here are some places to search for current astronomy lectures, open to the public:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory www.jpl.nasa.gov
Jon Drescher Planetarium www.smc.edu/planetarium
UCLA www.astro.ucla.edu/planetarium/
Local Astronomical Organizations-- Certain local amateur astronomy clubs periodically hold stargazing sessions. Join one of these groups for a fun-filled activity.
Also try links to local Astronomy Clubs at: www.smc.edu/planetarium
Option D Written Research Report—Choose an astronomy topic that is of interest to you, then carry out basic research and write a succinct report in your own words. It is unacceptable to cut and paste text from various web sites. An introduction, body, and conclusion should be easily discernable to the reader. This report should include two pages of text (typed) in addition to at least 3 images. Position the images within the text at appropriate places where related information is discussed. Be sure your illustrations have captions that indicate source of the image. Write your own captions. Base your report on at least three references, all of which must be listed in a bibliography. Cite each reference within the text of your report where appropriate. You may use books, magazines, newspapers, TV documentaries, and the Internet as resources.
Option E Oral Research Presentation-- Choose an astronomy topic that is of interest to you, then carry out basic research and put together a brief (10 minute maximum) talk to be presented to the GSC116 class. Your talk should be integrated with one or two visual aids or images. You may use the AV equipment available in the classroom. Please see instructor before mid-quarter to schedule your presentation. No write-up is required.