The Cincinnati Observatory Center (COC) has completed a bold program to award 100 quality telescopes and training for 100 individuals or teams to become astronomy ambassadors and further astronomy education in the Cincinnati area.
Most people in the Cincinnati area have never looked through a telescope. To date 100 educators with 100 telescopes in the program have reached over 32,000 people in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and conducted over 600 events.
Year 1 of the project (2009) involved the awarding of 40 telescopes and was funded through donations, awards, and a grant from the Ohio Space Grant Consortium. NASA is funding years 2, 3, and 4 of the project (2010-2012). Our hope is that this distribution of a total of 100 high grade telescopes across our community will celebrate astronomical and scientific achievement and multiply the reach of astronomy education to the region. These telescopes will make a lasting impact and ignite scientific curiosities for the next generation.
The Future Galileos for 2012 are:
Adolfo and Monica Nunez, AMIS/Ursuline
Anna Hutchinson, Aiken High School
Ashley Stephens, Hamilton County Parks
Ashley Warren, Monroe Local Schools
Carmen Venditto, Turpin High School
Ashley Stephens, Hamilton County Parks
Ashley Warren, Monroe Local Schools
Carmen Venditto, Turpin High School
Darren Wurz, VLT Academy
Deidre Simpson, Evanston Academy
Denisse Jensen, YMCA
Dwayne Humphrey, Turkeyfoot Middle
James Frank, EnthusiasticIndividual
Jason Baldridge, Boy Scouts
Jeff Warix, Wilmington Elementary
Jennifer Beach, Kenton County Library
Mark Griffen, Reading Middle School
Melissa Fuggett, Westwood Elementary
Nate Hirt, Camp Joy
Patty Dawson, Doherty Elementary
Patty Dawson, Doherty Elementary
Roger Gluckin, Virtual Academy
Tom Smith, RULH
William Schnure Walnut Hills HS/Walton League
Once each Future Galileo participant completes the training requirements and graduates, the telescope is theirs to keep! Participants are encouraged to stay involved with the Observatory, and to continue using their telescopes to further astronomy education throughout the region. These telescopes are impressive – with a tube 5 feet long, 8 inches in diameter - they will attract a crowd. Together, we can use the wonders of the cosmos to ignite the scientific curiosity of a whole new generation.
Cincinnati is now "Telescope Town!"
Cincinnati is now "Telescope Town!"
If you have any further questions please contact Dean Regas at 513-321-5186 or dean@cincinnatiobservatory.org
-
