Constance E. Walker ( NOAO ), Malcolm G. Smith ( AURA and NOAO ),

1. International Dark-Sky Education at NOAO: Collaborative Approaches Constance E. Walker (NOAO), Malcolm G. Smith (AURA and NOAO), Dara J. Norman (NSF AAPF, NOAO), Stephen M. Pompea (NOAO), David Orellana (RedLaSer/CTIO), Elizabeth M. Alvarez del Castillo(IDA), Roger Leiton (IDA-Chile) and Douglas Isbell (NOAO) IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

2. Outline for the Talk • Goal • -- To investigate new methods for exchanging best pedagogies and projects between educators in different countries • Thematic topic with a ubiquitous hook – light pollution • Introducing the groups • Methodology • -- videoconferencing workshops • -- on-line studies • Results • Future Plans IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

3. Meet the Groups David Orellana The La Serena Group Dara Norman The Tucson Group Top: Aida Left to right: Steve, Glenn, Thea, Ron, Julie & Connie Steve Pompea IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

4. Overview of Setup • Internet 2-based videoconferencing between NOAO North & South • Three “proof-of-concept” teacher professional development videoconferences (in October 2002, February 2003, and May 2003) • Conducted in Spanish by four bilingual science teachers from Tucson and their counterparts in La Serena • Discussions and demonstrations on several pedagogical approaches IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

5. Summary of Workshops • First workshop: teachers exchanged methods and ideas • how to explain and demonstrate the nature of light and color to students of various ages. • Materials (& translations) for activities provided in advance to both locations. • Chilean teachers used spectroscopes to examine a number of outdoor lighting sources. • presented their findings at the second workshop • Both workshops: demonstrations, project presentations, and the construction and calibration of a couple types of spectroscopes • The first 2 workshops were precursors to a third, which concentrated on light pollution studies in La Serena. • limiting magnitudes of stars IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

6. Nature of Light and Color Precursor to understanding how a diffraction grating and slit work in a spectroscope. Diffraction grating on an overhead projector Split white light into a continuous spectrum of color. A simple demo for diffraction two fingers  parallel lines four fingers  airy disk IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

7. Construction of Spectrometers, Calibration and Testing • Building spectrometers in La Serena & Tucson via videoconferencing • Calibration & testing IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

8. Construction of a Reflective Spectrometer …using a CD!!! Malcolm at work Padre Picetti David Orellana http://www.uwm.edu/~awschwab/specweb_files/scopeinstruct.pdf IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

9. Flame Spectroscopy Supplies: 1) matches or a lighter 2) long metal tweezers or Q-tips 3) a pot holder 4) the powders/solutions 5) a stand that holds spectroscope 6) rubbing alcohol 7) Powders: salt, bicarbonate, calcium, carbonate, bleach with sodium phosphate, boric acid, sea salt (calcium) IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

10. Demonstrations of the Nature of Light … Many from Padre Picetti… IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

11. Spanish Language Materials Center • One year NSF project to collect astronomy (earth science) resources • Relies on materials developed/published worldwide • Website being created IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

12. IDA and ASP Activities for K-12 http://darksky.org/infoshts/isnumerc.html IS #127: Grades K-3 Varied activity ideas, including demonstrations, writing, art projects IS #113: Grades 4-6 Count the Stars! IS #188: The Faintest Stars: Grades 6-12 (ASP) Faintest stars are affected by dark adaptation, clouds or haze, time of year, and light pollution IS #189: Reducing Light Pollution: Grades 9-12 (ASP) Select a light pollution problem in your neighborhood Report on Scientific, Technological, Economic, and Societal issues Identify solutions including pro's and con's How would one implement such solutions? IS #190: What is Quality Lighting? Grades 6-12 (ASP) Evaluate neighborhood lighting for efficiency and effectiveness and the degree of light pollution which occurs Advanced students observe and describe the spectrum of outdoor lighting and how that is related to light and light pollution IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution All of the activities are in Spanish & English.

13. …also known as the Limiting Magnitude Project IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

14. Constelacion “Orion” IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

15. “Determinando la Contaminación Lumínica de los Cielos Chilenos” IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

16. LIMITING MAGNITUDE PROJECT: Cities versus Selected Light Pollution Maps IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

17. International Dark-Sky Association – GREECE (http://www.eplioan.gr/LP/lp.htm) • FEATURES: (Students…) • Establish LP centers; get info. • Measure light pollution. • Photograph good & bad lighting. • Define zoning areas. • Interview Mayor. • Hold students’ electronic forum. • Organize light pollution seminars. • RESULTS: (Students…) • Understand LP problem. • Study it through social, political, scientific, technological, & economic approaches. • Promote collaboration and action. • Are part of the solution. IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

18. International Dark-Sky Association – AUSTRIA(http://www.astro.univie.ac.at/%7Escw/eng.html) FEATURES: Clear, straightforward, simple, easy to use explanations on or presentations of 1. The project 2. (Animated!) instructions 3. Finding (sky) charts , plus 4. Sky & Telescope’s Interactive Sky Chart9 (selected view & all-sky chart) 5. Observation forms/reports 6. Wide-spread results IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

19. International Dark-Sky Association – Results from AUSTRIA How Many Stars… by Holger Pikall et al. (.doc 145K) report at the International Conference on Light Pollution, La Serena, March 2002. IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

20. FUTURE PLANS • A main goal is to initiate a common light pollution study between both locations that could occur within the next few months. • Within one year’s time, the partnering cities will formulate an on-line study, following aspects of the Austrian and Greek models. • Within two years, help to establish on-line partnerships in a light pollution study, state or province-wide, and eventually nation-wide. • The dialogue is open… IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

21. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • The number of institutions represented by the attendees demon-strates the broad support for this effort in both the northern and southern NOAO communities. Among others, “thank-you”s go out to: • La Serena teachers: • Carlos Corco, Elias Espinoza, Guillermo Lopez, Daniel Munizaga, Padre Juan • Bautista Piccieti, Herman Rojas, Mario Urrutia and others in La Serena. • Teachers from Talca and Concepcion • Tucson teachers: • Thea Canizo, Julie Friberg, Aida Castillo-Flores and Glenn Furnier • Liz Alvarez de Castillo, IDA Associate Director • Antonieta Garcia, outreach assistant for Gemini South • Roger Leiton (IDA-Chile), an active representative of Red Chilena de • Astronomia • Hugo Ochoa (CTIO) and Ron Probst (NOAO), who began an observing • project that eventually turned into the REDLASER program, and other • REDLASER members. • David Orellana, the director of the Planetarium Movil • Hugo Schwarz (CTIO/SOAR) IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

22. CONTACT INFORMATION Connie Walker NOAO 950 N. Cherry Ave. Tucson, AZ, 85719 USA 520-318-8535 (phone) 520-318-8451 (fax) cwalker@noao.edu http://www.noao.edu/education/noaoeo.html IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

23. IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

24. Lights of La Serena IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

25. Lights of Tucson University of Arizona Before Better Lighting University of Arizona After Better Lighting IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

26. “Vista General Orión” IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

27. LIMITING MAGNITUDE PROJECT: study covered cities marked in blue IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution

28. LIMITING MAGNITUDE PROJECT: Map of La Serena showing the geographical location of measurements. Colors corresponds to light pollution levels: map1=Minimum or no light pollution; map6=Maximum light pollution level. IAU Working Group Meeting in Sydney, Australia: Controlling Light Pollution