Tellus Science Museum: Exploring the Sun (November 2010)

Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, provides a stimulating program for middle and high school students with the program “Exploring the Sun and Solar Energy.” Pictured here are students in Ms. Connie Nelson’s senior class from Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Georgia during their October 22 visit to Tellus.

Students are looking directly at the sun through specially made NASA solar glasses. “Exploring the Sun and Solar Energy” starts off with students learning about the night sky and seeing the movie “The Heart of the Sun” in Tellus’ digital planetarium. Students then break into separate groups affording the best opportunity for them to view the sun through a Coronado solar telescope. One of the intrinsic rewards for the Tellus educators is hearing how hard to impress adolescents can be moved when they exclaim, “Wow, that is really cool!” upon seeing the sun through the telescope for the first time. The students are also toured through the Solar Decathlon House on Tellus’ campus and the Science in Motion Gallery, with an emphasis on alternative energy.

Students also get to experiment with the NASA “solar pizzas” that demonstrate the scale sizes of the earth and sun and the distances between the two objects. Exploring the Sun and Solar Energy is just one of the 22 science programs offered at Tellus for students ranging from kindergarten through college.

Tellus Science Museum has received more than 300,000 visitors since opening its doors in January, 2009 with approximately 45,000 students participating in organized programs each year geared toward meeting Georgia education standards each year. A list of these programs can be found at http://www.tellusmuseum.org/.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ACTIVITIES: If you use our SOHO images or movies, provide outreach and programs in the area of solar study, and would like to be considered for our Outreach Spotlight section, write to steele.hill[at]gsfc.nasa.gov with a brief overview of your efforts.If we think you'd make a good candidate, we will contact you.