Where did we come from? Are we alone? These
age-old questions form the basis of NASA’s Origins Program,
a series of missions spanning the next twenty years that will use
a host of space- and ground-based observatories to understand the
origin and development of galaxies, stars, planets, and the conditions
necessary to support life. The Space Science Institute has developed
a 3,000 square-foot traveling exhibition, called Alien
Earths, which brings origins-related research and discoveries
to students and the American public. Alien
Earths has four interrelated exhibit areas: Our
Place in Space, Star
Birth, Planet Quest,
and Search for Life. Exhibit visitors explore
the awesome events surrounding the birth of stars and planets; they
join scientists in the hunt for planets outside our solar system
including those that may be in “habitable zones” around
other stars; and finally they learn about the wide range of conditions
for life on Earth and how scientists are looking for signs of life
beyond Earth. Visitors also learn about the tools scientists’ use,
such as space-based and ground-based telescopes, to improve our understanding
of the cosmos.
The exhibit’s size permits it to visit
medium sized museums in all regions of the country. It has begun
its 3-year tour to 9 host museums and science centers at the
Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, California. The Association of Science-Technology
Centers (ASTC) is managing the exhibit’s national tour. In
addition to the exhibit, the project includes workshops for
educators and docents at host sites, as well as a public Web
site that will use exhibit content to delve deeper into origins
research. Current
partners in the Alien Earths project
include ASTC, Lawrence Hall of Science, NASA Astrobiology Institute,
NASA missions (Navigator, SIRTF, and Kepler), the SETI Institute,
and the Space Telescope Science Institute. The project is supported
by grants from NSF and NASA. |
