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Astronomer Ted Bowell Speaks Tonight About Asteroids

On the first Wednesday Night of each month Lowell celebrates Flagstaff Night, highlighted by the Lowell Astronomer Series. Tonight astronomer Ted Bowell will discuss his research in the program Asteroid Impacts: How Often do They Occur and What can we do About Them?

In addition to Dr. Bowell’s program, guests may observe Mars, star clusters, nebulae, and more through telescopes and via live video. Experience our portable planetarium and view indoor programs about our universe. Flagstaff residents (must show valid drivers license or utility bill) pay only half price for entrance into our regular evening programs.

Posted in Lowell outreach, Research, Stargazing | No Comments »

New Programming Begins March 1

Lowell is pleased to announce the following programming changes, effective March 1:

Daytime guided activities:
*Tours - we are reducing the number of tours to 2 per day, given at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. We’ve rewritten the tours to better represent our organizational identity, specifically discussing more current research. Each tour is broken up into 2 parts, with the “standard” tour lasting 1 hour and stopping in the SVC, Clark Telescope dome and Rotunda Museum. A behind-the-scenes “extended” tour will last another 30 minutes and go to the west part of our campus, past both modern and historic buildings.

*Solar viewing – we will now offer solar viewing for an entire hour, from noon-1 p.m.

Evening activities:
In addition to regular telescope viewing through the Clark/McAllister/portable telescopes and regular indoor programming, we are adding the following:

*Portable planetarium shows – we will set the planetarium up in either the Rotunda Museum (during poor weather) or on the Rotunda patio (during good weather).

*Live astrovideo – We now have a video camera known as a Mallincam that will allow us to point a portable telescope at various astronomical objects and project the image on a monitor or screen, thus allowing us to point out details to many guests at once (and also accommodating guests in wheelchairs who often can’t reach a telescope eyepiece). We will set up the Mallincam on the Rotunda patio.

Posted in Exhibits, Lowell outreach, Stargazing | 1 Comment »

Flagstaff 5th graders enjoy programs at Lowell compliments of Robert Ayers Sciences Fund

This morning 5th graders from Marshall Elementary School enjoyed a visit to Lowell highlighted by exciting science demonstrations, an in-depth tour of the Clark Telescope, and fun and educational activities in the exhibit hall. The visit was part of a program sponsored by the Roberts Ayers Sciences Fund that is bringing all 800 5th graders from the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) to Lowell for educational programs.

Prior to this morning’s programs, Lowell director Eileen Friel, FUSD Superintendent Barbara Hickman, and 5th grade teacher Dottie McCann commented about the significance of the partnership between Lowell and FUSD and cited sponsor and Lowell Observatory advisory board member Robert Ayers for his dedication to improving science education. Dr. Friel also read a statement by Mr. Ayers. For more information read the press release.

Posted in Lowell in the News, Lowell outreach | 1 Comment »

Lowell Observatory Re-opened Over the Weekend

After what the Arizona Daily Sun is reporting today as the 2nd biggest snowstorm in Flagstaff’s history, Lowell Observatory’s Mars Hill campus has once again been cleared of snow and the Observatory is open for tours and regular hours. Please come visit soon and remember, members of the Friends of Lowell receive free admission and many other great benefits.

Posted in Friends of Lowell, Lowell outreach | No Comments »

Lowell remains closed Friday the 22nd

Due to the ongoing snowstorm Lowell will be closed to the public today and tonight.

Posted in General | No Comments »

Lowell closed today

Due to the heavy snow Lowell will be closed to the public today, January 21.

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Flagstaff Snowstorm #2 & Lowell Again Open for Visitors

The second in a series of snowstorms has pushed through northern Arizona. Once again, the Observatory’s ace grounds crew has cleared off the snow we received and Lowell is open for tours. (See hours and admission). Today there are some lovely drifts on the roofs of buildings and trees on Mars Hill are covered with snow pyramids. If you are planning to visit Lowell Observatory this week, do check area road conditions and weather information from the National Weather Service before you begin your trip to Flagstaff.

Thanks to the Arizona Daily Sun for the online and printed notices regarding the Observatory’s postponement of an announcement scheduled for this morning. The announcement and small event for area media will be rescheduled for Weds. Jan. 27th.

Posted in Lowell in the News, Lowell outreach | No Comments »

Lowell Observatory Open for Visitors After Snowstorm #1

After the first of three major snowstorms expected to arrive this week in northern Arizona, Lowell Observatory is dug out and open for visitors. Our grounds crew did a great job, once again, in opening up roads and walkways on the Mars Hill campus. See our regular hours and admission for more info and call (928) 233-3211 for recorded visitor information. As always, members of Lowell Observatory receive free admission, along with the many additional membership benefits.

Posted in Friends of Lowell, Lowell outreach | No Comments »

Visit Lowell Observatory for Martin Luther King Weekend

Lowell Observatory is featuring special programs for the Martin Luther King weekend. We host a must-attend MLK Star Fest on Sunday night followed by School’s Out and Kids are Free all day Monday. Plan to visit Lowell Observatory! Members receive free admission. Plus, when you join you can also get free admission to over 300 science centers nationwide.

The Arizona Republic calendar section and azcentral.com included our special free day for kids in today’s paper and online!

Posted in Friends of Lowell, Lowell in the News, Lowell outreach | No Comments »

Discovery Channel Telescope’s M1 Cell Turned Over at Flagstaff Airport

Lowell Observatory staff (shown here from left: Bill DeGroff, DCT Project Engineer and Byron Smith, DCT Project Manager), were on hand yesterday at Pulliam Airport to help oversee a carefully planned and executed turning over of the 16,000-lb. cell to hold Lowell’s Discovery Channel Telescope primary mirror.

This, the first big piece of the DCT to come here, is a crucial component of the telescope mount to arrive and undergo major work. It arrived with the dummy mirror or simulator on December 23 in Flagstaff. On Monday, a three-person crew from Precision Heavy Haul led by Jim Mussman, turned over the M1 cell (shown in progress in this first photo) using two huge cranes working in tandem. Then, an approximately 7,000-lb. steel structure to simulate the DCT primary mirror in testing was also turned over and carefully placed on jacks atop the M1 cell. In a final phase of the operation, the entire assembly was moved back into a hangar that Lowell Observatory is renting from the City of Flagstaff.

“I think Precision Heavy Haul was very efficient,” said DeGroff. “They spent a lot of time prior to coming up here to understand the job. There was a lot of coordination up front (between Lowell engineers, BEC Southwest’s Kevin Bond, and Precision Heavy Haul).”

Lowell is working with a number of contractors and subcontractors that are Arizona and Flagstaff based. That was evident with the operation on Monday morning since in addition to Phoenix-based Precision Heavy Haul, there were staff from BEC Southwest on hand. Other Arizona companies involved in the making of Lowell’s new 4-meter-class research telescope include M3 Architects; the University of Arizona’s College of Optical Sciences; Laron, Inc.; Mosher Communications; Connect Tech; and others. Shown in the bottom image is Marc Daniels from BEC Southwest during an interview with Channel 12 (NBC).

See also: Arizona Daily Sun feature, More than flipping a pancake
and, a Daily Sun slide show, Discovery Channel Telescope
DCT slide show on the M1 cell and related integration operations

Posted in DCT, Lowell in the News | No Comments »