FLAGSTAFF, AZ
Northern
Arizona University Seminars
Northern Arizona University is located in Flagstaff and serves a student population of nearly 25,000. At 6,600 ft, visitors enjoy much milder weather than the southern part of the state, with summer temps in the 60s and 70s. The college has first-rate STEM faculty and departments, and we’ve worked with them to schedule summer workshop experiences that challenge and engage.
You can find almost anything in Flagstaff, from four-star restaurants to funky, natural food cafes, from cowboy bars to bookstores, and more. Area attractions include the Lowell Observatory, Grand Canyon (90 min), Meteor Crater (60 min), Painted Desert and Petrified Forest Natural Parks (120 minutes), and if you really miss the heat, Phoenix is just a two-hour drive.
Introductory Astronomy
News item, December 2006: NASA recently announced the departure
of the Consoler probe, destined to gently break the news of Pluto's demotion
to dwarf status. "After all, Pluto has been a valued planet for many
years," said a NASA spokesperson, "we didn’t think it was right to
announce it via an impersonal radio beacon." [The Onion, 12/16/07]
OK, so the news story is made-up. But this course is the real deal!
You’ll learn about basic astronomy in the region where Pluto was really discovered, near NAU in Flagstaff! The course will cover
content from three basic strands – celestial motion, light and telescopes,
and comparative planetology. At the end of this five-day course, each
participant should be able to:
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Participants will engage their own misconceptions about the movements of the sun, earth and moon, and a combination of hands-on activities and engaging content development sessions will round out daily instruction. And we’ve scheduled serious night telescope time as an integral part of the course (note: bring warm clothes, it gets cold at night in Flagstaff, even in the summer).
| Sun July 6 | Arrive in Flagstaff |
| Mon July 7 | Celestial motion, Private
Universe, sun-earth survey, reasons for the seasons I, evening
telescope viewing |
| Tues July 8 | Reasons for the seasons II,
solar motion, predicting shadows, phases of the moon, tracking the
moon through the sky, evening telescope viewing |
| Wed July 9 | Light and telescopes I and
II, properties of light, lenses as magnifiers, cameras, different
telescope designs |
| Thurs July 10 | Solar system inventory, scale
and organization, planets and dwarf planets, Moons of Jupiter, geologic
processes, cratering, stratigraphy |
| Fri July 11 | Field trip to Meteor and Sunset
craters, comparative planetology |
| Sat July 12 | Depart for home |
Note: The course has been scheduled around the new moon (July 3)
for best possible conditions for night viewing.
About the Instructors
Dr. Kathy Eastwood is a professor of Physics and Astronomy at NAU. She directs both the NAU Research Experiences for Undergraduates site and the National Undergraduate Research Observatory. Her research interests include observational studies of the evolution of massive stars. Kathy was recently awarded a Fulbright to teach astronomy students in Chile.
Dr. Nadine Barlow is an associate professor of Physics and Astronomy at NAU. Nadine is NAU’s resident “Martian”, and is a recognized expert on martian impact craters. She actively involves both undergraduate and graduate students in research projects through her NASA grants, NASA Space Grant, and the Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs.
Seminar Cost: $2,360*All participants stay in NAU halls of residence. There is a discount for those not needing air travel, contact LAB-AIDS for more information.
| RESERVE YOUR PLACE NOW by calling Ayse Frosina at 800 381-8003 Ext 120 or Dr. Mark Koker at Ext 142 |
>> Download Application Here <<
* Prices shown are for applications received by May 1, 2008. Applications received after May 1 will incur an additional $200 fee to cover the increased cost of air travel.
