SCIOS June 2009 by STAWA

ISSN ISSN 0157-6488 0157-6488

SCIOS

SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF W E S T E R N AU S T R A L I A

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ A SSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Volume 45 Number 2 June 2009

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Contents

Inside this issue . . . EDITORIAL

BOOK REVIEW – Universe

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT

Earth Science Western Australia Launch

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

NEWS

JOURNAL EDITOR Rachel Sheffield

International Year of Astonomy

Western Australia is a State among the stars – April 2009

Astronomy WA Collaborative

Edith Cowan University EDITORIAL BOARD

General Public Viewing Opportunities

The wonders of Space

Planning an Astronomy Night

How to organise / run an astronomy night

Gravity gets you down

The Great Egg-stonaut Challenge

Astronomy WA Space Camp 2009 – A Poets Diary

Stars Online!

Astronomy Poster

Australia and the SKA

Fundamental Physics and the Next Generation Radio Telescope, the Square Kilometre Array

Ilgarijiri – “things belonging to the sky”

Lesley Glass

Planet Lottery @ Perth Observatory

Ballajura Community College

Zadko zeroes in on space debris

The Hunt for Gravity Waves!

Black hole born to WA scientists

Astonomy Online

Window to the Universe: The Square Kilometre Array

Out There: Year Tens Catch Space Bug

Astonomical Telescopes – Which one should I buy?

HEADS UP ON SCIENCE WITH SCIENCE NETWORK WA

Frank Dymond Primary Science Committee Mirline Dzieciol Gravity Discovery Centre Rosemary Evans Duncraig SHS

Jennifer Pearson Edith Cowan University George Przywolnik Curriculum Council

Curtin University of Technology

Julie-Anne Smith

University of Western Australia

Perth Zoo

Murdoch University

Guidelines for Authors STAWA Council 2009

40 IBC

_________________________________________________ This journal aims to promote the teaching of science with a focus on classroom practice. It provides a means of communication between teachers, consultants and other science educators. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the various authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Western Australian Science Teachers’ Association or the editorial advisory committee.

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

David Treagust Curtin University Shelley Yeo Curtin University

Editorial This issue contains a wonderful range of interesting articles on Astronomy to celebrate International Year of Astronomy. We have articles ranging from a gravity investigation by Mason Scaffardi, a Year 9 student at Ballajura Community College, to a series of articles by respected Astronomers and words from our own WA Chief Scientist Professor Lyn Beasley. We have several articles to encourage teachers to run their own astronomy nights, viewing tips, useful websites and one article to help you buy your own telescope. We also have some photos and poetry from Space Camp and the Out There exhibition. We also have the latest update on the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and some amazing exclusive photos from famous photographer David Marlin.

Mr Paul Nicholls from Scitech has been amazing; he volunteered

For this issue I only take the credit for finding the passionate and well connected science educator who has created the entire issue.

to bribe the committee with a nice white or red to prevent any

without too much grovelling and begging and has planned the articles to showcase the Western Australia’s Astronomy talent. He contacted and liaised with all the contributors and got the entire journal ready on time (that is an amazing feat). The committee and I would like to extend our thanks to Paul Nicholls and all the staff at Scitech for all his time and energy in producing this special edition of SCIOS. My apologies that we have not got the review of this year’s CONSTAWA ready for this issue. There is a large space reserved for all the exciting happenings at the conference in the next issue of SCIOS along with the photos. Anybody who might not want photos printed and I believe you know who you are; may wish

incriminating publication!

Book Review

Universe

Each chapter is supported by the wonderful commentary of Chief Consultant, Prof Fred Watson, 2007 Eureka Awards, Science Communicator of the Year and Astronomer in Charge of the Anglo-Australian Observatory at Coonabarabran. Prof Watson not only shares the science of the cosmos with the reader but in true science-communication style, ensures that information is presented in a manner digestible by the lay-audience.

Chief Consultant Professor Fred Watson Book review by Paul Nicholls Director Science Partnerships Scitech, Perth Western Australia Universe is one of the most diverse yet comprehensive books available on the cosmos combining modern knowledge of astronomy with cutting edge imagery and science. During the International Year of Astronomy 2009, teachers, students and the general public are looking up at the heavens through the expansive range of viewing opportunities being provided by astronomy related organisations. This heightened awareness of astronomy also means that online resources are providing further stimulation to enquiring minds but with the multitude of information out there, a book that organises this information in a meaningful and interesting way, is a must. Universe is the perfect companion for the inquisitive mind. Not only does it open up the Universe for the reader in a systematic and detailed way, it also provides a riveting historical perspective to astronomy and space exploration. Universe is organised into sections covering the Solar System, Stars, Galaxies, Modern Cosmology, the History of Astronomy and Space Exploration and as a bonus; a section on Observing the Stars. 2

Prof Watson’s commentary is well supported by imagery from all reaches of the world including the Hubble Telescope, Universities, Astro-Photographers, NASA and other image libraries. They include a mixture of illustrations of theoretical concepts, stunning telescope images, constellation fact sheets and star charts. A series of planetary tables adds further value to this resource. To ensure that this book is a must for everyone, the author has added a section of Stargazing – explaining how to use a telescope and star charts to unlock the mysteries of the sky. This combined with the core elements of the book make this a key tool in the teachers arsenal for motivating students interest in science – especially during this “The International Year of Astronomy 2009”. Universe with Bonus DVD & Poster Publication Date: Nov 9, 2007 580pp; 700+ photos; Hardback with slipcase RRP: $120 Publisher: ABC Books

THE JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Chief Executive Officer’s Report CONSTAWA 29: The theme of CONSTAWA 29 Spaced out on Science supported the 2009 International Year of Astronomy. Curtin University’s School of Agriculture and Environment, Muresk was a wonderful host and an ideal location for our conference. STAWA has been holding CONSTAWA at Muresk for the past 29 conferences as far as I can remember. I attended my first conference at Muresk way back in 1979. This as with all others that I have attended was a great success, providing a huge range of workshops, excellent professional networking opportunities and a friendly, energetic social program. Congratulations to the organising Committee lead by Jodie Rybicki and Geoff Lewis. Emeritus Professor John de Laeter, the Patron of STAWA headed the program. STAWA President Julie Weber outlined John’s contributions to science and science education in her introduction. This set the seen for an inspirational weekend. John’s keynote address highlighted programs and projects providing science education to Western Australians and scientific research findings to the rest of the world. John focussed on Earth Science WA, the science taking place at Gingin including The Gravity Discovery Centre and concluded with an insight into the work occurring at the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) and its radical new type of radio telescope. Thank you John and to all of the presenters who gave of their time and expertise to make this a memorable CONSTAWA. Membership: To become a member is easy and the rewards are many. To renew or join as a new member can all be done online. Please spread the word. The greater our membership the stronger our voice and the more we can support science teachers and science education in WA. You can also order and purchase resources, and register and pay for workshops and conferences online at: www.stawa.net.

the BHP Billiton Science Awards and will be entered into the national competition by STAWA. Exploring Physics Stage 2 and Exploring Chemistry Stage 2 CD’s if you don’t already have yours can be collected at the bookstores were your and your students purchase was made. If you were given a complementary copy at Future Science 2008 simply ring the STAWA office and we will forward you a CD. Physics Day at Adventure 24 September details on the STAWA website. If you have any questions please contact Brea at the STAWA office. SCIOS: The theme of this edition of SCIOS complements the 2009 International Year of Astronomy. Thanks to Paul Nicholls at Scitech for sourcing many of the articles and images and to Rachel and her team for again creating a magnificent professional journal and teacher resource. Your Chief Executive Officer John Clarke

Earth Science Western Australia launch their “next three years” On Tuesday May 26th ESWA (Earth Science Western Australia) celebrated the launch of their “next three years” at the museum space at Woodside Plaza. The event was attended by the Hon Dr. Liz Constable, Minister for Education and Tourism, who performed the official launch. She was introduced by Dr. Vanessa Guthrie, Woodside VP for Sustainable Development.

ScienceIQ the new STAWA online science competition was launched in 2008. A comprehensive evaluation by Dr. Vaille Dawson, Science and Mathematics Education Centre (SMEC), Curtin University of Technology can be viewed at www.scienceiq. net. The feed back received has been very positive particularly in relation to student motivation and the cooperative learning and teamwork displayed by participants. If you have not yet availed yourself of this new opportunity please visit the website (www. scienceiq.net) and enrol your students in the 2009 Term 3 and 4 competitions. Science Talent Search Competition: Follow the instructions in the program booklet for registration, categories and procedures. We look forward to seeing another influx of quality projects from students. Remember investigations are also eligible for entry into

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

Dr Dianne Tompkins, Executive Officer, ESWA; Dr Jim Ross, Chair ESWA; Prof Lyn Beazley, Chief Scientist WA; Jenny Bevan, UWA.

News After Dr. Constable’s speech, Dr. Peter Moore, Senior VP for Exploration and New Business Ventures for Woodside and a past member of the ESWA Board, introduced the new WA EES textbook for Year 11 and 12 students which will be available in schools for the start of the 2010 school year. Woodside is the major sponsors of this book which will be published in WA by STAWA. Jim Ross (ESWA chair) concluded the speeches by thanking everyone for their continuing support and encouragement for all the ESWA and ESAWA projects. He then invited everyone to enjoy some social time and to experience the 3D visualisation sphere that Woodside had made available for the occasion. Dr. Dianne Tompkins Executive Officer, secondary education Earth Science Western Australia (ESWA)

Dr Peter Moore, Woodside; Prof Lyn Beazley, Chief Scientist WA; Emeritus Prof John de Laeter, Curtin University of Technology; Mr John Clarke, CEO STAWA.

President’s Report To help celebrate the International Year of Astronomy, this edition of SCIOS has an astronomy theme. There are very exciting times ahead for space scientists in Western Australia. Currently under construction is the Murchison Widefield Array which will enable astronomers to observe events that took place over 13 billion years ago. A site in the Mid-West has also been proposed as the location for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope in Australia. The SKA will give astronomers remarkable insights into the formation of the early Universe, including the emergence of the first stars, galaxies and other structures. Australia is now one of the only two countries left in the running as a location for the SKA and the International Year of Astronomy will provide another vehicle to promote the SKA with Government, Industry and the public generating an interest in space science. Many scientists will be required to analyse the huge amounts of data the SKA will generate. Where will these scientists come from? We as teachers need to start generating student interest in space science by making space science engaging. To help support teachers in promoting space science with their students, this issue of SCIOS will provide ideas for engaging students in space science and update your knowledge in this ever expanding field of science. All STAWA members and each school in Western Australia also should have received a copy of the National Science Week resource book Astronomy – Science without limits. Julie Weber President 4

Can you contribute? Yes of course you can. So can lab technicians and students … your year 7 or year 8 class could write a half page article with a photo that we would love to publish. Here’s how. We are keen to increase the number and variety of types of articles published in SCIOS. So if the answer is YES to any of the following questions, we want to hear from you. s ( AVE YOU RECENTLY DONE A NEW EXPERIMENT THAT worked really well? s ) S THERE A GREAT DEMONSTRATION THAT ALWAYS GETS YOUR students’ attention? s ( AVE YOU TRIED OUT A NEW TEACHING TECHNIQUE THAT WAS fun? s $ O YOU HAVE SOME HELPFUL HINTS FOR NEW TEACHERS AND not-so-new ones)? s ! RE THERE SOME SAFETY HINTS AND TIPS THAT YOU D LIKE TO pass on? s ( AVE YOU USED COMPUTERS OR SOME OTHER TECHNOLOGY really effectively? s 7HAT SUCCESSES HAVE YOUR STUDENTS HAD IN science?

s ! RE YOUR STUDENTS INVOLVED IN A SCIENCE PROJECT outside the school? s / R IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE SCIENCE RELATED YOU WOULD like to share with others?

THE JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

News

International Year of Astronomy 2009 Paul Nicholls, Scitech 400 years ago, Galileo Galilei first pointed his telescope to the sky to get a better understanding of the Universe and his part in it. From this humblest of beginning Astronomy and Space science has flourished with many important discoveries being made. The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global effort initiated by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and UNESCO to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery. Not only is astronomy one of those subjects that anyone can get involved in (just go out in your backyard at night and look up) but it is also one of those subjects that we can use to motivate students and teachers in science and technology. In Australia , International Year of Astronomy 2009 was launched at Questacon in Canberra on 28 January, with guest of honour Professor Penny Sackett, Australia’s Chief Scientist and former Director of the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories.

Highlights of the launch included: s 4 HE CHANCE TO WIN AN HOUR ON ONE OF THE WORLD S LEADING telescopes, the 8m Gemini telescope in Chile. This competition for Australian High School students was launched with a live cross to Chile. s ! TALK ON THE SEARCH FOR DARK ENERGY n AN !USTRALIAN DRIVEN `` study of 400,000 galaxies to precisely measure dark energy – introduced by Matthew Colless, Director of the AngloAustralian Observatory, in a live cross to the Anglo Australian Telescope at Siding Spring. s 2 EMARKABLE HIGH RESOLUTION FOOTAGE OF %ARTHRISE AS SEEN {{ from the Moon. s ! THREE MINUTE FULL DOME MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION OVERVIEWING `` the SKA project, coordinated by Scitech in partnership with the University of Western Australia and Questacon as part of the SKA I-Dome exhibit. s ! N OUTLINE OF PLANS FOR THE )NTERNATIONAL 9EAR OF !STRONOMY {{ in Australia. Coinciding with the National IYA launch, the Western Australian Minister for Science and Innovation, the Hon. Troy Buswell launched International Year of Astronomy activities in Western Australia on 21 January 2009. Mr Buswell addressed an audience of astronomers, academics and students in Horizon – The Planetarium at Scitech, and welcomed the Year as a great initiative for astronomy, and science in general, both locally and internationally. The focus of the launch was the release of the International Year of Astronomy Calendar, which provides a listing of organised VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

events, lectures and activities throughout 2009 helping teachers, students and the general public to engage in the wonders of astronomy. The calendar includes a directory of organisations with astronomy programs in Western Australia and is available online at www.astronomywa.net.au Since the launch, organisations within Western Australia have carried out a wide ranging assortment of events including:

Australia Day Solar Eclipse IYA 2009 kicked off with a fantastic eclipse on Australia Day in Perth. The coinciding of the eclipse in the late afternoon just prior to the Australia Day fireworks meant that 1000’s of people were listening in to special broadcasts about safe viewing of the eclipse and the fact that it was ITA 2009. It also allowed Scitech staff to hand out pinhole cameras on both sides of the Swan River to thousands of people.

Valentines Starry Night On the 14th of February, Gingin Observatory put on a night for start struck couples complete with champagne, chocolates and of course the obligatory telescopes.

Edith Cowan University Viewing Nights During February and March, Peter Birch and AstronomyWA groups teamed up to host viewing nights at ECU Joondalup. Approximately 800 people turned up to the 2 events where they were treated to Peter Birch’s presentation and use of the AstronomyWA telescopes.

Messier Marathon During March, the Astronomical Group of Western Australia (AGWA) held a Messier Marathon where astronomers gathered to find and document as many of the objects from the Messier Catalogue – a list of astronomical objects compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier in the 1700’s.

100 Hours of Astronomy This event involved organisation throughout the world holding viewing events for 100hours between the 2nd and 5th of April. In Western Australia, Scitech and the AstronomyWA partners held viewing nights at Little Creature Brewery, City of Perth Lifesaving Club and on the Busselton Foreshore while the Astronomical Society of Western Australia (ASWA) held a viewing night at Gooseberry Hill PS and Perth Observatory set up their telescopes in at Kings Park.

Celestial Tastings On the evenings of 26-28th March, Scitech teamed up with Lamont’s winery and local Noongar elder, Noel Nannup, to 5

News host “Celestial Tastings” where Noel told stories about the Noongar interpretation of the night sky under the stars while Horizon Planetarium staff provide telescope viewing in the Swan Valley. This was of course accompanied by wonderful food and the specially bottled International Year of Astronomy “Spirit dancer” wine. This wine can be purchased through Lamonts at www.lamonts.com.au.

Out There! Exhibition During May, 100’s of students attended the Out There! Exhibition at UWA. Students were inspired about the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project and treated to exhibits, activities and talks by leading astronomers including Professors Peter Quinn and Lister Stavely Smith.

So – as you can see, IYA 2009 has been action packed so far but there are still many more opportunities for teachers, students and the general public to get involved.

Some upcoming events include: Space Trails General public can travel to free open days at astronomy venues throughout WA and experience behind the scenes tours and special activities. AstroFest An all day festival of astronomy coordinated by AstronomyWA and held at Curtin University on 28th November To find out about all the events happening in WA during IYA 2009, visit www.astronomywa.net.au

International Year of Astronomy Events During 2009, the Astronomy WA partners are hosting a large number of events for the general public schools and students. These events range from lectures to viewing nights and tours to photographic exhibitions. These are great events for teachers and students to get !"#$%"&#'("&)*+$&%*(,*-.#%("(/0*12$"#.* involved in! !"#$!%&'(')*+,%

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Each summer Perth Observatory conducts a Summer Lecture "Under the Stars". This event is one of Perth Observatory's major public outreach activities. Our aim is to present a lecture concerning current astronomy that is accessible to the general public.!

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In! addition to these events, Lotterywest and Scitech have teamed up to run a series of viewing nights right across the State over the next 12 months. Visit www.astronomywa. net.au to find out about a viewing night near you! You can visit www.IYA2009.org to see what else is happening for IYA 2009 across Australia and the world!

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

News

Western Australia is a State among the stars – April 2009 Prof Lyn Beazley, Chief Scientist of Western Australia

WITH a rich history of stargazing dating back to the Dreamtime,

was proposed in 1989 when its pioneering leader and leading

WA astronomy is a shining light whose best minds and

physicist David Blair was 20 years younger. Like the SKA scientists

advanced technology have brought us words and images

who face years of lobbying, research and development, Professor

telecast from the Moon to stardust collected by deep space

Blair and a dedicated team of staff and students have become

probes.

a critical force in the detection of gravity waves predicted by

The State, despite its size, also is poised to become the ‘centre

Einstein a century ago. Detecting these waves promises to open a

of the universe’ if it wins the international bid to build the $2

new branch of astronomy hidden to optical and radio telescopes

billion Square Kilometre Array in the Murchison region. The radio

– and cement the international collaborative nature of astronomy

telescope represents the next generation of astronomy in which

work.

WA would play a pioneering role. WA’s biggest optical telescope was launched earlier this month at The University of WA to raise the State’s profile in robotic astronomy. The Zadko telescope is located at the Gravity Discovery Centre near Gingin, north of Perth, where it is linked to a global network of telescopes searching for stellar explosions known as

Hidden away in bushland near New Norcia is the 35m European Space Agency radio dish erected in 2003 to track and communicate with probes chasing comets and landing on moons in the solar system. With the blessing of the New Norcia monks, the 40m-high antenna has been instrumental in the study of Mars via ESA’s

gamma ray bursts. These powerful bursts can reach luminosities

Mars Express mission and the Rosetta mission to land a probe on

of up to a billion times brighter than our sun, and signal the birth

a comet in 2014.

of black holes and collapse of stars at the edge of the universe.

WA also is home to Golden Grove Observatory, in Chittering,

The 1m telescope has already detected one of the biggest

where serious sky-watchers and astro-photographers can view

explosions in the universe, which occurred more than 11 billion years ago, long before Earth formed 4.6 billion years ago. The Zadko telescope will also take part in joint international projects such as the search for potentially hazardous near-earth asteroids and dangerous space junk. Secondary school students in WA will be involved in these projects in partnership with the Department of Education. After all, they are the emerging generation of

the southern skies – or pick oranges as I have on many occasions. The site hosts the Astronomical Group of Western Australia and the Western Australian Radio Observatory and houses a number of viewing facilities, including a radio telescope dedicated to SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Courtesy of ScienceNetwork WA (www.sciencewa.net.au)

cosmic watchers. With potentially hundreds of gamma ray bursts spotted each year by NASA, Zadko is in a good position to observe the optical afterglows of many of these distant stars. Students already enjoy the state-of-the-art facilities at AIGO - the Australian International Gravitational Observatory, which shares the Gingin site with the Zadko, Gravity Discovery Centre and Southern Cross Cosmos Centre. AIGO is one of four L-shaped laser interferometers now under development in the United States and Italy. Together, they hope to detect Einstein’s elusive gravity waves created in the explosive births and deaths of black holes and collapse of giant stars. AIGO 8

THE JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

News

Astronomy WA Collaborative Paul Nicholls, Scitech Astronomy WA has developed from very humble beginnings in 2004 when it was merely a website with some information about Astronomy in WA to the one stop shop for Astronomy in Western Australia that it now is.

Newtonian Dobsonian telescope and in 2009 the event attracted a school from Mudgee in New South Wales who took out the event putting pressure back on WA to come up with the goods in 2010!

As part of Western Australia’s bid to be the host site for Australia’s Square Kilometre Array bid, the Western Australia Government decided it was important to have a more coordinated approach to education, communication and promotion relating to Astronomy in the WA community.

Professional Learning Weekend

To achieve this, Scitech proposed development and hosting of the Astronomy WA website and funding was provided to support that activity. Over the following years, the Astronomy WA team (lead by the unstoppable Pete Wheeler - Scitech’s Planetarium Manager) has gone on to deliver numerous teacher professional learning days, sponsor teacher trips to astronomy sites across Australia, host astronomy events and viewing nights, develop teacher resources and of course coordinate Astro Challenge cups. The Astronomy WA team comprises representatives from most of the Astronomy related organizations and groups in WA and is also supported by STAWA, the Curriculum Council and of course a number of dedicated primary and secondary teachers. Along the way, Scitech and Astronomy WA has been able to secure ongoing funding such as Australian Government ASISTM grants that have enabled creation of teacher resources (website), a grant from the Learning Federation to create a set of astronomy related digital learning assets and most recently funding from the Australian Government’s Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research to create online and print teaching resources relating to the SKA. The latter will be available at www.ska.gov.au/education/ in August 2009.

This three day event in 2006 saw 20 enthusiastic teachers jump on a bus and travel between astronomy venues to hear about programs on offer and to provide their own suggestion on how individual organisations could better tailor their programs for WA school students. Teachers also go to hear from active astronomers and Professor Fred Watson of the Anglo Australian Observatory in News South Wales. In 2009, the Astronomy WA group is focusing a lot of its attention on International Year of Astronomy and in particular will be using this year to raise awareness about Astronomy WA and some of the great opportunities this will provide for students, teachers and the general public. We encourage you to subscribe to our Updates From Outer-space (UFO) E-Newsletter at www.astronomywa.net.au Organisations Involved Department of Commerce Scitech Horizon – the Planetarium Australian International Gravitational Research Organisation Gravity Discovery Centre Perth Observatory

Some of the highlights over the last few years include:

Gingin Observatory

Creation of Earth and Beyond Learning Modules

Astronomical Society of Western Australia

This resource developed with funding from the Australia Government is downloadable free from the website and include lesson plans, curriculum links and other resources sorted into three modules; the Solar System, Stars and Beyond and Projects. It is aimed at students in years 9-11 and was developed by the Astronomy WA teachers.

Science Teachers Association of Western Australia

Hosting the Astronomy Challenge Cup Hosted in 2007, 2008 and 2009, the Astro Challenge Cup brought together teams of students and teacher from across the State to learn more about astronomy, visit interesting astronomical facilities and compete in fun and challenging activities. The inaugural event was taken out by Shenton College, with, Willetton SHS taking out first prize for their school in 2008, a 10 inch

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

Astronomical Group of Western Australia Curriculum Council Our dedicated teachers Ray Priskich/Bill Cooper (Trinity College) Murray Thomas (Shenton College) Auriol Heary (Ardross primary School) Darren Hamley (Willetton SHS) Wesley Beck (Mount Barker DHS) Lance Taylor (Willetton SHS) 9

News

General Public Viewing Opportunities Auriol Heary, Ardross primary School Western Australia is arguably one of the best places for stargazers to live. From Broome in the north to the South West there are a number of public viewing sites. Following are details of four within driving distance from Perth.

they run informative star gazing nights on Saturdays and are currently using five telescopes. This site hosts remote telescopes and has recently become affiliated with New Mexico Skies Observatories.

Gingin Observatory

Phone: 9887 0088

Gingin Observatory is host to the Obsession telescope with its 25 inch mirror, being the biggest telescope and one of five available for use by the general public. Your guides on viewing nights include Mr Universe (aka Grant) whose knowledge of the cosmos never ceases to amaze, telescope extraordinaire Supernova (aka Graham) and Carol and Donna who generally run the show making for an excellent evening. A Viewing night generally starts with DVDs on space exploration and our place in the solar system and is followed by a night sky tour and star gazing.

Fax: 9887 0207

It’s also worth keeping an eye open for their special events such as family evenings during the school holidays, the annual Valentine’s Day gatherings (which include a meal) and the “Secrets of the Aboriginal Night Sky” evenings.

Website: http://myweb.westnet.com.au/astroventures/

Phone: 9575 7740 Email: at stars@ginginobservatory.com Location: 1 hour north of Perth at 1098 Military Road, West Gingin. Just come north on Wanneroo Road and follow the signs. Website: www.ginginobservatory.com

Perth Observatory

Email: astroventures@westnet.com.au (preferred method) Location: Just one and a half hours drive from the Perth Metropolitan area. Take the Brookton Highway from Kelmscott to Brookton then turn RIGHT for Pingelly and follow the Great Southern Highway (Tourist Way 356). Approaching Pingelly, turn LEFT immediately after WHEAT SILO, BEFORE 50km/h sign and follow the Observatory signs.

Horizon Planetarium Horizon – The Planetarium is an indoor theatre that presents high tech multi-media shows about our night sky, the solar system and beyond. The digital projection system accurately displays stars, planets and other celestial bodies on its dome screen, allowing you to journey through space without ever leaving your seat. Each Horizon Space Show is accompanied by HorizonLive!; a presenter-led tour through the Perth night sky. All HorizonLive! presentations have been specially tailored to be complementary to, and offer a more in-depth look at the topics covered in each Space Show.

Closer to Perth and also great for viewing is The Perth Observatory which runs special events such as the “100 hours of Astronomy” activity in Kings Park earlier this year. It also runs a 90 minute tour of the wonders of the southern night sky and a longer 2 ½ hour tour of the night sky. The longer version also includes more information on the Observatory’s operation. During May they also run daytime tours of the Observatory. The observatory also offers visitors a tour of the museum and new and old research facilities and, visitors can also get an opportunity to take a safe view of the sun using a solar telescope.

Shows are suitable for children and adults and include titles such as Cosmic Collisions, Zulu Patrol, Astronaut and Search for Life.

Phone: 9293 8255

Web: www.scitech.org.au

Horizon – the Planetarium also plays host to regular lectures and visual presentations with an astronomical theme. Ph: 9215 0740 Fax: 9321 1455 Location: Scitech, Railway Pde, City West, West Perth Email: bookings@scitech.org.au

Fax: 9293 8109 Location: 337 Walnut Rd, Bickley 6070

Finding out about Viewing Nights

Website: http://www.perthobservatory.wa.gov.au/

To find our more about viewing nights and astronomy events

Pingelly Heights Astronomical Observatory Star (aka Susie) and Moon (aka Trevor) run this exciting observatory which is open from the first weekend in October to the last weekend in April. Bookings are essential. During these months, 10

at these organisations and others in Western Australia, please visit www.astronomywa.net.au

THE JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

News

The wonders of Space Stargazing highlights throughout June & July Written by Donna Vanzetti, Stargazer, Gingin Observatory When we put on goggles and go snorkelling in the ocean, we unlock a whole new world of colour and wonder that is so amazing and nothing like we have ever seen before. Exploring space is exactly the same except, instead of using a set of goggles to look through, we look through a telescope! And Western Australia is one of the best places in the world to view the splendour of space. We are lucky enough to have some of the clearest and darkest skies with little pollution and modest light glow from Perth, compared to most cities in the world. If you don’t own a telescope, there are plenty of public-viewing facilities in WA that offer you the chance to explore our amazing celestial skies. These include Perth Observatory, Gingin Observatory, Golden Grove Observatory and Pingelly Heights Observatory. But even without visiting an observatory or owning a telescope, people can still enjoy discovering and studying the night sky out in their own backyards. Just to look up and pick out the different constellations or to see planets overhead, can be just as fun and the more you study the night sky the more familiar the stars become. Anyone can learn the art of astronomy; you just need a little bit of curiosity to want to find out more.

Things to look for in June During the month of June there are many wonderful objects to discover, including Saturn. Superb Saturn is arguably the most beautiful of all the planets through a telescope, and this year Saturn will be even more special as it goes through a ringed-plane crossing. This is where we see Saturn edge-on and because the rings are so thin (approx 100m thick) they disappear from our view. In contrast, from the inner-ring to the outer-ring it is a distance of 270,000kms, so we can see them easily when looking at them face on. A ring-place crossing only occurs every 15 years and so Saturn will be ‘Starker’s’ or ‘naked’ without its rings from August 10th until September 4th! How timely for this rare event to occur during the International Year of Astronomy in 2009! Saturn can be found in the northern sky, rising around 6pm. It is passing through the constellation of Leo and gives off a yellowish colour rather than the bright, twinkling, white light that most stars give off. This may help you when trying to distinguish it from other points of light in the sky. One of the easiest and well-known constellations to find in the night sky is the Southern Cross. This is the smallest of the 88 constellations and lies south in the night sky. Just look for five stars in the shape of a diamond. The twin bright stars Alpha and Beta Centauri point directly to the cross and make it easy to distinguish. VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

Jupiter rises in the east around 11pm and on the 13th will be very close to the Moon and easy to spot as it is the biggest point of light in the night sky. Throughout June, Mars and Venus rise before dawn in the north eastern sky with the Moon close by. On the 20th through to the 23rd they will only be 2 degrees apart.

Things to look for in July Throughout July there are some great stargazing opportunities and worth noting that on the 4th, the Earth will be at Aphelion, the furthest point in its orbit from the Sun at 152,091,069km distant. Jupiter will be the highlight, rising in the east around 8pm and very prominent in the sky. On July 10th Jupiter and the Moon will be lovely and close together, making it extremely easy to spot. On the 19th it may be worth setting your alarm and getting up at dawn as Venus, Mars, 1st magnitude star Aldebaran and a quarter Moon all lie together in the north east, forming a nearly perfect square. Quite an unusual sight. On the 25th the Moon will again feature, this time lying next to Saturn just after sunset in the north west. And finally there are a number of meteor showers throughout July and into August that are well worth staying up for. The alphaCapricornids shower is visible late evening until dawn and noted for its bright, slow meteors with long paths and frequent fireballs. Maximum activity is on the 30th and 31st with a zenith hourly rate of only 4, but this is made up by the spectacular nature of the alpha-Capricornids. The other meteor shower to watch for is the Southern deltaAquarids which are one of the strongest and consistent of the southern showers and visible late evening until dawn. Maximum activity is on the 28th to 30th with a zenith hourly rate of 20. The delta-Aquarids are typically white with some blue members and occasionally leave lovely long trains. Quite spectacular. Our Earth is but one grain of sand in an almighty ocean of stars, planets and galaxies. The colours, shapes and sheer size that make up the universe is worth discovering, so open your mind to a whole new world and marvel at the fantastic views. So enjoy the views, you just have to remember to look up! To view all of these objects and many more through a telescope, visit the Gingin Observatory for a spectacular evening of stargazing. Just e-mail stars@ginginobservatory.com or ring 9575 7740 to make a booking. 11

News

Planning an Astronomy Night Darren Hamley, Willetton Senior High School A successful astronomy night can be a very memorable experience for students and their parents, if it is well planned. The first and most important step in planning is to obtain the Astronomy Data Book so that you can determine what is visible on a particular date and organise your session. The data book is available from large bookshops, the observatory or the Australian Geographic shop.

s %CLIPSE

There are fundamentally two different types of astronomy nights, a general observation evening and a session to observe a specific event.

Like any lesson, lecture or public speaking engagement, the success of an Astronomy night will be proportional to the time spent planning. Unfortunately no amount of planning will help the weather so make sure that you prepare a cancellation poster to hang on the gate!

A general observation evening should include a look at the naked eye planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. You should also include a look at the terminator of the moon, Alpha Centauri which is a double star and the Orion nebula if they are above the horizon. With a small telescope you may be able to observe different phases such as a crescent shape of Mercury and Venus, but no surface detail. A small telescope will show a red tinge to Mars, the four moons and some faint colour bands on Jupiter. The majestic planet Saturn will really impress the crowd with its rings, although these will be edge on and difficult to observe for a short time late in 2009. A larger telescope will still reveal no detail on Mercury or Venus; however, the other planets are a different story. The white polar caps on Mars, the Great Red Spot on Jupiter and the Cassini division in the rings of Saturn may all be visible. There is something very special about observing an astronomical event that has been predicted ahead of time. It is quite exciting sitting there peering through a telescope while flicking your eyes back to your synchronised watch.

s 4RANSIT s 3HADOW TRANSIT s /CCULTATION The Astro data book also gives times and dates for the best time to observe the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.

General hints when planning an Astro night. s 0LAN USING THE !STRONOMY $ATA "OOK s 3ELECT A POSITION CLEAR OF TREES AND BUILDINGS s 3ELECT A NIGHT WHEN THE MOON IS ABOUT TO DAYS PAST NEW s %NSURE THERE IS AT LEAST ONE TELESCOPE FOR EVERY PEOPLE s 3 ET UP A TABLE IN A CENTRAL POSITION FOR EYEPIECES AND OTHER equipment s 3 ET UP TELESCOPES EARLY '03 TELESCOPES CAN TAKE UP TO minutes to set up s ) F YOU PLAN TO TAKE ASTROPHOTOS INVITE A VERY SMALL GROUP AND keep good records s $ON T FORGET o The Astro Data Book o Extension cords o Power supply o Red light torch o Planispheres o Warm clothes

For daytime events a high quality solar filter or projection telescope is required. These events include total solar eclipse, partial solar eclipse, annular solar eclipse, transit of Venus and transit of Mercury and occultation of Venus. Check the data book for these rare events; the next big ones in WA are the transit of Venus on 6th June 2012 and annular solar eclipse on 9th May 2013. Special night time events include comets, an opposition of mars (close approach to Earth) Occultationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (where a star or planet passes behind the moon) and Jovian moon events. The four main moons of Jupiter are easily visible through a small telescope. The astronomical data book gives the date and time for the following events: 12

THE JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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How to organise/run an Astronomy night Murray Thomas, Shenton College Many people think that organising and running an Astronomy night is beyond them. That is what I thought, years ago, and now I organise and run many each year. You can, of course, hire some people to do it for you but the satisfaction of a well run night, your own, is enormous.

Why bother? Three good reasons 1. To stimulate interest among your students 2. To do some â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;realâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; observations 3. To complement activities that you have done in the classroom

Preparation The key to great viewing night is good preparation so here are some things to think about When should I hold one? s 4HE WEATHER CAN RUIN YOUR PLANS AT !.9 TIME OF THE YEAR s 0LAN FOR A @BACKUP NIGHT n BUT NOT A &RIDAY Look for a few days up to first quarter of the moon- consult the Astronomy â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;annualsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s !STRONOMY !LMANAC 0ERTH /BSERVATORY s !STRONOMY !USTRALIA

Example s 7EDNESDAY 3EPTEMBER n DAYS BEFORE FIRST QUARTER s 7HAT TIME IS SUNSET MOONSET s !RE ANY PLANETS VISIBLE n *UPITER IS OVERHEAD AT ABOUT PM Where should we go? s 4HE SCHOOL OVAL IS THE FIRST CHOICE s #ONSIDER TREES LIGHTS CAN YOU ORGANISE TO HAVE LIGHTING turned off for the duration of your viewing? s 4HE LOCAL PARK n DO YOU NEED PERMISSION TO USE IT n ASK THE local council s )S POWER AVAILABLE s 7HEN ON CAMP n AWAY FROM THE CITY LIGHTS Who can help? s 3CIENCE TEACHERS n ASK THEM s /THER STAFF n EMAIL THEM s 3TUDENTS n ASK AROUND s 0ARENTS n SEND A LETTER HOME s 0LAN THE NIGHT What equipment do I need? s 4ELESCOPES s "INOCulars

EMINENT SPEAKER SERIES AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING (ATSE)

Your school is invited to participate in a highly motivational presentation by Professor JĂśrg Imberger 2008 WA Scientist of the Year and Professor of Environmental Engineering

WA DIVISION

The water resource challenges facing Western Australia: more rain but in the wrong place Curtin University of Technology, Wednesday August 5, 2009, 12.30pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1.45pm Edith Cowan University Joondalup, Thursday August 6, 2009, 11.00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12.15pm

This event is free and a $200 bus subsidy is provided to participating schools. Open to students from years 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;10. Contact Kelly Dawson at Scitech on 9215 0739 or kelly@scitech.org.au to book. For further information about the Academy, visit: www.atse.org.au This event is provided free of charge thanks to the kind support of:

ATSE_advert.SCIOS_29May09.inddÂ Â Â 1

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

29/05/2009Â Â Â 12:15:57Â PM

News Ask the students, staff and parents if they can loan equipment Use your regional loan pools through regional technicians network (take up any offers to demonstrate scopes!) How do I prepare my students? Use software to show the students the night sky they will be looking at. Stellarium - www.stellarium.org (The best free planetarium software on the net. Easy to use and great graphics). Cartes du Ciel - www.stargazing.net/astropc/download.html (Another free planetarium software package. More advanced than Stellarium.) Discuss the issues Expectations Behaviour (Year 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10 students must be accompanied) How do I run the night? The night consists of a setup phase and three major events â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I have tried having a fourth event (showing a DVD) but have found that this is best left for the school day.

Setup You, and the helpers, will need to set up the telescopes on the oval before sunset. This, and the packing up, is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;intenseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; parts of the evening. You will need advice and practice, to set up a telescope correctly. Telescopes and mounts can be damaged at this time if proper care is not taken so leave plenty of time. The whole evening may take you 4 hours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or more from start to finish. Event 1 should start just after sunset

Event 1 ~30 minutes Point all the telescopes to view the moon. Use a variety of magnifications. This allows everybody to see â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;somethingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quickly. Many people have never seen the moon through a telescope before and the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; factor is great. You should talk to the group about the surface features of the moon just before they get a look. The students should have been â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;primedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for moon features/ phases, in the classroom previously.

Event 2 ~30mins â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Talkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to the group around the sky. When the sky is dark I get everybody seated on the ground and give them a talk about what is in the sky, above them. This talk requires some preparation, experience and confidence. Items to mention: s 4HE MILKY WAY GALAXY LOCATION SHAPE SIZE n INTRODUCE THE concept of the light year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; i.e. it is a unit of distance! Make sure that you tell them that, nearly everything, except a few faint galaxies, that they can see in the sky above, with the naked eye, belong to the Milky Way Galaxy s )NDICATE THE 3OUTHERN #ROSS n IF IT IS ABOVE THE HORIZON 'ET the students to draw how to find south using the cross and the pointers on the sheet you have prepared for this! s )NDICATE !LPHA #ENTAURI n GIVE ITS LIGHT DISTANCE 'ET THE students, next day in the class, to calculate how long it would take to drive to Alpha Centauri at a constant speed of, say, 100 kph. s 0OINT OUT SOME CONSTELLATIONS n INDICATE THEIR SHAPE REASON for the name etc s )NDICATE ANY PLANETS n HAVE THE STUDENTS INDICATE THE PLANET S position on the prepared sheet. s )NDICATE ANY DOUBLE STARS THAT THEY WILL LATER VIEW E G !LPHA 14

Centauri s ) NDICATE ANY GLOBULAR CLUSTERS E G 7 Centauri, 47 Tucana, that they will view later. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bother about galaxies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; usually too faint in the light pollution.

Event 3 ~ 30 mins Second viewing session. With 5 telescopes and one planet you can do something like this: s 3COPE ,OW POWER ON THE PLANET s 3COPE (IGH POWER ON THE PLANET s 3COPE /N A GLOBULAR CLUSTER s 3COPE /N A NEBULA s 3COPE /N A DOUBLE STAR Have an adult or reliable student (who knows what they are doing) in charge of each telescope. This person is responsible to maintain the object in view and give instructions for focussing. Do not let students pull on the eyepiece. You may need to preset the height of the tripods for little kids. Note: Have the telescopes in a line â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I prefer North/South â&#x20AC;&#x201C; often on the cricket pitch! Give strict instructions about movement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no running, as there will be cables on the ground to run the tracking motors of some of the telescopes. Things to Remember s & OR 9EARS AND BELOW ) ALWAYS INSIST THAT A PARENT ACCOMPANY each student. s +EEP THINGS MOVING ALONG DON T LET THE STUDENTS @MESS aroundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Let the parents know that you expect their kids to behave. s ) HAVE RUN NIGHTS WITH UP TO PEOPLE WITHOUT TOO MUCH trouble. Plan it carefully, do a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; run. s 4HE FIRST NIGHT THAT YOU RUN MAY AFFECT YOUR SANITY BUT 9/5 WILL get better and YOU WILL really start to enjoy them. s 0RACTICE 'O OUTSIDE AND LOOK n IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO FIND YOUR way around the sky. s 7ITH THE TELESCOPE LEARN TO FIND THE MOON PLANETS ESPECIALLY Jupiter and Saturn) and move onto double stars, clusters and nebulae. s ,EARN THE MAJOR CONSTELLATIONS FIRST n START WITH THE ZODIACAL constellations and Southern Cross. Print off the sky sheets for that night and go outside and find them. s 4ELL THE STUDENTS PARENTS TO BRING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mosquito repellent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Binoculars if they have any â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A clipboard/pens pencils â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A blanket to sit on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Warm clothing if necessary A torch with red cellophane to cover the lens (Supply the cellophane yourself from school supplies - the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;redâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; light produced preserves night vision. Make sure that you collect all the worksheets from the students before they leave â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you intend to assess them! Finally, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to know everything and with a little practice you can run a very effective Astronomy night. Remember â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the MAIN idea is to get the students interested! Good Luck â&#x20AC;&#x201C; email me if you need some advice - murray.thomas@ det.wa.edu.au

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Gravity gets you down Mason Scaffardi, Year 9, Ballajura Community College

AIM: To discover how gravity affects the rate of drop, when we change the object. HYPOTHESIS: I think the heavier the object, the quicker it will fall because of its mass. IDENTIFYING THE VARIABLES: Dependent: Rate of drop Independent: The objects – golf ball, feather and cork

DATA COLLECTION TABLE: Item

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Average

Feather

23.5sec

24.1sec

19.9sec

22.5 sec

Cork

3.9sec

4sec

4.9sec

4.2sec

Golf Ball

2.3sec

4.2sec

3.4sec

3.3sec

DATA RESULTS:

Control: Height of drop, person dropping object, person timing object. Uncontrolled: Wind in the laboratory. EQUIPMENT: Measuring tape / large 1m rule Golf ball, Feather, Cork, 2L sand Tray for sand, Timer METHOD: 1. Collect equipment 2. Place sand in tray, measure 173cm from ground (this is the drop height). 3. Hold golf ball at drop height, let go – start timer at same time. Stop timing when golf ball hits sand in tray. 4. Record time in data table. 5. Continue step 3 and 4 another two times with golf ball, then calculate average time. 6. Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 with other two objects. 7. Pack up, clean away.

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

CONCLUSION: The aim was to find out how gravity affects the drop rate when we change the object. My hypothesis was that the heavier to the object, the quicker it would fall. My hypothesis was correct because the heaviest object hit the ground the quickest. The quickest drop rate was from the golf ball, it took an average of 3.3 seconds to hit the sand. I think this happened because of its mass and the greater the mass the stronger the gravitational pull. The cork was a close second at 4.2 seconds, and finally the feather took quite a long time, 22.5 seconds. I think the feather took a lot longer because the air gets caught between each part of the feather, allowing some ‘lift’ against the pull of gravity. Gravity is a stronger force, so it does eventually fall. EVALUATION: We managed to keep the test quite fair, keeping control of the variables as needed. One bad thing about the experiment was the timer. It was much harder to stop it at the exact time to make it accurate. The drop height was also difficult to keep exact and this may affect the results. One good thing was that we could determine the mass of the objects by how fast it dropped and we got to see the impact crater in the sand that was left by each object (except the feather). The more the mass, the larger the impact crater. An improvement would be to have more objects that had very different mass and perhaps size too, like a basketball and a tennis ball. We should also make the drop distance further, so that we can get more reliable data; maybe the short distance we used affected the results especially between the golf ball and the cork. Our results didn’t really show a big gap between the times taken, but they had different mass. 15

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The Great Egg-stronaut Challenge By Lesley Glass – Ballajura Community College To help students understand the concept in a more experiental way, the idea of the Great Egg-stronaut Challenge came about. Students paired up, where given a raw egg, and basic materials to construct a rocket. That rocket (complete with raw egg-stronaut inside), would be thrown from one partner to the other, over ever increasing distance, until only one pair remained. To the dismay of many, grass did not provide a soft landing. Finally two pairs remained in the competition; the deciding round was played out on brick paving. Only one pair could win – the pathway made sure of that. They would hold the title of “Rocket Scientists” for the rest of 2009; congratulations go to Adam and Bradley of 9H.

The challenge was set. Whose Egg-stronaut and rocket would last the distance? Whose would succumb to the powerful G- forces of nature? Having set the challenge, 96 students at Ballajura Community College were given the opportunity to determine the answer. Bucket loads of dogged determination, many minutes of planning, several half hours of constructing and finally hours of mind blowing hilarity combined into what became a truly memorable science investigation.

Even though many hours of fun were had, students did actually learn that the G-force involved in landing was much more powerful than that of take-off. They also learnt that raw eggs are quite fragile, that catching raw egg rockets was easier said than done and that science could actually be fun, even though a little messy. All in all, an eggstremely eggsellent day was had by all – except the egg-stronauts who cracked under the pressure.

The scene was set by discussing space for the entire term, focussing the curriculum on ‘The Beyond’ part of Earth and Beyond. Students had enjoyed talking about space travel, astronauts, planets and the solar system. However, when the topic of gravity came up they were a little bewildered about this strong pulling force and the term G-force.

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Astronomy WA Space Camp 2009 – A Poets Diary Banjo Harwood

Kalgoorlie and NSW, country kids with a twinkle in their eye and a spring in their step. Banjo Harwood is the man responsible for Astronomy WA Space Camp, though you may hear from other sources it was the creation of the Astronomy WA committee who foster and promote astronomy in WA. Banjo is an up and coming writer and amateur astronomer who supports himself by working for Scitech as an event manager. He compiled this short diary over the course of Space Camp in the hopes it could inspire people to get involved in astronomy and discover the wonders of our universe……..plus he likes to see his name in print.

Wednesday May 6th 2009 – Day 1 Space camp has begun! The first students start to arrive at Scitech for Astronomy WA Space Camp 2009 and there is anticipation in the air. By tomorrow there will be twenty teams ready to take part in this International Year of Astronomy inspired event, but for today we can relax. Today is about our regional and interstate teams who have travelled quite a way to be here; our 2 teams from St Matthews have come all the way from Mudgee NSW! The students will be given a chance to look around Scitech before we head to Kings Park for lunch and it will be interesting to see how these kids interact with one another. Being in small teams of only 3 students should mean these youngsters will get a chance to meet new people and make some friends from a bit further afar than they are use to. We have students today from Geraldton and Northam,

However it won’t all be visits to Scitech and lunches in Kings Park, these ragamuffins are here to learn about and engage in astronomy so tonight we will be heading to Perth Observatory. There, under the watchful eye of some very learned astronomers, we will explore the heavens and hopefully expand some minds. The one thing I do dread, as I am sure all teachers on camp do, is getting them to sleep tonight. I hope after the day’s events and the distance travelled once we reach our accommodation tonight there will be some weary heads……..only time will tell.

Thursday May 7th 2009 – Day 2 After a good night’s rest it is time for the Perth schools to join our merry camp and launch Space Camp to a new level. Day 2 sees teams being pitted against one another in an attempt to claim the Astronomy WA Challenge Cup. In previous years the Challenge Cup has been held as a standalone event with students completing space themed challenges in an effort to score points, win prizes for their school but most importantly claim the Holy Grail itself the CHALLENGE CUP! This year the Challenge Cup becomes a part of Space Camp and these 20 teams from 10 different schools around Australia battle like cosmic gladiators to see who is worthy to lift aloft the Cup. Challenges include launching homemade rockets, assembling space stations and programming robotic Mars rovers to name a few. Teams were tested, pulses raced and some tears were shed (I dropped a box on a kid from Roleystone) but in the end the real winner was science…….to be more precise the team of Zac, Patrick and Jack from St Matthews NSW were the actual winners. Prof Peter Quinn, Director of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) presented the winners with a very large telescope and the perpetual trophy. The spirit of fair competition was alive and well this day with all teams battling fairly until the very end. Tomorrow will see us travelling to Curtin University as well as UWA and if today is anything to go by some of these students will be back at these institutions in a few years.

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

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planetariums, telescopes and hands on exhibits available to them. Curtin University was our next stop to hear about radio astronomy and how the SKA will change the future of astronomy forever. Just like the universities that are working together to earn WA this project these students might find themselves working alongside each other building and operating this mammoth project.

Friday May 8th 2009 – Day 3 Clear skies greeted the students on Friday morning as we prepared to visit UWA and Curtin to hear from prominent radio astronomers on a new and exciting project, the SKA. The SKA, or Square Kilometre Array, is a new generation radio telescope being built in the near future either here in WA or possibly Southern Africa. With a price tag of 2.5 billion dollars and a guarantee to put whichever country is awarded the SKA at the forefront of world astronomy both Australia and SA are keen to bring the SKA home. Students visited UWA’s ‘Out There’ exhibition to learn more about the science of the SKA and what exactly it would mean for WA to win the right to build this awesome telescope. The students were engaged from the moment they arrived with portable

With their brains having been given a good workout at the universities it was time for a relaxing trip up to Gingin and the Gravity Discovery Centre; one quality barbeque later and it was time for some observing with the amazing staff of Gingin observatory. Students were given time to look through some telescopes as well as being given a multimedia tour of the universe and even after a day of science and technology the students were as eager to get involved as on day 1. Tonight we head back to our accommodation before heading back to Perth and ending this year’s space camp. I know there will be some shenanigans tonight but these kids have earned it, their attitude and behaviour during the camp was fantastic. Three days, 60 students, 2 universities, countless volunteers, 1 cup winner and many tired teachers later…….this was SPACE CAMP!!! On a serious note, thank you to all of the organisations and individuals involved in Space Camp 2009. Without your support, it wouldn’t happen! Please send expressions of interest to be involved in Space Camp 2010 to pete@scitech.org.au

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Stars Online! Murray Thomas, Shenton College, and Carley Tillett, Horizon Planetarium, Scitech There are many websites available on the internet that provide fantastic resources for Astronomy teachers and students. Some websites offer free planetarium software, others offer star charts, some provide amazing astronomical images and some even provide lessons linked to the Western Australian curriculum! Whatever your level of interest is there will be a website just for you! Stellarium - http://www.stellarium.org/ An excellent free planetarium software package. Easy to use and looks great through a data projector in a lecture theatre. Cartes du Ciel - http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/download.html Another free planetarium software package. More advanced than Stellarium. Various additional packages can be added by accessing the ‘mother load’. Celestia - http://www.shatters.net/celestia/ A free Space simulation program that allows you to navigate yourself around the universe – excellent. Virtual moon - http://www.ap-i.net/avl/en/download Excellent free software that allows you to show lunar detail, phases etc. Astronomy W.A. - http://www.astronomywa.net.au/

observatory. You can find out how and when to book for a visit to the observatory. ASWA - http://aswa.info/ The oldest astronomical society in W.A. Information about the history of the society, what’s happening - on the ground and in the heavens, meetings etc. ANTF - http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/ The Australian Telescope National Facility supports Australia’s research in radio astronomy by operating the Australia Telescope. Includes educational resources on many aspects of astronomy. ASA – http://asa.astronomy.org.au/education.html http://www.astronomy.org.au The Astronomical Society of Australia is an organisation for professional astronomers. The education section includes astronomy resources, factsheets and information for higher learning in the field. SKA International - http://www.skatelescope.org/ SKA Australia - http://www.ska.gov.au The Square Kilometre Array is one of the largest and most ambitious international science projects ever devised. Information about the location, design, science and technology of the SKA.

The objectives of this website are to promote astronomy with a strong focus on Western Australia’s contributions to the subject, and to provide useful resources for teachers, students, and others, professional or amateur, with an interest in the field. You will find downloadable teaching resources and ideas developed by WA teachers.

NASA for Educators – http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators

Astronomy picture of the day - http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/

ESA - http://www.esa.int

Every day a new picture is described. Some of the pics are glorious naked eye events and others are of more specialised objects. All pics are explained with web links attached. A huge archive is also accessible.

Europe’s gateway to space. Discover information about ESA’s latest astronomical and space endeavours. The education section includes web based resources, toolkits, printable books, movies and factsheets.

Heavens Above - http://www.heavens-above.com/

Gravity Observatory - http://www.gdc.asn.au/seestars.php

Find the time for your location for passage of the ISS, Hubble telescope and other satellites. Find predictions for Iridium flares - caused by the reflection of sunlight by solar panels on communication satellites.

The Gingin Observatory is housed in the Southern Cross Cosmos building not far from the Gravity Discovery centre. Visit the site to gain information about the services offered.

International meteor association - http://www.imo.net/ Check the predictions for various meteor showers throughout the year. Perth Observatory - http://www.perthobservatory.wa.gov.au// The states own premier observatory. Check for latest astronomical information, research projects and current events at the VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

JPL Education - http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov These two NASA websites have been developed specifically for educators. You will find many useful resources in these websites relevant to the Western Australian curriculum.

Gravity discovery centre - http://www.gdc.asn.au/ The Gravity Discovery Centre is a self-supporting non-profit enterprise dedicated to public education. It offers unique and stimulating attractions in the form of computer animations, posters, scale models, videos, handouts, diagrams, photographs, sound displays, hands-on displays and nature walks. Visit the site to gain information about the services offered. 19

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Australia and the SKA Penny Griffin, Manager Communications, Radio Astronomy, Department of Commerce Government of Western Australia The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest and most ambitious science project involving 19 countries in the development of a $3 billion advanced radio telescope and associated super computing capacity that will help answer fundamental questions about the evolution of the universe. The countries involved in the project are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK and USA. Two candidate sites in Australia and Southern Africa have been shortlisted by the international science community, with the final site selection due in 2012. The core site for Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bid is the newly established Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO), located 315 kms north east of Geraldton. A smaller, 36-dish radio telescope, the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP), will be constructed at the MRO during 2009-2012. The purpose of the pathfinder project is to: s R ESEARCH DEVELOP AND DEMONSTRATE NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO resolve SKA design challenges in green energy, remote area infrastructure, high performance computing and telecommunications;

s U SING ITS AUTHORITY UNDER THE -INING !CT TO REGULATE MINING activities that might impact on the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s radio quietness; s N EGOTIATING AN )NDIGENOUS ,AND USE !GREEMENT WITH THE traditional owners of the site; s C ONTRIBUTING FUNDS TO ENABLE THE #3)2/ TO PURCHASE THE pastoral station surrounding the MRO; s E XPANDING THE 3TATE S RESEARCH CAPABILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE with funding of $22.3 million for the establishment of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research and the Radio Astronomy Science and Engineering Centre of Excellence; s S UPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH programs aimed at increasing community understanding of the SKA projects and encouraging more students to pursue careers in radio astronomy and related disciplines; and s E NCOURAGING COLLABORATION BETWEEN 7! COMPANIES AND institutions to resolve some of the technical aspects of the project, especially in relation to data storage and transmission, renewable energy, remote operations and maintenance. The potential benefits of the SKA project to include: s D IRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY development;

s SHOWCASE THE QUALITY OF THE SITE AND s DELIVER SCIENCE IN ITS OWN RIGHT Early results from ASKAP and South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pathfinder project, MeerKAT, will be critical to the final design specifications and technology selection for the SKA. Other factors affecting the site decision will include site suitability, capital and operating costs, and access to technical and scientific resources The Western Australian Government has strongly backed Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bid to host the SKA. The State has been: s W ORKING CLOSELY WITH THE !USTRALIAN 'OVERNMENT THE #3)2/ industry and other stakeholders on planning and promotional activities;

s ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION s EMPLOYMENT s SCIENCE EDUCATION AND s REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The SKA would also position Western Australia as a global leader in science, technology development and research capability for decades to come.

Image courtesy GMG (Glasson Murray Group).

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Fundamental Physics and the Next Generation Radio Telescope, the Square Kilometre Array Prof. Steven Tingay, Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy, Curtin University of Technology For the last 20 years radio astronomers have been conceiving a plan to build the next generation of radio telescopes. Initially the pace was slow, back of the envelope calculations made to determine what level of sensitivity would be required to detect galaxies in the very early Universe, providing a probe of galaxy formation and evolution, as well as investigating the structure and evolution of the Universe itself. With foreseeable technologies, the numbers that came out of those calculations showed that a radio telescope with approximately one square kilometre of collecting area (one million square metres) would provide the required sensitivity. The concept of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) was born. From the outset the SKA project has been international, with a Large Telescope Working Group established under the International Union of Radio Science in 1993 and an initial Memorandum of Understanding signed between eight institutions in six countries in 1997, describing the bases upon which the project would be developed. Australian astronomers have been among the driving forces behind the project from the beginning. Momentum behind the project gathered as the scientific and technical case was refined over the following decade. As it currently stands, the SKA science case has five areas of Key Science, aimed at asking and answering fundamental questions about the nature of our Universe and physics:

1. Galaxy evolution, cosmology, and dark energy The SKA will be able to detect neutral hydrogen (HI) gas in normal galaxies at very large distances. Hydrogen gas in the neutral state emits a spectral line at a wavelength of 21 cm, which corresponds to a rest frequency of approximately 1.4 GHz. Due to the expansion of the Universe, with distant galaxies receding from us, the HI line is Doppler shifted to lower frequency (described as the redshift, denoted z). Redshift increases with recession speed,

Figure 1: The mass-energy contributions of atoms, dark matter, and dark energy to the Universe at the current epoch. The nature of the majority of the massenergy of the Universe is largely unknown. Image credit: NASA.

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

which increases with distance and, therefore, lookback time in the Universe. The SKA will be able to detect HI gas in galaxies at z=3, corresponding to an epoch approximately 2.2 billion years after the Big Bang (estimated to have occurred approximately 13.7 billion years ago). Recent data from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), looking at the cosmic microwave background emission left over from the Big Bang, can be used to construct a “standard ruler” for the clustering of matter in the Universe at very early times, 300,000 years after the Big Bang. By observing the clustering of matter at other later epochs in the Universe and comparing to the standard ruler, the geometry and constituents of the Universe, and their evolution can be deduced. HI observations with the SKA are particularly powerful in this respect, since the clustering of galaxies can be directly observed at the same time as measuring the distance to the galaxy, by virtue of the redshifted HI spectral line. These observations are critical in light of the WMAP results that lead to the conclusion that only 5% of the mass-energy of the Universe at the current epoch is made of atoms – the stuff of everyday life for humans. A further 23% is dark matter, nonatomic in nature, neither emitting or absorbing light, but with gravitational influence. A staggering 72% of the mass-energy of the Universe at the current epoch is so-called dark energy, the nature of which is completely unknown, except that its postulated effect is as a form of anti-gravity, causing the Universal expansion to accelerate as time goes on. The nature of dark energy is shaping as a fundamental challenge to our understanding of the Universe and the laws of physics.

2. Probing the dark ages of the Universe Related to cosmological studies is the study of the so-called dark ages of the Universe, the era in the Universe after the bright glow of the Big Bang faded but before the first stars and galaxies formed. WMAP has extensively observed the cosmic microwave background, the radiation leftover from the Big Bang. Prior to this epoch, the Universe was fully ionised. As the early Universe expanded and cooled, atoms formed from the ionised material (the vast majority being hydrogen atoms), allowing radiation to propagate, unimpeded, at approximately the 300,000 year mark. This is known as the epoch of recombination. The cosmic microwave background observed by WMAP traces radiation from this epoch. As the Universe expanded further, the gas of

Figure 2: A simulation showing the expected distribution of pulsars in our galaxy, as detected by the SKA. Image credit: SKA Project Development Office.

News hydrogen atoms, under the influence of gravity, accumulated into galaxy-sized masses and into stellar-sized masses. Once stars and galaxies ignited, the radiation they produced reionised the surrounding gas, at a time known as the epoch of reionisation. Today, the matter in space between galaxies is fully ionised. Between the epochs of recombination and reionisation, the Universe experienced the dark ages. Stars and galaxies were in the first stages of formation, and therefore no luminous matter existed that can be seen with optical telescopes. Since the Universe was full of HI gas, the only probe of the Universe as the first galaxies and stars formed can be provided by very sensitive radio telescopes, looking for highly redshifted HI gas, perhaps in the redshift range ~6 < z < ~20, corresponding to radio frequencies between ~70 and ~200 MHz. The SKA will be able to track the amount of HI gas in the Universe as a function of its age, accurately determining the early history of structure formation.

3. The origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism Magnetic fields are vitally important to understanding in almost all areas of astrophysics, but are poorly understood. They are associated to planets, stars, and accretion disks around black holes, they pervade galaxies and also the spaces between galaxies in clusters. However, important as they are, the question of the origin of magnetic fields poses fundamental questions for physics. For example, how did the magnetic fields we see today form, and when? Did primordial magnetic fields exist before the first stars and galaxies? The best tool for studying cosmic magnetic fields are radio waves, in particular radio emission generated by charged particles spiralling around magnetic field lines. Also, the propagation of radio waves is affected by the presence of charged material and magnetic fields that lie in the paths of the waves, rotating the plane of polarisation of the radio waves in a way that is observable with radio telescopes. Before we can understand the origin of magnetic fields in the Universe, we need to gather detailed data on their strength and distribution in three dimensions. Since magnetic fields are vector quantities, we need to estimate both the field strength and its direction. Current radio telescopes are limited to being able to study the magnetic fields associated with strongly emitting objects and are thereby limited to measuring the magnetic field distribution in only a vanishing small volume of the Universe. The SKA will be able to probe the magnetic fields of individual galaxies and stars in detail, as well as probe the three-dimensional distribution of magnetic fields across the entire sky. The resulting surveys will give vital information as to the origin of magnetic fields and clarify the critical role they play in the Universe.

4. Strong field tests of gravity using pulsars and black holes General Relativity (GR) is one of the most successful physical theories ever devised, and its predictions have stood up to all 24

observational tests yet undertaken. But is GR the last word in the description of gravity? The most promising regime in which to test GR is in the extreme case of proximity to massive compact masses, which have very strong gravitational fields. A convenient class of astronomical sources exist that can provide such a unique laboratory for tests of GR, pulsars, the rapidly and regularly rotating neutron star remnants of supernovae (exploding massive stars). The pulsars have strong magnetic fields that produce synchrotron radiation in a relatively tightly collimated emission cone from the magnetic poles. Since, in general, the magnetic poles and the rotational axis of the neutron star are not aligned, the emission cone sweeps through our line of sight once per rotation, like a lighthouse, producing pulses of radiation that can be as short as a few milliseconds. The rotational period is incredibly regular, thus observing pulsars with a radio telescope gives access to the most accurate clocks in the Universe. GR states that clocks run at different rates, depending upon the strength of the gravitational field that they experience, as judged by an outside observer. Thus, any time that a pulsar is found in a binary system with another massive object, such as a white dwarf star, another neutron star (especially if also a pulsar), or a black hole, tests of GR at various field strength levels are possible. Binary pulsars have been found previously but the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holy Grailâ&#x20AC;? of pulsar astronomy would be the discovery of a pulsar-black hole system, since the most stringent tests of GR would be possible in the strongest magnetic fields. Surveys for pulsars in our Galaxy are currently limited by sensitivity and narrow fields of view, which mean that survey observations take a long time to cover a significant area of sky. As a consequence, pulsars have been detected only out to modest distances from the Earth. The SKA is expected to detect the vast majority of pulsars in our Galaxy (Figure 2), as well as pulsars in other nearby galaxies, including approximately 100 compact relativistic systems suitable for high quality tests of GR. The sheer number of pulsars discovered means that the chances of finding a pulsar-black hole system is maximised. The ability of the SKA to test the fundamental characteristics of General Relativity will be unique.

5. The cradle of life How many habitable planets are there, apart from Earth? Do technically advanced civilisations, similar to ours, exist? The SKA will have the sensitivity and resolution required to observe the processes involved in planetary system formation, from the dusty disks surrounding young stars, in particular detecting the signatures of Earth-like planets. Further, the SKA will have the sensitivity to detect radio signals comparable in strength to the stray TV transmissions that escape the Earth, from planets associated with the closest stars to our Sun. Detecting such signals would be evidence of technically advanced civilisations.

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News SKA technology and implementation The technical case for the SKA is driven by the requirements of the science goals, listed above. The key technical characteristics of the SKA will be: Sensitivity 50 times the most powerful current instruments. The increase in sensitivity is provided by increased collecting area; Angular resolution high enough to resolve sources of radio emission closely spaced on the sky and resolve detail in very compact objects. The level of detail that can be seen in images is proportional to the maximum spacing between antennas and inversely proportional to the wavelength of the radio observed. Thus, the SKA antennas will be distributed over 3000 km, giving an angular resolution of approximately a micro-degree. A microdegree is equivalent to the angular width of an orange as seen from a distance of approximately 1500 km; Large field of view to survey large portions of the sky very quickly. This will be achieved by the use of new antenna technologies; Frequency range of 100 MHz to 25 GHz. The low frequencies are critical for redshifted HI observations and the high frequencies are important for the Cradle of Life; Located in an environment that has the absolute minimum of interference at radio wavelengths caused by human activity; The challenge is to design and build the SKA, a continent scale project, within a projected funding envelope of approximately _2 billion, and operate it for something in the region of 5% of the initial capital cost per year. This challenge has been addressed essentially by an international competition to devise the most effective technical solution that will meet the science goals and the technical requirements. The national and regional SKA consortia have each been working on particular feasibility studies for the SKA, ranging from the idea of a relatively small number (~40) of very large dishes (~200 m diameter), to very large numbers (~10,000) of relatively small dishes (~10 m diameter). A key technology that has emerged is the idea of phased arrays, arrays of small receiving elements that can either sit on the ground (in this case known as aperture arrays) or installed at the focus of a concentrating device, such as a traditional radio telescope dish (in which case they are known as phased array feeds). Figure 3 shows an artists illustration of these technologies. The phased arrays are a critical key to obtaining the very large fields of view that will allow large samples of objects to be observed quickly, in order to survey the sky to achieve the science goals in cosmology and dark energy.

Figure 4: The site in Western Australia, proposed as the core site for the SKA. Image credit: CSIRO.

It is important to note that, regardless of the form of antennas that are used for the SKA, the transport of vast data rates from those antennas to a central processing facility places enormous technology demands on high-speed networking. And the amount of signal processing power required in the central facility will be unprecedented, even taking into account projected improvements due to Mooreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s law. In parallel to the investigations of the technology options for the SKA, an international process to select the best possible site for the SKA is being undertaken. In 2006 four sites formally submitted bids to the International SKA Steering Committee to host the SKA: Australasia (Australia and New Zealand), Argentina/ Brazil, China, and Southern Africa. Two sites were shortlisted to advance in the site selection process, Australasia and Southern Africa, with a final decision expected on the site in the 2011/2012 timeframe. The Australian bid centres around concentrating the majority of the antennas in Western Australia, in the Murchison Shire, northeast of the coastal town of Geraldton. The remaining antennas will be distributed across the Australian continent to the east coast, with a small number of antennas possibly in New Zealand. Western Australia was selected due to its remote location, very low population density, and therefore freedom from radio frequency interference due to mobile phones and FM radio stations. Figure 4 shows the proposed Western Australian site. As part of the work to prove the sites, and prove some critical technologies for the SKA, both Australia and South Africa are building Pathfinder telescopes on their candidate sites, with collecting areas approximately 1% of the final SKA specifications. In Western Australia a CSIRO Division, the Australia Telescope National Facility, is spending $100m to build the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP). ASKAP will consist of up to 40 antennas of 12 m in diameter, using phased array feeds to obtain images of the sky over very wide fields of view (Figure 5). The science goals for ASKAP mirror the overall science goals for the SKA. A great deal more information is available on the SKA from the International SKA Project and a number of national and regional consortia. The International Project website is at: http://www.skatelescope.org The Australian SKA Project website is at: http://www.ska.gov.au The South African SKA Project website is at: http://www.ska.ac.za

Figure 3: The SKA reference design, including aperture arrays (foreground) and small dishes (background). Image credit: Xilostudios.

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

Figure 5: Artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impression of some dishes of the Australian SKA Pathfinder telescope to be built in Western Australia. Image credit: Chris Fluke, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology.

News

Ilgarijiri – “things belonging to the sky” Prof. Steven Tingay (s.tingay@curtin.edu.au), on behalf of the Yamaji Arts and ICRAR collaboration

The Yamaji Arts indigenous art cooperative, based in Geraldton, and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) are collaborating in a unique activity as part of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy. The two organisations are bringing together indigenous artists and astronomers in an exchange that seeks to celebrate the indigenous perspective on the night sky and explore the connection between astronomy and indigenous culture, expressed in art. An element making this activity unique is that plans to build the world’s most powerful radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), are intimately tied to the country of the mid-west of Western Australia, Wajarri Yamatji country. This area is one of the quietest, and therefore best, places on the Earth to operate radio telescopes. It is also an area rich in indigenous culture, and an active and emerging region in terms of indigenous art. In March, the first steps of this year-long activity were completed. Three astronomers from ICRAR, twelve indigenous artists from Geraldton and Mullewa, and Yamaji Arts staff came together in Mullewa, for a BBQ and a session of evening star-gazing on the town oval. Telescopes and binoculars were trained on Saturn, stars, nebulae and galaxies and many of the Mullewa kids got in on the act. The following morning, the artists and astronomers drove to the core of the Australian site proposed for the SKA, on Boolardy station, in Wajarri Yamatji country – the Murchison Radioastronomy Observatory (MRO). In a more intimate setting, the group walked over country and took a tour of the high technology prototype telescope (the Murchison Widefield Array) that is currently being built on the site.

The aim of this cultural exchange on Wajarri Yamatji country was for the artists to draw inspiration from the land, the telescopes, and the sharing of stories about the night sky. The works of art that emerge from the visit to Mullewa and the MRO will form the basis for an exhibition that will launch in the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery on Friday June 12th and run for 6 weeks. The title for the exhibition is Ilgarijiri – “things belonging to the sky”. In September, the exhibition will travel to Perth and be open to the public in an exhibition space at the Curtin University of Technology’s new Chemistry and Resources Precinct. It is hoped that the exhibition will be able to travel to an east coast venue in late 2009 or early 2010. The artworks will also be featured in a “virtual gallery” on the web, so that people around the world can view the exhibition. The visit to Mullewa and the MRO was followed by a film crew from the Indigenous Programs Unit of the ABC, for the Message Stick program, to be aired later in 2009. We appreciate the permission for this activity granted by the Wajarri Yamatji Native Title Claim Group. Thanks go to CSIRO for their strong support, particularly Priscilla Clayton for organisational assistance out of Geraldton. And thanks go to Mark and Carolyn Halleen at Boolardy station for accommodating the group and looking after everyone during the visit. Information on Yamatji Arts (formerly Marra Arts and design) can be obtained from Ms Katherine Moroz on +61 (08) 9965 3440.

The combination of the ancient country of the Wajarri Yamatji and the high technology instruments of modern astronomy prompted discussion and thought among the group. Back at the homestead, as the Sun went down, the artists set to work with their materials, planning out exploratory pieces. After dinner the campfire was set and the group shared stories about the stars in the night sky from both indigenous and non-indigenous perspectives.

ICRAR is a joint venture between Curtin University of Technology and The University of Western Australia, funded by the Western Australian state government.

Walking over country (image credit: Dr Megan Argo).

Touring the MWA (image credit: Dr Megan Argo).

The evening campfire, under the stars and sharing stories (image credit: Dr Megan Argo).

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News

Planet Lottery @ Perth Observatory Chris Mesiku How many planets can you discover with a wine glass and lottery odds? So far, around 8 of the 346 new planets have been discovered using a concept explainable by looking down a wine glass while keeping in mind the small odds involved in winning lotto. The wine glass concept is called gravitational lensing. The concept is used by the Perth Observatory as part of worldwide collaboration to search for Earth like planets. The ultimate aim of all planet searches is to discover the distribution of planets and solar systems in our galaxy. This distribution will let astronomers know if planets like Earth and solar systems like ours are a common occurrence in the our Milky Way Galaxy and the wider universe. As you read this article, countless lensing events are taking place far above Perth in outer space. To understand what gravitational lensing is and how it’s used by astronomers at the Perth Observatory and around the world, we need to mention key scientists namely, Isaac Newton, Johann Georg von Soldner, Albert Einstein, Arthur Eddington and Frank W. Dyson and Fritz Zwicky. Newton’s universal law of gravitation (1684) stated that bodies with mass attract each other along a line through their centres. The force of attraction being proportional to the masses involved but inversely proportional to the square of the distances between their centres. Using Newtonian mechanics, Johann Georg von Soldner proposed in 1801 that since celestial bodies are large, the sun should be able to bend the light of a far-away star as that light makes its way to Earth. Newton’s laws predicted that this change should make the star seem to shift its position by around 0.8 arcseconds. An arcsecond is 1/3600th of 1 degree – an extremely small angle. Einstein then recalculated this using his theory of general relativity and discovered that the value should be twice as much. In the Newtonian world, space did not curve or bend with mass, however in the Einstein universe, mass warps space and time. Einstein postulated that the curvature of space caused by the gravity of the Sun would double the bending angle to 1.6 arcseconds. Einstein was later shown to be correct when during the solar eclipse of 1919, when Eddington and Dyson confirmed his predictions by taking images of the eclipse. Eddington’s observations were confirmed by the Lick Observatory who observed the 1922 solar eclipse from north Western Australia in Wallal. Around 10 years later, Einstein predicted that it would be theoretically possible to observe the gravity of a foreground star amplifying the light of a background star, by creating multiple images. These images would be too close together to ever see individually, but would result in more light from that distant star reaching the Earth. Einstein at the time thought this would never actually be observed for individual stars, because of the need to VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

measure the brightness of millions of stars every few days. Soon after, a well known scientist called Fritz Zwicky also predicted gravitational lensing on a much larger scale, creating multiple images of a distant galaxy from the gravity of a cluster of galaxies closer to us. In 1979, the first gravitational lensing was observed – two images of the quasar Q0957+561, originally thought to be two different quasars. It wasn’t until the early 1990’s that detecting the gravitational lensing effect from individual stars was proven to be possible. Leading the field was the MACHO project using an automated telescope in Canberra. It is now known as ‘gravitational microlensing’, because the multiple images are so small. So how does all this relate to wine glasses you ask? Normal lenses focus parallel rays of light to a single point, known as the focal point (in the case of concave lenses, the light diverges instead, but as if it’s coming FROM a single focal point). No matter where the ray of light hits the lens, near the centre or near the edge, it will be bent to the same single point. Gravity bends light differently – parallel rays of light are focused to meet at a focal LINE, that extends out at right angles from the centre of the ‘lens’. Rays that reach the lens further from the centre are focused to a point on that line further from the lens. You can make a glass lens that behaves like this by making it much thicker in the middle, sticking out in a ‘spike’ at the centre, like the stem of a wineglass. So in effect looking at a street lamp at night through a wine glass is analogous to seeing a gravitational lensing event. In gravitational lensing, if a source (background object), lens (foreground object) and Observer (on Earth) are perfectly symmetrical (in direct alignment like the street lamp, wine glass and your eye), the result is an almost perfect ring image of the background source with the lens object (star or galaxy) in the middle of the ring. If the lensing object and the source object are stars, they will be moving across the line of sight of an Earth observer so over a time interval (hours, weeks to months), the change in the alignment of the three bodies will change the magnification, distortion and position of images. The diameter of the ring image is proportional to the square root of the lensing, and is called the Einstein Radius. This makes gravitational lensing a good way to measure the masses of foreground stars, galaxies and galaxy clusters that act as lenses. If the foreground lens is a typical star in our Galaxy, and the background source is also in our galaxy, then the Einstien Radius for the lensing works out to be around 1.5-3 Astronomical Units (1 AU is 150 million km). That means that most of the light from the source that reaches us passes the lens star at about that distance, exactly where planets like Jupiter could be orbiting that star. If the lens star does have a planet, and if it’s in exactly the right position, the extra gravity of the planet could add an extra little ‘blip’ to the brightness for a short time. Detecting that 27

News blip would give us the mass and position of the planet, without actually ‘seeing’ it directly. Microlensing is a chance science. The alignment required for any lensing event is purely based on chance. It is estimated that the chance of lining up a telescope to a star undergoing gravitational lensing is about one in a million. This are still better odds than the WA Saturday lotto which gives you a one in eight million chance of getting the six winning numbers! With lotto, the more combinations of six numbers you choose the better your chances become so it is true with planet searching using microlensing. The more stars you can monitor at any one time, the more are your chances of monitoring lensing events that contain planets. And the easiest way to monitor a lot of stars with the least amount of telescope movement is to aim the telescopes towards the center of our galaxy where stars are most dense. The image below shows you the microlensing planet search in action. Starting from the far left image, initially the brightness curve of the star shows low, but slowly increasing magnification. Then as a planet moves in the line of sight of an observer, suddenly three images of the background star will be formed, instead of the two images caused by the central lens star and the brightness curve will show a sharp “planet signal”. After that, the number of images drops back to two, then as the parent star moves past, the magnification increases to a maximum when the two images are symmetrical, then fades slowly back to a magnification of 1.0 as the lensing event finishes. To find these interesting cases where planets cause ‘glitches’ in the brightess of a microlensing event, Perth Observatory along with other collaborators must do intensive round the clock follow-up monitoring of dozens of microlensing events during the WA winter months to detect planets. With lotto type odds, it may seem futile to use this “wine glass” like method to locate Earth like planets but no other technique is better. The most popular techniques look for planets by monitoring the affect a planet has on a parent star. This technique is easier if the planet is either very large, like Jupiter, or very close

to its Sun, like Mercury (or closer) – preferably both. So typically, the planets they find are large, and orbiting close to their Sun, like very hot versions of Jupiter or Neptune. The first extra solar planet to be discovered was in 1989 ((HD114762 b) using the radial velocity method. It had a short period of 84 days and was about 11 Jupiter masses. However the first planet found using the microlensing method was in 2004 (OGLE235-MOA53 b) with 2.6 Jupiter masses. Finding smaller planets means looking right down in the noise – the smaller a planet, the fainter the signal. With Microlensing however, even the smallest planets can create high magnifications of background source stars, so while actually detecting them is like winning a lottery, if you find one, the signal is umistakeable. In 2005, the Perth Observatory as part of an international collaboration found a Planet that is only five times as big as Earth but extremely cold at -220 degrees Celsius. Perth Observatory is in a good position when it comes to microlensing observations. The Perth Observatory 61cm telescope is currently being used for microlensing observations, but soon a new 1 metre telescope called the A. Montgomery Ward telescope will be installed on site, with double the observing power. Compared to other professional Observatories around the world and in Australia, Perth Observatory is a small observatory. However, our size and location make us ideal for microlensing follow up observations, as does the extended observing possible with dedicated telescopes. The Galactic bulge is at RA (Right Ascension) = 18hr and Dec (Declination) = -30 degrees and it’s visible between May and September each year. Since the latitude of Perth is 32 degrees south, the bulge passes almost directly overhead from Perth, which means Perth and most parts of WA are ideally suited to study the galactic bulge. To follow these events 24 hours a day, the research group needs telescopes around the world, so that there is always at least one telescope observing during local night-time. Perth also has a perfect location for this coverage, filling the gap between observatories in the Eastern States of

Image David. P. Bennett.

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News Since microlensing follow up observations can be done by telescopes with as small as 10 inch (25 centimeter) apertures, many interested individuals or schools can hit the planet searching trail. Participants must have automated equatorial mount 10-12inch telescopes with science grade CCD, precise internal clocks, high precision time series photometry capability and a telescope linked to a PC connected to a high speed internet line. They must also be prepared to observe all night at a moments notice…

Australia and South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in South Africa. Without observations from Perth, there would be a few hours without coverage every day. Two major groups (OGLE III and MOA) are actually responsible for monitoring microlensing events. Each finds a few hundred events every year. OGLE and MOA computers alert follow up networks to these events as they are found, and the most interesting events are targeted by other groups for more intensive observation, with the aim of finding a light curve signature that represent a possible planet. The Perth Observatory was a founding member of the first microlensing follow-up network in 1995, the PLANET (Probing Lensing Anomalies Network) research group. From 2009 onwards, PLANET has combined with another group called µFUN (pronounced MicroFUN, which stands for Microlensing Follow Up Network), to form the PLANET-µFUN collaborations. The diagram on page 30 from Andrzej Udalski and Michal Szymanski Warsaw University Observatory shows a typical area of the Galactic bulge monitored for events. The blue and red areas represent areas for monitoring by the OGLE-III project. Monitoring of at least 100 million stars in a May-September season is not uncommon.

A space based microlensing mission likely to cost around $300 million has been proposed. Currently, Earth based microlensing techniques have a planet separation radius of 2-3 AU (1 AU=150 million km) sensitivity but space based options can have radius of 0.5 AU. This is great because the habitable zone (radius at which life develops on a planet) for planets around stars similar to the sun are typically 1 AU. Space based missions can detect any planets from about one-tenth the mass of Earth to many times bigger than Jupiter. With other space missions such as NASA’s Kepler recently placed in orbit, a space based microlensing mission will greatly increase the odds of detecting planets much like our own blue planet Earth. And that may happen very soon because as they say in lotto, stranger things have happened!

Zadko zeroes in on space debris Carmelo Amalfi for ScienceNetwork WA (www.sciencewa.net.au) THE University of Western Australia’s new Zadko telescope has discovered a 4km-wide rock orbiting in the outer reaches of the solar system.

Asteroids are faint and difficult to spot because they move very fast, with the discovery highlighting the efficacy of the Zadko telescope.

Curtin University of Technology Honours student Mick Todd used the telescope to make the unexpected discovery while searching the sky for asteroids that could pose a danger to Earth.

“The asteroid image obtained by the Zadko Telescope is the same as detecting a grain of sand from 130 km away,” Zadko project leader David Coward said.

The Zadko telescope has spotted a 4km-wide asteroid orbiting in the outer reaches of the solar system.

Located somewhere between 125 and 400 million km from Earth, the asteroid has an apparent magnitude or brightness of about 19.5 - around 250,000 times fainter than the stars least visible to the naked eye.

Asteroids range in size from metres to kilometres and often cross the Earth’s orbital path around the Sun. Occasionally they hit the Earth, such as the asteroid collision many scientists believe wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

Associate Professor Coward says the number of rocks and asteroids discovered by increasingly more sophisticated telescopes has steadily increased in recent years. Information from these discoveries feeds into global attempts to analyse the structure of the solar system and identify those nearEarth objects that get too close.

Image: Istockphoto

“Some … are so close that impacts can occur only hours after discovery,” he says.

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

The latest discovery rides on the back of recent milestones achieved by the 1m-diameter robotic telescope, including recording the aftermath of a massive gamma ray explosion about 11 billion years ago - just a few billion years after the Big Bang. 29

News

The Hunt for Gravity Waves! Anja Cherian, Gravity Discovery Centre

Gravity is one of the 4 major forces of the Universe, along with

of 6 interferometers world –wide. It is co-located to the Gravity

Electromagnetism, Weak Nuclear Force and Strong Nuclear

Discovery Centre; the public arm of AIGO which brings up to date

Force.

research and information to schools and the general public.

Einstein predicted gravitational waves in 1916 however they have

The quest to define and measure gravity began a long time ago!

not yet been directly detected on Earth, although astronomers Joe Taylor and Russel Hulse received the 1993 Nobel Prize for proof of their existence by showing that a star system is losing energy by producing gravitational waves.

During the 21st century astronomy will gradually uncover the gravity wave spectrum. Undoubtedly it will contain a wealth of surprises and insights as did understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum during the 20th century.

It is thought that detection of Gravitational waves will let us hear the universe. Theory tells us that space should be full of gravity wave “sounds”- intense drum beats from the formation or collision of black holes, chirrup like bird calls when neutron stars

So, while gravity waves have not been measured yet, research is getting closer and closer to finding and harnessing them. Gravity waves are one of the universe most mysterious and powerful forces. Once detected, they will change science and technology

coalesce, etc. Gravitation waves involve large amounts of energy. The formation

as we know it today.

of a black hole can, in theory, produce more gravity wave

The Gravity Discovery Centre is privileged to have access to AIGO

power than the light power of all the trillion trillion stars in the

research as well as its scientists to share this exciting research

universe.

with tomorrow’s Einsteins. Bringing this cutting edge research

The Australian International Gravitational Observatory (AIGO) is located in Gingin West on acres and acres of pristine bush

to today’s school children will foster a new understanding and interest in science and its importance to our society.

land. This site was chosen for its remote location with very little

Gravity Discovery Centre, 1098 Military Rd, Gingin West,

disturbances in terms of traffic etc, yet close to Perth. It is one

(08) 9575 7577 booking@gdc.asn.au or visit www.gdc.asn.au

300 BC – Aristotle

Things fall because they contain more “Earth” than “Fire”.

16th Century – Galileo

Objects fall at the same speed independently of their mass.

17th Century – Newton

Universal Law of Gravitation. Explanation of the solar system orbits.

18th Century – Cavendish Measurement of the universal constant of Gravitation G.

First independent measurement of the

mass of the Earth.

19th Century -

Theoretical prediction of the existence of Neptune from its gravitational effects.

20th Century – Einstein

Theory of general relativity. Space and time are distorted by objects. Time is no longer absolute.

21st Century – AIGO

Gravity wave research with 6 interferometers world -wide, one of them in Gingin.

THE JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

News

Black hole born to WA scientists Carmelo Amalfi for ScienceNetwork WA (www.sciencewa.net.au) expanded and cooled. Within the next 380,000 years, it had cooled to a temperature of around 3000 kelvin. This period is known as the ‘Dark Ages’ of the universe because there were no stars yet to emit light. According to Dr Coward It is very difficult to record anything at these vast distances in time and space. Trying to observe a gamma ray burst is like trying to describe what is going on inside a dark room in the time it takes a candle to burn out in one corner. “The star we were observing was very faint because it is so far away,” says Dr Coward. “Even the galaxy it is in is appears very faint.”

HOT on the heels of his team’s discovery of a distant massive gamma ray burst, UWA research fellow Dr David Coward says black holes formed in such explosions rarely occur in our local universe - every 100 to 200 million years. “What we are actually observing is the birth of a black hole,” UWA astrophysicist David Coward says regarding the recent gamma ray burst. The recent gamma ray burst recorded by the Zadko Telescope was the evidence of a black hole being born, around 11 billion years ago and in a distant galaxy. Although rare ‘locally’, since the universe is so big, satellites are detecting one every three to four days. And that is a conservative estimate, according to Dr Coward. “These are not giant black holes that sit at the centre of galaxies and have been around a long time. These black holes are new.” In a sense, since the gamma ray burst recorded by the WA team is 11 billion years old, the baby hole left in its wake has already grown and died or merged with other black holes. Dr Coward says the burst occurred during the so-called ‘Dark Ages’ after the Big Bang explosion that possibly created the universe nearly 15 billion years ago. According to Big Bang theory, the universe was created out of chaos. Within the first three minutes, the infant universe rapidly

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

News

Astronomy Online Aureol Heary As with all things in cyberspace there is a plethora of sites all

General

promising ideas with supernova like qualities. Some do shine like

http://hubblesite.org/

the stars in the Jewel Box but others are dimmed by the pervading dust in the cosmos. Following are some of my favourites. They

Website: Is both informative and has good space activities. Easy to navigate

each have different qualities but all have three main features for a good site; easy to navigate, informative and clearly presented information. Below I have reviewed three sites from a classroom

affects the night sky. Other sections are relevant. This site includes activities for both educators and students. The

teacher’s viewpoint.

homepage is detailed and takes you to a number of different sites. Its best feature is that you are able to access a range of locations

Planetarium

from the one site, for example, “Newscenter” reports the latest

Stellarium.org

news in astronomy with amazing images and videos complete with fast facts and “Amazing Space” has the history of telescopes,

Free open source planetarium

current research, planets and galaxies and interactive, student

Installation: Easy

centred activities.

Navigation: Easy

It is not just the ability to locate a lot of information from one

Trying to work out what is where during the year? This site takes the effort out finding good viewing objects for your viewing night and providing opportunities for students to see how constellations

site which facilitates planning but rather it is the quality of the information that sets this site apart from many others. http://www.nasa.org

line up at different times of the year. The various options allow for

Website: Is both informative and has good space activities.

viewing with and without labels, equatorial and azimuthal grids,

Navigation: Easy to locate recent material. Archival lesson plans

constellation lines and graphics, planets and nebula. The “search”

require a little more effort.

and “date/time” windows are easy to access and allow the users to

Like the Hubble site, the Nasa site allows you to access the latest

view the night sky at any time and date in the year.

astronomy information from the one site. The difference is in

This site is also excellent for learning to read the night sky. Students can turn off the labels and constellation lines, identify

Nasa’s section for educators. Nasa’s programmes are significantly more detailed, cover all learning areas and can be used to plan a complete programme. The lessons plans are detailed and are

the stars, constellations, nebula and planets before turning

grouped according to year level. It is not as easy to navigate

everything on to check their results.

as the Hubble site but the “search” component is effective and

The search feature allows for the use of names and both Messier and NGC numbers. One down side is that stars that have more

Downside: Based on Northern Hemisphere but this really only

the filtering system brings the number of relevant activities to a manageable size. The background information on astronomy features, for example, stars, is detailed but still easy to understand

than one name, for example, Alpha Centuari are listed under only

whilst the images and videos are of a high quality with many of

one name. Alpha Centauri is under Rigel Kent.

the images being particularly stunning as well as informative. THE JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

News

Window to the Universe: The Square Kilometre Array A resource for teachers of students in Years 7 - 10 Window to the Universe is a new teaching resource designed

Lesson topics can be used and adapted individually but also form

for students in Years 7 - 10 across Australia. It forms part of the

an integrated unit that engages and challenges students by

new website and education package developed for the Australian

exposing them to an exciting area of science in Australia.

Government’s SKA website by Questacon, the National Science Centre, Scitech Perth Western Australia and CSIRO’s Australian Telescope National Facility and Comprising 21 lessons arranged in three sections, it first introduces students to waves, wave properties and the electromagnetic spectrum. It then tackles the key concepts and components in the Universe, starting with the Big Bang then galaxies, stars an d planets and forces and gravity. The last section covers astronomical techniques and technology. This includes measurement of time and distance in space, optical telescopes and radio astronomy.

To receive a free copy of this exciting resource in Term 3, please go to www.ska.gov.au/education and register your details. This teacher resource was developed as part of the QuestaconScitech SKA Education project funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research with support from an experienced team of science teachers form the Science Teachers Association of NSW and coordinated by an experienced astronomy educator/teacher from CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility.

Investigations include where to locate and how to build a new generation radio telescope. The role of technological innovation is stressed, as is coverage of Australia’s involvement in working towards the Square Kilometre Array including building the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, ASKAP. Careers in astronomy and related fields are also considered. Support documents on radio astronomy, the SKA and weblinks are also provided. Each lesson topic provides a rationale, an equipment and reference lists, outcomes, prior knowledge, understandings and skills required, an outline of the activity and suggestions for assessment. Where necessary detailed background information and additional reading is provided. Most topics also have one or more pages of the Student activity that can be printed out and handed to students. The resource uses a wide range of activities and styles to engage students. Some sections require group work; some require constructing physical models or investigations whilst others rely on use of a variety of web sources and secondary investigations. The activities develop a variety of skills required by science syllabi.

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

News

Out There: Year Tens Catch Space Bug Jenni Wallis, UWA Year Ten students with stars in their eyes got the chance to indulge some of their space fantasies at the hands-on Out There! exhibition at The University of Western Australia from Monday 4 May to Friday 15 May. More than 500 science students from around the State received a privileged, behind-the-scenes introduction to the biggest groundbased astronomy project in the world: the $3 billion Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The SKA radio telescope will be up to 50 times more sensitive than today’s instruments, revolutionising our understanding of the origin and evolution of the Universe including the formation of our own sun after the big bang. WA’s Murchison region is one of two short-listed sites to host the SKA, whose 4,000 dishes will be spread across 3,000km. The other site is in southern Africa. SKA’s location will be decided in 2012. The name of the exhibition, Out There! refers to WA’s outback as well as to outer space. The event was a collaboration by UWA’s Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences, the new International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR – a partnership between UWA and Curtin University of Technology), the Spice program (UWA’s secondary teachers’ enrichment program) and Scitech. The exhibition featured an operational radio telescope, scale models of the SKA, a timeline ribbon highlighting what we can see

now in space and how the SKA will enable astronomers to ‘look back in time’, Scitech’s new portable Spacedome and a ‘World at Night’ astrophotography show. As well, ICRAR Director and Premier’s Fellow, UWA’s Professor Peter Quinn, gave a free public lecture about the Centre’s key role in driving Australia’s bid to be the site for SKA The Out There exhibition was also a key component of the Scitech and Astronomy WA coordinated, Space Camp event. Students and teachers from 20 high schools around the State descended on the exhibition on mass on the 8th of May and went away with a much better understanding of the Universe they live in. To register your schools interest in attending future exhibitions at UWA, contact Jenni Wallis, marketing manager, Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences, (+61 8) 6488 3263, jenni.wallis@uwa.edu.au To register your interest in being involved in Space Camp in 2010 contact Pete Wheeler at Scitech on 9215 0830 or pete@scitech.org.au

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News

Astronomical Telescopes - Which one should I buy? Keith Williams Binocular Telescope and Optical World (BTOW) This is a question that comes up a lot with prospective purchasers. Buying a telescope can be problematical even for people with experience. As well as considering the dollar content there is also the need to address and evaluate the technical aspects. I have been an amateur astronomer for many years and have seen some disastrous purchases made with good intent only to be discarded once the owner realizes that it will not do what he/she requires of it. Often these purchases are made on the internet or at a shop where the sales team know little about astronomy. My advice, don’t get caught - know what you are buying and why. A good telescope properly maintained will last for a very long time. You need to make sure the telescope you are purchasing will suit your needs for the type of astronomy you want to get involved in. Living and viewing in the city limits you to bright objects ie: solar, lunar, planets and some bright star clusters within the Milky Way Galaxy. City astronomy is not very rewarding because light pollution tends to dominate the sky leaving you with washed out views of most objects. Get away from the city and out into the country and things change dramatically. The best way to do this is to join an astronomical club. They usually have sites away from city lights where you can view with safety whilst having other advantages such as power, toilets and a place to make a cuppa - all very welcome on a cold night. Telescopes comprise of two main components which are both equally important: the optical tube and the mount Telescopes also fall into three basic categories:

astrophotography at a later date. For under $800 you can have a power house of a telescope and it won’t disappoint. For an extra couple of grand it can be fully computerised. Maksutov and cassegrain telescopes are very popular due to their portability. A Maksutov attaches to an equatorial mount where many cassegrain telescopes have their mount fitted to the scope. Most cassegrain mounts are alt-azimuth. Alt-azimuth mounts move like a tank gun - up and down and around - whereas a German equatorial mount moves radially and tangentially to its polar axis. The German equatorial is much harder to set up whereas the alt-azimuth mount is fairly easy. My advice is to take good advice. Do not buy anything until you have spoken to people who know what they are talking about. You can join the Starrynites Astronomy for Beginners Course at BTOW for as little as $140.00 (6 week course which may be repeated at no extra cost). The content of this course will teach you about astronomy and telescopes and you will have the opportunity to look through different types of telescopes at AGWA’s club observatory (Astronomical Group of WA). Practical nights at this observatory are held after the course to hone your skills in finding objects in the night sky and understanding your telescope. To sum up: I doubt you would buy a car without having some advice and a test drive. So come along to BTOW and take advantage of all these extra’s that are offered including a telescope test drive on every Thursday night. BTOW, Unit 5, 41 Holder Way, Malaga, WA Telephone: 9249 6825

1. Push-pull 2. Power operated, and 3. Computer operated The latter has the computer built in. If you are not technically minded then push-pull may be better for you as the set up is a lot simpler. I have met many people, who have bought a computerized telescope, being told that it will find pretty well anything they want to see in the sky. Most are very disappointed with their purchase as they find it very difficult to operate due to the lack of astronomical knowledge and telescope set-up. A good push-pull telescope is called a Dobsonian. This is now the most popular telescope in the world. It is cheap for its size and will do most branches of astronomy very well - even in the city. One of its major advantages is that it can be attached to a motorised or computerised mount making it available for

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

Heads up on Science with ScienceNetwork WA

Welcome to Heads Up on Science with ScienceNetwork WA! While bringing you the latest research and development stories out of Western Australian Universities, ScienceNetwork WA would also like to invite you to www.sciencewa.net.au to check out our newlook website! With our new site design and functionality now live, ScienceNetwork WA hopes that we are now bringing you your local science news in a more user-friendly and accessible format than ever before. The re-organising of content into specific scientific areas is aimed at letting you get to the science information you need as easily as possible and providing at-a-glance access to events, media and new stories. We would suggest you take a look at our Science Community section that lets you create profiles and communicate with other members, including scientists, teachers and students. This exciting service will grow over time to allow WA’s science community to keep in touch and share their interests and research. If you have any feedback on the new site design, please feel free to email sciencewa@scitech.org.au at any time and let us know. Read on… To read breaking WA science stories in full, visit the ScienceNetwork WA website at www.sciencewa.net.au. Activate your connections to science by subscribing to our free weekly newsletter and receive the latest science updates directly to your inbox.

Scitech promoting International Year of Astronomy with Lotterywest help

Additionally, some funding has been acquired to assist in the running of the “Astronomy WA Space Trail” (to be coordinated by Gingin Observatory) and also the “Astronomy WA Astrofest” at Curtin in November. We are very pleased that we have been able to secure this funding and that we can use this opportunity to promote astronomy and the work of Astronomy WA throughout the remainder of 2009 and beyond. Pete Wheeler Planetarium Manager and Astronomy WA Coordinator Scitech

National Science Week is Australia’s largest national festival and is a great opportunity to get your students, class, year level, school and community involved in a national celebration of science, innovation, mathematics, engineering and technology. This year’s schools theme is Astronomy: Science Without Limits. There will be hundreds of great events occurring across Australia as part of National Science Week 2009. For more information visit www.scienceweek.gov.au For more information on National Science Week contact: Kelly Dawson, WA Coordinator 9215 0739 or scienceweek@scitech.org.au

Scitech is pleased to announce that it has been successful in applying for a Lotterywest grant to coordinate and promote a series of events for the International Year of Astronomy. A large part of the funding will be used to generate awareness of the year through promotion, advertising and the Astronomy WA website, with the aim of encouraging all West Australians to participate in the IYA and attend events happening in their area. As part of the funding, approximately 20 observing events will be delivered over the next 12 months, with the majority of these being delivered in regional areas. For this reason Scitech has secured the services of Mr Peter Birch (AstronomyWest) to help coordinate these events.

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Heads up on Science with ScienceNetwork WA Curtin and STAWA for science teachers in 2009. A successful physics workshop was conducted in February and a biology program is planned for later in the year.

MLC teacher goes back to school Proving the old adage that learning never stops is true, 26 chemistry teachers from all over the state descended on Curtin University of Technology recently to bone up on their chemistry concepts. Teaching Chemistry for Understanding was attended by teachers from locations as diverse as Carnarvon, Como and Kalgoorlie. These teachers came with a desire to acquire skills that would help them become better teachers. One of these teachers was Methodist Ladies College science teacher Helen Lydon. According to Helen this was a great experience. “I really appreciated the fact that we were exposed to practical science research going on in a university setting, she said.” “Particularly interesting was hearing about the research that Curtin is undertaking in nanotechnology and water treatment. “We were also able to conduct some really interesting chemistry experiments. I look forward to taking this back to the classroom. “Overall, it was an excellent experience for gaining ideas and resources for teaching, as well as making contacts with other science teachers.” According to Associate Professor Vaille Dawson from Curtin’s Science and Mathematics Education Centre, this program was an excellent way for teachers to improve their professional skills, ultimately benefiting Western Australian students. “This program offers high school chemistry teachers a range of opportunities they would otherwise not have,” said Associate Professor Dawson. “They were given the chance to conduct a range of hands-on experiments that they can take back to the classroom, such as making nylon, silver mirrors and experimenting with emissions colours. “Also on offer was a range of talks by some of Western Australia’s leading researchers. They were then able to take a tour of Curtin’s new state of the art Resources and Chemistry Precinct, which is currently being built.” Teaching Chemistry for Understanding is a partnership with the Science Teachers Association of WA (STAWA) and is designed to take teachers through how to identify and deal with student misconceptions. It also provides them with the chance to hear from Curtin chemists about the cutting-edge, international research they are conducting. This is the second professional development program run by Helen Lydon.

VOLUME 45 NO. 2 JUNE 2009

“Curtin has a strong commitment towards providing all Western Australians with a better understanding of science,” said Associate Professor Dawson. “These programs, along with our recognised tertiary courses, allow us to do this.”

Curtin’s “wet and sticky” research could save millions of dollars for global mining industry Curtin University of Technology researchers plan to develop a detailed understanding of the nature and characteristics of wet and sticky ore, a problem which can significantly increase mining and processing costs due to equipment blockages and higher asset maintenance requirements. This WSO project will be conducted by Curtin’s recently-founded Rio Tinto Centre for Materials and Sensing in Mining (RTCMSM) and Curtin’s Centre for Materials Research. The RTCMSM is one of Rio Tinto’s three world-class university based R&D centres. RTCMSM Director Associate Professor Vladimir Golovanevskiy said the WSO research was vital as new ores often mined from below the water table are wet and sticky and more difficult to handle. “These potentially problematic ore types are likely to form an increasing percentage of iron ore exported from WA, and similar factors play a significant role in bauxite mining, which is known for wet and sticky material issues.” Associate Professor Golovanevskiy said that despite its industrywide importance, there was still very little understanding of WSO issues. “The WSO phenomena involve many contributing factors including chemical and mineralogical composition, particle size and shape, environmental factors, and processing parameters among others,” he said. “The project has the ambitious aim of characterising the WSO phenomena and will use the results to help develop predictive solutions to the problem.” Curtin has commissioned state-of-the-art, specialised equipment for this project through the Centre for Materials Research that will allow for the most advanced materials characterisation techniques to be used in the WSO research. The $350,000 project is expected to take two years to complete and is the first RTCMSM project to be conducted exclusively within Curtin. The Centre’s five other R&D projects are being conducted in collaboration with world-class overseas institutions. “The approval of the WSO project reflects Rio Tinto’s recognition of Curtin’s world-class expertise in the area of materials characterisation and further reinforces their commitment to basic research and to the University. The results of the project will initially benefit Rio Tinto, and eventually the whole of mining industry in Australia and world-wide,” Associate Professor Golovanevskiy said. Curtin’s Rio Tinto Centre for Materials and Sensing in Mining (RTCMSM) was launched in March 2008, in support of Rio Tinto’s vision for the Mine of the FutureTM. 37

Heads up on Science with ScienceNetwork WA “We found that the combination of dietary intake of mushrooms and green tea-drinking decreased breast cancer risk with an additional reduced effect on the malignance of cancer. Our findings, if confirmed consistently in other research, have potential implications for protection against breast cancer development using an inexpensive dietary intervention,” Dr Zhang said.

Cheap, delicious and easy way to prevent breast cancer Eating mushrooms and drinking green tea could protect against breast cancer, a study conducted jointly by The University of Western Australia and Zhejiang University in China has found. Research Associate Professor Min Zhang, of UWA’s School of Population Health, led the research team who examined the mushroom and tea consumption of more than 2,000 women aged from 20 to 87 in relatively affluent southeast China. Half of the women had confirmed breast cancer and the others were healthy women recruited from outpatient clinics. “Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide and its rate is increasing in both developed and developing countries,” Professor Zhang said. In China, the incidence of the cancer is four or five times lower than in developed countries. The researchers, including UWA’s Professor D’Arcy Holman and Zhejiang University’s Dr Jian Huang and Professor Xing Xie, investigated whether this could be due to the use of dried and fresh mushrooms and green leaf tea in the traditional Chinese diet. “Mushrooms and mushroom extracts have been shown to possess anticarcinogenic properties and to stimulate immune responsiveness,” Dr Zhang said. “And it has been found fairly consistently in epidemiological research that green tea has anticarcinogenic effects against breast cancer.” By interviewing all the women about their consumption of mushrooms and tea, the researchers found that the most common mushroom species eaten were fresh white button mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus, and fragrant dried mushrooms, Lentinula edodes. Some of the women in the study consumed neither mushrooms nor green tea while others enjoyed both up to three times a day. The data were adjusted for factors such as physical activity, weight, menopause, alcohol consumption and smoking, including passive smoking.

The Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences at The University of Western Australia is holding a serious of lectures to introduce the Faculty’s newly appointed professors: Professor Jessica Meeuwig Director, Centre for Marine Futures ‘Exploring WA’s Unique Marine Environment – A View From Below’ WA’s marine environment is vast and unknown and there are more unique species here than anywhere else on the planet. It is subject to significant pressures in terms of fishing, offshore oil and gas exploration and production, and climate change. Please join Professor Meeuwig as she explains how we can pull back the blue curtain to understand the impact of human activities on the sustainability of our oceans. Professor Jessica Meeuwig is the Centre for Marine Futures’ inaugural Director. Jessica is a marine scientist who works in the areas of fish ecology and modeling. As Deputy Director of Project Seahorse, an international conservation NGO, Jessica worked in SE Asia on the science and management of reef fisheries. Since coming to Perth, Jessica has worked for the WA Department of Environment and Conservation and the Australian Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts in policy/planning positions. At UWA, Jessica was part of the research team that delivered the Natural Heritage Trust funded “Marine Futures” project prior to being appointed as Director of the new Centre. Thursday 25th June 2009, 6pm at the University Club. Light refreshments provided. (RSVP Friday 12 June fnasadmin@fnas. uwa.edu.au or phone: 6488 5552 bookings essential) Professor David Lumley Director, Petroleum Geoscience “Fighter Jets and Polar Bears: how Geoscience may help to solve our global energy and climate problems” The world is facing two extreme challenges which seem to be at odds. The first is our insatiable appetite for energy, most of which will be supplied by carbon-based fossil fuels for the foreseeable future. The second is our future survival in the midst of rapid global climate change, which may be partly caused by the mass of carbon we are injecting into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. Professor Lumley will discuss how recent advances in geoscience to “see into the earth” are helping to meet these two challenges. Thursday, 6th August 2009 at 6pm, Molecular and Chemical Sciences Building (MCS), MCS Lecture Theatre. Light refreshments provided. (RSVP Friday 24 July fnasadmin@fnas.uwa.edu.au or phone: 6488 5552 bookings essential).

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Heads up on Science with ScienceNetwork WA “For this reason, the next stage of the trial involves reattaching transmitters strengthened with layers of clear dental acrylic.”

Rehabilitated cockatoos’ soon to be monitored in the wild Murdoch University PhD student and Perth Zoo veterinary resident Anna Le Souëf is working to solve the problem of tracking rehabilitated black cockatoos. Significant threats to Carnaby’s cockatoo populations include injuries caused by vehicle strikes and shootings, those that are saved are handed over to wildlife rehabilitators for further care before being released back into the wild, where possible. Tracking black cockatoos using radio or satellite transmitters has never been done in WA, and only undertaken with small groups of birds elsewhere in Australia, so there’s no knowledge of what happens to the birds once they’re released back into the wild. “The skills involved with caring for and treating the cockatoos have been well-honed over many years but there is still no information on the survivability and movements of released rehabilitated cockatoos,” Dr Le Souëf said. In collaboration with the Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo Project’s Dejan Stojanovic, Dr Le Souëf is trialing different types of radio and satellite transmitter attachments on captive black cockatoos. “Challenges associated with tracking wild psittacines include the risk of damage to the transmitters by the birds’ powerful beaks, injury to birds caused by snagging of the transmitter attachments and obtaining transmitters within the very light weight range required to lessen the impact on flight,” she said. The trial, which is still underway, involves Carnaby’s cockatoos, Baudin’s cockatoos and red-tailed black cockatoos housed at the Black Cockatoo Rehabilitation Centre in Martin. Dr Le Souëf said so far, the cockatoos appear to be very comfortable wearing their transmitters and the majority haven’t attempted to remove them. “A few of the cockatoos have shown a curious interest in the strange object on their backs and have had a bit of a nibble - as you can imagine, a cockatoo ‘nibble’ can result in considerable damage to a small transmitter unit,” she said.

Murdoch’s program Chair of the Conservation Medicine Program and Dr Le Souëf’s PhD supervisor, Dr Kris Warren, said the outcomes would be provided as recommendations on the types of transmitters and attachment systems that are suitable for use on Carnaby’s and other black cockatoo species. “We hope to follow up on the trial with collaborative research involving Perth Zoo, Alcoa and DEC, to radio-track black cockatoos which are released following treatment for injury and rehabilitation,” she said. Dr Warren said the research would offer a unique advantage and significance as the only opportunity in Australia to access large numbers of wild black cockatoos, allowing sampling and fitting of radio-transmitters to collect previously unattainable demographic, health, movement, critical habitat and breeding data. Source of photographs: Dejan Stojanovic, Birds Australia and Rick Dawson, DEC.

Murdoch launch WA Tropical Research Initiative Murdoch University has launched a new Western Australian Tropical Research Initiative (WATRI) to bring together its international project specialists to partner with governments and industry to preserve and sustainably develop the state’s tropical north. WATRI will build on Murdoch’s longstanding work in tropical regions around the world and in sub-sahara Africa with expertise in agriculture, minerals, marine science, biosecurity, sociology, healthcare, medicine, education, indigenous expertise, ecotourism, environmental science, ecology and climatology. Murdoch University has already received strong expressions of interest in WATRI from WA departments and non government organisations. Murdoch University Research Director Professor David Doepel met with representatives of the Northern Territory Government in April to discuss partnership opportunities and also travelled to Townsville to participate in a national workshop on tropical Australia. Professor Doepel said he was excited about the opportunity for collaboration with the NT and Queensland stakeholders. “Queensland is to be applauded for organising the meeting in Townsville and bringing together so many prominent researchers focused on the tropics,” Professor Doepel said. Murdoch’s sustainable agriculture expert specialising in Asia, Professor Richard Bell will be WATRI’s Interim Director. “An increasing focus on the need to adapt to climate change, combined with the many development issues in northern WA have spurred Murdoch to task its tropical expertise onto this vital area of the state,” Professor Bell said.

Image credit: Dr Anna Le Souëf.

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“Murdoch has a strong tradition of interdisciplinary research on such complex issues, and recent efforts to develop the Kimberley are bringing many environmental and social issues to the fore.” 39

Guidelines for Authors

Guidelines for Authors Introduction

Innovations in the classroom

These notes are a brief guide to contributors. Contributors should also refer to recent issues of the Journal and follow the presentation therein. Refereed articles are peer reviewed by the Editor and anonymously by at least two reviewers.

The editorial board members are keen to increase the number of articles in this section. We are always keen to review your ideas about experiments, demonstrations, teaching techniques, hints, safety notes, computer applications and anything else that could help classroom science teachers, especially beginning teachers.

Feature articles Feature articles should not normally exceed 3000 words plus figures, tables and references. Short concisely written articles are very welcome. Please use headings and sub-headings to give your article structure. We also welcome any other type of contribution. Reviewed articles are subject to peer review.

Send the following to the Editor: Note: if you cannot send your contribution in the following recommended form, please send it to the Editor in any reasonable form.

For refereed articles only 1 Three copies of your manuscript printed double-spaced on one side of A4 sheets.

SCIOS reference style is based on the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Examples of the most common references are:

In-text referencing In your text indicate references by author and date. For example: ‘Smith and Jones (1992) investigated … resulting in increased enrolments (Moriaty, Jacobs, & Murphy, 1989; Robinson, 1995), especially of girls (Andrews, 1994b).’

End-referencing The reference list at the end of your article should provide the details of all the references you cited in the text of your article and no other references. For example: Smith, J. (1992). Physical Chemistry, (3rd ed.). Melborne: Longman Cheshire.

2 On a separate page, an abstract of 50 to 100 words, your name or names, affiliation, address, fax number and phone number and e-mail address where available. Because your identity appears on this page only, we can ensure anonymity in our review procedures.

Chase, A., & Smith, P. (1981). Hunter gatherers in a rich environment. Aboriginal coastal exploitation in Cape York Peninsula. In A. Keast (Ed.), Ecological biogeography of Australia. The Hague: W. Jung Publishers.

For all contributions

Aubusson, P. (1985). The teaching of evolution. Australian Science Teachers Journal, 30(4), 39–47.

1 A wordprocessor file of your work from any reasonably common wordprocessor. Please send the file as an e-mail attachment, on a CD, or on a 3.5” disk.

Posner, G.J., Strike, K.A., Hewson, R.W., & Gertzog, D. (1982). Accommodation of a scientific conception: Towards a theory of conceptual change. Science Education, 66, 211–217.

2 Diagrams generated by any common drawing program, or drawn in black ink on white paper or transparent sheets.

Spelling

3 Photographs often increase the clarity and interest level of your work. Send your photographs as TIFF or highest quality JPEG files, with a resolution of at least 225-pixels per inch. We can also use high quality black and white or colour prints, 35-mm colour slides, colour negatives, black and white negatives, or black and white slides. If you want us to use only part of a photo please indicate on a photocopy how you want us to crop your image. 4 Copyright clearance for any part of your contribution that is the copyright of a third party. Note to teachers: Parent permission slip must be obtained for any photograhs to be included in SCIOS. 40

Reference style

Use The Macquarie Dictionary. If it lists several alternative spellings, use the first. The only exception is in a citation, reference or quotation directly from a source that uses alternative spelling.

Copyright No other publisher should have already published our manuscript, nor should you submit it for publication elsewhere. If SCIOS publishes your manuscript then your text and graphics will become the copyright of STAWA. STAWA will, however, allow you to use the contents of your paper for most reasonable noncommercial purposes.

Contact details John Clarke, STAWA john@stawa.net

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STAWA Council STAWA Council

STAWA Council 2009 STAWA Council 2009

Chief Executive Officer

Chair Science Talent Search

CONSTAWA Convenors

John Clarke

Nigel Stewart

Geoff Lewis

john@stawa.net Chief Executive Officer

nandlstewart@bigpond.com Chair Science Talent Search

lewis.geoff@mazenod.wa.edu.au CONSTAWA Convenors

John Clarke President john@stawa.net

Nigel Stewart

Julie Weber

Rachel Sheffield

Geoff Lewis Jodie Rybicki lewis.geoff@mazenod.wa.edu.au jodie@carey.wa.edu.au

julieweber@det.wa.edu.au President

rachel@headtorque.com SCIOS Editor

Julie Weber Vice President julieweber@det.wa.edu.au

Rachel Sheffield

Sue Doncon Susan.Doncon@det.wa.edu.au Vice President Sue Doncon Vice President Susan.Doncon@det.wa.edu.au George Przywolnik george.przywolnik@curriculum. Vice President wa.edu.au George Przywolnik george.przywolnik@curriculum. Secretary wa.edu.au

SCIOS Editor nandlstewart@bigpond.com

Jodie Rybicki Chair eCommunications jodie@carey.wa.edu.au Mark Lehmann

Chair Publications rachel@headtorque.com

mlehmann@mac.com Chair eCommunications

Glenda Leslie

Mark Lehmann

gleslie@ais.wa.edu.au Chair Publications

Chair Professional Development mlehmann@mac.com

Glenda Leslie

Ross Fuhrmann

Chair of Curriculum gleslie@ais.wa.edu.au

ross.fuhrmann@curriculum.wa.edu.au Chair Professional Development

Geoff Quinton

Ross Fuhrmann

gmq@optusnet.com.au Chair of Curriculum

Membership & Marketing ross.fuhrmann@curriculum.wa.edu.au

Geoff Quinton

Vaille Dawson

Chair Student activities gmq@optusnet.com.au

Bernie Hunnybun

Mark Merritt

v.dawson@curtin.edu.au Membership & Marketing

bhunneybun@westnet.com.au Secretary

merritts@iinet.net.au Chair Student activities

Vaille Dawson

Bernie Hunnybun Treasurer bhunneybun@westnet.com.au

Mark Merritt

Colleen Bakker

Geoff Lummis

colleen@bookkeep.com.au Treasurer

g.lummis@ecu.edu.au Chair Primary Committee

Colleen Bakker

Geoff Lummis

v.dawson@curtin.edu.au Image Credit, 20 20 & 21: M31M31 is theisfinest and Image Credit,page page & 21: the finest nearest large spiral the sky,inabout 2 million and nearest largegalaxy spiral ingalaxy the sky, about years light away.years M31 isaway. a member Local Group 2light million M31ofis the a member of about 30 galaxies that includes the Milky Way and of the Local Group of about 30 galaxies M31 as its most massive members as well as the two that includes the Milky Way and M31 its Magellanic Clouds. Photo David Marlin. Image Credit, page 20 &by 21: M31 is theasfinest most massivelarge members well in as the the sky, twoabout and nearest spiral as galaxy Magellanic Clouds. 2 million light years away. M31 is a member

Chair Primary Committee merritts@iinet.net.au

of the Local Group of about 30 galaxies that includes the Milky Way and M31 as its most massive members as well as the two Front cover, main image: Galaxies occur in a variety of shapes, but among the most eye-catching are the spirals, especially barred spirals.Magellanic One of the finest in the sky is NGC 1365, the g.lummis@ecu.edu.au colleen@bookkeep.com.au Clouds.

largest spiral in the southern constellation of Fornax, at a distance of about 60 million light years. This beautiful galaxy is about as massive as the Milky Way, itself a substantial galaxy. Clockwise from top left: 1. The Sombrero, named after the broad-brimmed Mexican hat it superficially resembles, is probably the most famous galaxy in the sky. The light from this remarkable spiral system is dominated by the billions of old, faint stars that form the vast 'bulge' around its tiny hidden nucleus. 2. The Sun has a cycle of activity that builds to a maximum about every eleven years. For a year or so around solar maximum the number and size of sunspots increases and energetic, electrically charged particles are ejected from the surface of the sun in much greater numbers than at other times. They take several days to travel as far as the earth and when they arrive, the earth's magnetic field channels them to high latitudes around the north and south poles. There they enter the upper atmosphere and produce the beautiful aurorae seen in both hemispheres -- Aurora Australis in the south, Aurora Borealis in the north. 3. A 9-image multi-exposure sequence of a total lunar eclipse caused by in which the Moon passes through the shadow of the Earth. 4. The nebulosity around the star is the result of light reflected by dust surrounding it. The dust is thought to consist mainly of particles of silica condensed from material which the star is losing from its distended surface at a fairly steady rate. The rate of mass loss is much higher than in normal stars and is sufficient to produce the reflection nebula IC 2220. Photos by David Marlin.

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Phone: (08) 9244 1987

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Office Manager Minh Dang E-mail: minh@stawa.net Office Manager Minh Dang Chief Executive Officer E-mail: minh@stawa.net John Clarke E-mail: john@stawa.net Chief Executive Officer John Clarke E-mail: john@stawa.net 41

>ckZhi^\Vi^dch HX^Zci^ÄX BdYZah HX^Zci^ÄX 8dbbjc^XVi^dc Registration closes: Friday August 14th 2009 Presentation Ceremony: Saturday September 19th 2009