Educational Programs and Services of Friends of the Zeiss

Educational Programs

Educational Services

Educational Programs ---

Public Observing Sessions of Special Astronomical Events *** Public Educational Programs Regarding Astronomy, Space Science, and Other Sciences

Major Astronomical Events Observed by Friends of the Zeiss


Public Observing Sessions of Special Astronomical Events

* 2017 August 21 - Public observing session for the Great American Solar Eclipse, co-sponsored by Friends of the Zeiss and the Mount Lebanon Public Library. The Mount Lebanon Public Library estimated public attendance at 300. Members of Friends of the Zeiss participating in this event were Glenn A. Walsh, Lynne S. Walsh, James McKee, and Josie Dougherty (eighth-grade student who had just attended NASA's Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama).

* 2004 June 8 - Images and Information: City of Pittsburgh's Only Public Observing Session of the Historic Transit of Venus
Co-Sponsored By: Friends of the Zeiss and The Duquesne Incline

* 1998 February 26 - Eclipse of the Sun - Partial Solar Eclipse viewed in Library Park of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Canegie PA: Partial Eclipse; program directed by Friends of the Zeiss Steering Committee members Glenn A. Walsh and John D. Weinhold, prior to formal establishment of Friends of the Zeiss in 2002.

Public Educational Programs Regarding Astronomy, Space Science, and Other Sciences

* 2016 May 9, 9:00 a.m. to 2:42:26 p.m. EDT - Friends of the Zeiss and the Mount Lebanon Public Library co-spnsored safe public viewing of the fairly rare Transit of the Planet Mercury across the front of the Sun. Due to cloud cover, telescopic observations (projected on a portable movie screen) of the event were not possible. The general public was able to view the event via a large-screen, Internet web-cast of the event, in Conference Room A on the Lower Level of the Mount Lebanon Public Library. This event was hosted by Friends of the Zeiss member David Tessitor.
Publicity Poster / Flyer *** News Release *** SpaceWatchtower Blog Post

* 2014 Dec. 5 - Friends of the Zeiss and the Mount Lebanon Public Library co-sponsored public viewing, via an Internet web-cast from NASA, of NASA's first test launch of the new Orion Deep-Space Vehicle, which will some day transport astronauts to the Moon, an asteroid, and perhaps eventually Mars.

"DEC. 4 –
PUBLIC VIEWING, VIA WEB-CAST, OF 1st NASA TEST LAUNCH
OF NEW ORION DEEP-SPACE VEHICLE
AT MT. LEBANON PUBLIC LIBRARY."

News Release.
Friends of the Zeiss 2014 Nov. 24.

SpaceWatchtower Blog Posts:
"Orion Test Capsule Readies for 2014 Launch." (2012 May 18)
"Thur. 7:05 a.m.: 1st NASA Test Launch of Orion Deep-Space Vehicle." (2014 Dec. 3)
"Thur. NASA Orion Launch Scrubbed; Next Try Fri. 7:05 a.m." (2014 Dec. 4)
"NASA Orion Spacecraft: Near-Perfect Test Mission After Day-Delay." (2014 Dec. 5)

* 2014 October 23, 3:37 to 7:52 p.m. EDT - On the eve of the 75th anniversary of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, a partial eclipse of the Sun was viewed, via Internet web-cast from Griffith Observatory, in Meeting Room A on the Lower Level of the Mount Lebanon Public Library in the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh, co-sponsored by Friends of the Zeiss and the Mount Lebanon Public Library. Due to the late time of day of this eclipse, viewing the eclipse with a telescope was not practical.

"OCT. 23 –
SAFE PUBLIC VIEWING OF SOLAR ECLIPSE
AT MT. LEBANON PUBLIC LIBRARY,
ON EVE OF 75TH ANNIV. OF BUHL PLANETARIUM."

News Release.
Friends of the Zeiss 2014 Sept. 15.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Solar Eclipse on Eve of Buhl Planetarium's 75th Anniversary." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2014 Oct. 21.

>>> Radio Interviews (2) of Glenn A. Walsh Regarding the 75th Anniversary of Buhl Planetarium -
* "Preview: Buhl Planetarium 75th Anniversary." The Saturday Light Brigade / Neighborhood Voices.
WRCT-FM 88.3 Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh (and network of 5 Western Pennsylvania and
Eastern Ohio college radio stations) 2014 Oct. 25.
Radio interview occurred in the studios of The Saturday Light Brigade, located in Bowdish Gallery of
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science building.
* "Wednesday Rundown: Celebrating the Birthday of the Original Buhl Projector." Essential Pittsburgh.
WESA-FM 90.5 Pittsburgh 2014 Oct. 22.

* 2012 July 11, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. EDT - Friends of the Zeiss Project Director Glenn A. Walsh participated in the annual "Planet Party," a science educational program for children, sponsored by Assemble Pittsburgh at 5125 Penn Avenue in the Garfield section of the city. Although Mr. Walsh brought a 4-inch Astroscan reflector telescope, to show sunspots on the Sun to the children, this event was clouded-out; Mr. Walsh displayed the telescope at the event. Bill Moutz and Fred Klein, of the Amateur Astronomers' Association of Pittsburgh, also participated in this event, as they did the previous year. Nina Marie Barbuto of the Girls' Math and Science Partnership at The Carnegie Science Center coordinated this event.

* 2012 June 5, 6:04 to 8:30 p.m. EDT - Friends of the Zeiss and the Mount Lebanon Public Library co-sponsor the century's second and last public observing session of the historic Transit of the Planet Venus Across the Image of the Sun, in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The public observing session took place in the Library's large upper parking lot. Unfortunately, this event was clouded-out. However, Eric G. Canali did display his 8-inch Meade reflector telescope, as well as his 20 x 80 (20 power with 80 mm objective lenses) Celestron binoculars. The public (attendance: 110) was able to view the Transit of Venus via a large-screen web-cast, from NASA, in a lower level Library meeting room.

* 2012 April 18 - Historical documentary motion picture, Undaunted: The Forgotten Giants of the Allegheny Observatory, which premiered at Pittsburgh's Heinz History Center. Friends of the Zeiss Project Director Glenn A. Walsh served as a History Consultant for this documentary.

Educational Services ---

Special Information Services *** Internet Web Sites


Special Information Services

* SpaceWatchtower Blog (Weekly - 2011 to Present)

* SpaceWatchtower Twitter News Feed (Daily - 2011 to Present)

* Astronomical Calendar (Monthly - 2005 to Present): Current Month *** Archives

Internet Web Sites

* Astronomy and Science Links
* Astronomical Glossary
* Mullaney's Roster of 300 Night Sky Wonders
* Safe Way to View Solar Eclipse or Eclipse of the Sun
* Quick-Reference Page - Science
* Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Astronomy and Other Sciences
* Citizen Science Projects
* HIstory of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, Pittsburgh
* History of The Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Chicago
* Astronomer, Educator, and Maker of Telescopes and Precise Scientific Instruments Dr. John A. Brashear (1840 to 1920)
* Friends of the Zeiss
* Technology - Radio - AM Carrier Current
* Technology - Inclined Planes / Funiculars
* History of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Libraries