Space Show Today

I am preparing to live blog the show today.  In preparation for it, I've been googling some info about his guest, Dr. David DeVorkin.   He is the senior curator of history of astronomy and the space sciences at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.  


As I write, it should be starting a little over 30 minutes from now.  I will post this, and continue blogging on this post during the broadcast.  Looks like I've got things set up nicely, so I will wait until then. 

While I was waiting, I watched the latest of tbonepearson's latest videos.  "Mass Stupidity".  It looks a little like a James Bond / Austin Powers type spy comedy thing.





.Update:  When I post this, the show will be just starting.

Announcements etc.  usual intro stuff.  Newsletter goes out Sunday evenings Pacific time.  Subscribe to email version.  Reminder that it is a nonprofit, depends on contributions.  Mentions blog and so forth.  Introduces guest, Dr David DeVorkin.    Goes over his resume and gives a very good introduction on his guest.

Mentions other guests had mentioned him.  Day in history, the discovery of Pluto on this day in 1930.  Used this day, founder and director Percival Lowell.   Named for a god.  Asked about history of astronomy in USA.  Answers that it began with founders: Jefferson and Adams and founding fathers as emerging nation believed US should be up to date in the sciences.  Smithsonian was formed by Joseph Henry.  Astronomy important in US history.  US built largest telescope many times.  In 20th Century, distinguished by building largest telescopes in world.  


Asked about study of astromony in colleges.  Answer that practical elements of astronomy and for polite education in school.  Some promoted astronomy some did not.  Astronomy not always high priority as with core sciences though.


Question from email:  astronomy theme in old westerns.  Speed of light "Bonanza" tv show and the Dr recalls this.  Mentions name of who did this???   Won Nobel Prize for this, measurments of quantity.  First American to win Nobel Prize.  


Ask can pinpoint when astronomy became mainstream.  Never been touted as mainstream.  Something of a cultural enrichment.  It has become a full physical science in 20th century.  Mathematics used to calculate motions of heavenly bodies.  Astronomer became physicists.  See extremes in phenomena not observable on Earth.  The attractions are the extremes.  Can test physics and see how it works and the reality of the universe.  


Physics of how stars form.  What are conditions that form stars?  Are planets the natural result of the formation of stars?  Important question with regard to our existernce.


Linda in Oregon asks where the first observatory.  Williams College in Massachussetts.  Many had scopes, but this may have been first permanent facility.  As a teaching observatory, still functional.  

Email question by Ben in Denver:  In Mexico and Central American, many observatories existed.  Were any structures built by Native Americans?  Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, no real roads.  Use 4 wheeler to get in.  The way structures were built that were aligned to important astronomical dates.  Every culture seems to do this.  Stonehenge in England and other places in Europe.    The high latitude civilizations have polar structures, those who were equatorial would align differently.  Astronomical element exists in all cultures.


Those who didn't have permanent structures as the Plains Indians, would still have connection to astronomy.


Question from Dallas  most popular exhibits?  Answer: hard to collect sample from so many visitors (millions).
3000 4000 per day walking through there.  Did they come for that unless they ask.  Don't have wherewithal to do that.  People seem interested.  23 galleries in Museum plus large exhibition hall.  Goes through some of these here.  Hubble space telescope.   Viking Mars lander.  Apollo gallery see moon rocks.  Aviation half, space other half.  Everybody want to see Apollo capsules and shuttle.  Spirit of St. Louis.


Science fiction museums: what do kids say?  Don't know difference between science fiction and reality.  Blurring of reality.  Anything to judge awareness of reality?  Answer:  Don't do that.  Had a section where one side fact and one side fiction in terms of spaceflight.  Don't know if study ever made.  Is there a way to do this with visitors.  Not limited to kids, he observes.  


NASA tv seems too boring to what comes out of media these days.  Good stuff does exists and even makes it into movies ( I noticed this in a Star Trek movie First Contact)


BREAK


Caller on hold:  John in Atlanta.  Asks if he knew about astronomy.  John asks about dark matter.  Answer: said the fraction is changing daily.  The type of matter we are made of proton, neutron, electron and so forth.  Haven't discovered all black holes.  Massive component not made of matter we used to but of other stuff.  The Hadron Collider in Switzerland to question to what produces mass- question not explained yet.  Certain type of particle that hasn't been observed.  Higgs boson postulated.  Start thinking about dark matter in early nineties.  We know we don't know much.  Properties we aren't familar with.  Percentage of 70 percent range included dark matter difficult to imagine that black holes can make up deficit.


Scientists think there is dark matter.  Ans.  certain parameters relationship.  Predicts things.  Physics out of whack.  


John says something about galaxies- ans general view is that black hole in center of galaxies.  How galaxies are formed.  Various scenarios being looked.  Is more matter in there?  At center or at edges?  Neutrinos have different rest massess.


Dark energy brought up.  Cosmo constant.  (Einstein)  Ans in finding univ is accelerate give rise something there causing repulsive action called dark energy.  Does fit cosmo constant.   constant had to put in to make things work.  Fudge factor to give leeway.  


Einstein blunder fail to predict expanding universe?  Fascination with way science worked in the way to raise issues and define problems and solving them.


From Tina in New Mexico  starting college; says terrible at math but wants to study astromony.  Familar with that what would she be missing?   Ans:  doesn't know, purely descriptive course very interesting, could be doing math in spite of oneself.  Learned trig upon comics, interest in it makes interest in math- the interest can spawn interest in math.  Worry about math later.


David says if taught well, it will open doors.  Don't be scared because of math.  Discussion of comics and such.


Caller Richard from Montana:  explore relationship between NASA and Dept of Defense.  Article had signed off on new architecture.  Another had DOD had veto power over use of tech.  Is this true and if true could have done it faster?   Ans: will speculate, some knowledge.  NASA partly built by military.  No question without military, wouldn't have space program.  In case of veto power, if some evidence for that it is maiinly in area of remote sensing.  Could not use optical systems beyond classified area.  Some of these went into Hubble telescope so that it could point precisely.  Says it not limiting, but synergistic.  The economy that drove us in space was political, now that cold war over what reason to go to space.  But do they command political will and clout to sustain it?  No idea if new tech has been hindered.  He thinks that it doesn't.  Optics are one example.


BREAK


Continue discussion of what is in Smithsonian besides gallery, have public observatory and planetarium.  Brought a telescope.  Thousands of people have wandered in a asked what is this?  World class in astronomy.  Have observatories all over world.  Exhibits, museums.  Has telescope at Vassar on display. 



One entry price is free.  Don't need ticket, but special events.  Planetariarm free, museum free.  Mostly free.  Location name?  private donor;  big stuff out there.  shuttle, sr71, concorde, windchimes first generation satellites, hundreds of large objects.  Restoration facitlion.  Imax theater.  Near Dulles Airport.  All interpretvie gallery at mall.  Displays at ?? not interpretive.  Put in light labelling.  Electronic hopefully will browse to access more information.  Check out all the airplanes and such.


Moving out there:  very difficult to move infrastructure.  Archives are packed up waiting on funding.  Plans are to move everything out there.  Museum in three places.


Asked about Shuttle Discovery.  Waiting for official announcement.


Question of day:  Paul in LA when will Smithsonian devote space to New Space/ Commercial because this is the future.  He says Spacex is there.  He said it flew right into the museum.  Went in pretty fast.  How do exhibits:  very expensive.  Very labor intensive.  Starts with proposal.  Example is Apollo, still working on it.

Have to be very careful cuz is representative of country.  Want to avoid politics.  


Enola Gay controversy.


Wanda in OK City, how does Smithsonian treat Pluto?  Some treat it differently.  Got rid of Pluto as a planet.  He was disappointed.  He wanted to keep it there, but explain change in status.  Exciting to know what Pluto really is.   He abstained on Pluto decision.  He agreed to decision, but worried about reaction.  Can't let people make just any decision because it would get out of hand.  Now have an official way to define a planet.


Put a condolence card signed by all the other planets.  "Gonna to miss you"  Treat now in a left handed by eliminating it.  No money to do more extensively.  Privately funded.  


How long to do cutting edge stuff?  Not long on stuff.  A full exhibit could take five or ten years.  Takes a lot of money.  a five thousand sq. foot is  two and half million or more.  Everything since 1990 is privately funding.  Not federal money, grants and contracts with other fed agencies.  Another form of private money he says.


Don in Tuscon.  Where do USA stand to other countries?  We rank pretty high and are leaders in most areas.  In space, we are.  The Europeans have done good work with consortia, with ESA and other facilities.  Fully competitive and cooperative together in a synergistic ways.  Other countries do amazing work.  In original dominance, USA weakened somewhat, but still top ranked.


Strong educational foundation.  The place to come for cutting edge education.


Gonna quit here, but show is still ongoing.  Only a few minutes left.


Have to comment that this makes you want to visit the Smithsonian, or it does make me want to.   I noticed this about the Space Show before.  It really does fire up your enthusiasm.