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National Radio Astronomy Observatory - The Very Large Array

National Radio Astronomy Observatory - Very Large Array

The last stop on our 2015 holiday excursion was to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory - also known as the Very Large Array (VLA). It is an amazing site that covers a large area in Southwestern New Mexico. While there I was fortunate enough to take a video of the dishes changing tracking alignments as they went about their constant research. If you have seen the original TV series "Cosmos," the movie "Contact," or many other shows or movies you will have seen the iconic radio telescope dishes spread across the New Mexico desert patiently canvasing the skies for astronomical secrets. The VLA consists of 28 identical radio telescope antenna dishes - each one about 82 feet in diameter - on movable bases that are carried along special "Y"-shaped series of railroad tracks expanding 23 miles in each direction. The dishes are moved into a series of four different configurations depending on the objects being studied. Radio telescopes can conduct their research rain or shine, day or night.  

In the late 1920s, Bell Laboratories began planning a system of transatlantic wireless communications. They needed to know about sources of radio waves that might interfere with their plans, and put a young physicist, Karl Guthe Jansky, on to the task. In 1930, Jansky built his now famous “merry-go-round,” a bridge-like structure that held antenna wires set on a spinning base. A motor turned his merry-go-round throughout the day and night to listen for radio static interference, and indeed, he found plenty coming from distant thunderstorms …and the center of our Galaxy.

A radio antenna had shockingly discovered radio waves coming from space, turning it into a radio wave detecting telescope. And that’s how we came to call our field of science radio astronomy!

The VLA site and Visitor Center are open daily from 8:30am until sunset. The only exceptions may be the weather.  The Very Large Array Radio Telescope facility is a two hour drive from Albuquerque, 50 miles west of Socorro, New Mexico. The Visitor Center features an award-winning film narrated by Jodie Foster, plus exhibits describing radio astronomy and the VLA telescope. A self-guided walking tour path features large, informative signs and takes you to the base of one of the giant dish antennas where you can appreciate the true size of the antenna dishes and watch it slowly track across the sky.

Admission is $6.00 for adults, $5.00 for Seniors (65+), ages 17 and under are free. Socorro & Catron County Resident Adult bringing out-of-town paying guest is free. On the first Saturday of each month, enjoy "First Saturday Guided Tours" at 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00. No reservations are required, simply show up at the VLA Visitor Center 15 minutes before the desired tour time. 


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118884/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52QLi8x_eFMA2NUB9sTfLA
http://www.vla.nrao.edu

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

While on our New Mexico holiday adventure our next stop was the National Museum of Nuclear Science and Industry in Albuquerque.  The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History is a  resource for the history and science of the military and civilian nuclear program in the United States. The museum includes a variety of scale models of nuclear weapons, exhibits from the Manhattan Program (including a scale model of "the gadget" detonated at the Trinity test on July 16th 1945 at Trinity Site in New Mexico ushering in the Atomic Age), and exhibits of civilian and medicinal uses of the Atom. The exterior yard includes military aircraft (e.g. B-52, B-47, B-29, F-16), missiles (e.g. MX, Peacekeeper, Titan II, Minuteman, Thor, Polaris, cruise missiles), as well as a 280mm Atomic Cannon (fascinating in itself).  The Museum was chartered by Congress in 1991 as the official Atomic Museum of the United States and includes many educational exhibits on nuclear energy as well as the legion of scientists who worked to understand and unleash the power of the Atom. And ... as always ... exciting through the gift shop is a welcome treat for geeks!

http://www.nuclearmuseum.org

Los Alamos, New Mexico - The Manhattan Project National Historic Park

Los Alamos National Labs

This holiday season my family traveled to Los Alamos, New Mexico to explore the birthplace of "Trinity" (the first atomic weapon) as a supplement to watching the outstanding WGN America TV series "Manhattan" which just concluded it's second season. Los Alamos is located in Northwestern New Mexico and the journey from Albuquerque through Santa Fe and then up to the labs in the mountains can be beautiful itself. The "downtown" historical district is just a few square blocks but contains a lot of important history to view.

Our first site to see was the Bradbury Science Museum, named for one of the head scientists - Noris Bradbury - who helped guide Los Alamos after the end of WWII. After entering into WW2 (and fearing Germany was already working on an atomic weapon) the US began a secret project, code named the Manhattan Project, to build an atomic weapon. The "Manhattan" (@manhattanWGN, #ManhattanWGA) TV series does a great job chronicling the development of the atomic bomb from the perspective of the scientists and their families who moved out to the "middle of nowhere" - only known as Post Office Box 1663, Santa Fe - and were not able to know what their spouses / parents were working on day and night. Robert Oppenheimer is known as the "father of the atomic bomb" and you can see his house and many artifacts of his work at Los Alamos during this fascinating era. Once he came to understand the full implications of what he had helped create, however, he spent the rest of his life trying to stop any use of the weapon (which itself is a fascinating story). The museum contains many fascinating exhibits about Los Alamos (before and after it became a research lab), the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project, and some of the research they conduct for both military and civilian projects today. 

In Los Alamos you can see the current Los Alamos National Lab (you can see the gate, but cannot get onto the lab grounds). The Fuller Lodge which began as a boys school eventually would become housing for members of the Manhattan Project including visiting scientists - many Nobel Prize laureates - and General Leslie Groves (the top military leader of the Manhattan Project -- a project so secret that even Harry Truman, Vice President of the US, did not know about it until FDR died suddenly mere months before the initial test of the bomb). The tour and museum presents a balanced view of the history of the development of the atomic bomb and the civilian uses of atomic energy and worth a visit and discussion on the drive home. If you enjoy hiking there are many excellent locations including the Bandelier National Monument nearby.

http://www.lanl.gov

http://www.lanl.gov/museum/visit/about-museum.php

http://www.visitlosalamos.org/the-manhattan-project-national-historical-park/

Kartchner Caverns

Kartchner Caverns

A few months ago my family and I went to tour the Kartchner Caverns, South of Tucson, AZ. We had a wonderful day trip and explored Tombstone on an extended loop back home. There are several points of interest there... but that's another blog.

Kartchner Cavern is a living cave, meaning it is still an ecologically and geologically active cave environment. The cave has an average temperature of 72° Fahrenheit (22° Celsius) and 99% humidity year-round. There are a series of doors used to control access and keep the cave environment stable. Most areas are dimly lit and some passages may pass through narrow or enclosed areas. The cave has been carefully developed to provide a stunning tour highlighting the various geologic formations within the cave system and yet preserve the fragile cave environment. Our tour included the Throne Room which included a dramatic light show highlighting the various features of the cave throughout. 

There are several options for tours. The tour we chose has been open since 1999 and is half of a mile in length and takes approximately an hour and a half to complete, 50 minutes of which is underground. The park guide was very knowledgeable as to the history of the cave from current state, to its discovery in the 1970s, and its geologic history.  Be sure to check your Arizona forecast though - the day we went we were unprepared for snow and while it may be warm in the cave the outside park was quite chilly. 

Sadly pictures are not allowed inside cavern except for special photography tours. The visitor center includes a lot of exhibits to make up for the lack of pictures in the cave. 

Enjoy the adventure!

http://azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA/tour_info.html

ASU Gammage -- Bill Nye the Science Guy -- Family "Geek Out" Fun

Bill Nye -- "Your Place in Space" hosted by ASU's NewSpace

Recently my family and I had the pleasure of seeing Bill Nye the Science Guy at ASU Gammage.  The venue was "Sold Out", and with good reason. Bill Nye is as informative and inspiring as he is entertaining.  The evening started with Bill Nye talking about his family's contribution to science growing up and his father's passion for Sun Dials which Bill was able to carry forward and have them included on the Mars rovers Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity but not to tell time - they are used to calibrate the cameras using the Sun's shadow on the gnomon. He then made a passionate presentation about the importance of funding space exploration and supporting the Planetary Society. Bill Nye is VERY funny and does a great job communicating science to the young and old. The second half of the evening was a panel discussion about how people, young and old, scientist and lay-people, can get involved in the modern space era. The panel was moderated by Planetary Society President Dr. James Bell and included representatives from education, space research institutions, and private industry who are leading the next phase in space exploration. If you ever get a chance to see Bill Nye or Dr. James Bell in person, do it.  

Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Colossal Cave Mountain Park

I took my family on a tour of the Colossal Cave in Southern Tucson and we enjoyed descending into a geologic treasure with rich history.  The regular tour is about a half mile long and generally takes about an hour with several stops where the guide shares details about the cave's geologic formation, use by bandits in the late 1800's, and its development by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s (as part of the Works Project Administration during the Great Depression).  The tour guides are wonderful -- there is so much history here (including a story about how the caves were a location for filming a special Sesame Street episode)!  No special clothing needed, the cave always stays a comfortable 70 degrees year round. I would recommend good shoes though - it may only be a half mile, but, it is cave with some uneven footing. 

Take a camera as pictures are welcome. From the posters you will even see that quite a few movies were filmed here. Even Big Bird had an adventure here when Sesame Street was here back in the 70's. The gift shop has a lot of cool treasures for any budding geologist and patches for Girl Scouts afflicted with "patch fever." ;-)

If you are feeling very adventurous there are a few other tours available -- Daytime Ladder Tour, Night Time Ladder Tour with Optional Dinner, Wild Cave Tour and a Candlelight Tour. The caves are near Kartchner Caverns State Park which will be our next tour. 


http://colossalcave.com
Colossal Cave Mountain Park
16721 E. Old Spanish Trail
Vail, AZ 85641