Outreach activities
The Bareket observatory is dedicated to promoting the importance of science education and dark-sky preservation throughout our communities.
That is why we partner with the IDA, AWB and outdoor initiatives around the world. With them, we’re committed to fostering intellectual curiosity in new generations of scientists, engineers, and outdoor enthusiasts.
We derive our inspiration from everyone in our community who is dedicated to growing the fields of science and astronomy. We continually seeks out partnerships with worthy causes like Astronomers Without Borders, HOU and the International Dark-Sky Association, who advocate astronomy education worldwide. We run variety of global astronomy-educational programs
Astro-Edu Network
The initiative provides a number of fascinating resources for astronomy and space, including access to virtual and remote robotic telescopes, as well as interactive applications. With them, students can explore mathematics, physics, geography and other subjects using genuine astronomy and space-related data, and making real scientific observations.
Project's page: http://www.bareket-astro.com/astronet
NASA's deep space voyage program
Deep Space Live Web Cast : enabled people from across the world to join NASA in a special deep space journey through a robotic telescope!
It was a truly global effort, coordinated simultaneously by different organizations across the world.
The program provided a unique opportunity for educators, students, amateur astronomers, outreach promoters, as well as the general public to observe and appreciate our deep space universe using all of our senses...
NASA's deep space will be a virtual journey through a telescope with musical representation (sonification) to those who are blind, turning light-photons into sound!
Using the sophisticated robotic telescope and a super sensitive cooled CCD camera at the Bareket observatory, special musical image sonifications for those who are blind and an expert astronomer who will provide live explanations - everyone had the ability to enjoy from his/her special private journey through space-time.
IDA Israel section - light pollution
Light pollution and sky preservation activitiesLight pollution and sky preservation activities in the region.
Hands on experiments astronomy modules
For instance – during the Live Lunar eclipse webcast:
Bareket Observatory's website was also featured a section on free experiments and activities related to the eclipse, giving viewers a chance to conduct their own science projects using the live lunar eclipse feed.
Educational institutions and individuals were able to conduct real-time astronomy projects while interacting with others from around the world.
Students Asteroid research program
The student Asteroid program is aimed for K10-K12 students, allowing them to conduct research projects at the Asteroid field.
The students are creating their own research programs while learning how to work in groups, like real scientist.
The data is being subtracted from the telescopes and than an MPC report is created. The final data has a real scientific value.
Read abstracts of research projects conducted by high-school students via our remote telescope:
1. Asteroid photometry, modeling and tracking [PDF]
2. Binary stars photometry & 3D modeling [PDF]
Using the Observatory's Remote Internet Telescope
The operation of the Israel's Internet telescope is completely automatic, requiring only start up at the beginning of a night and is automatically close down at dawn. The observations being performed remotely from the observer’s home.
Students / researchers are using the observatory's remote controlled telescope, which consist of a highly sophisticated 15" f/2.8 custom Astrograph and a 14" HD S.cass – Celestron modified C14 working at f/8.7.
The optical assembly uses a Paramount ME robotic mount.
The telescope assembly permits fine focusing using a computer-controlled temperature comprehended focuser connected to the custom reducer / corrector.
The telescope is equipped with an SBIG ST10MXE CCD camera, 10 position filter wheel with Schuller and AstroDon photometric and narrow band filters, including spectra grating which gives the ability to perform spectrometric measurements.
The telescope, mount, focuser, camera etc' are being controlled via the web by the students and teachers! The control is very straight forward and there is no need for any 3rd party software. Only a web browser (such as Internet explorer) is needed.
Now it's more reachable than ever to bring students from all around the globe to collaborate together.
The teacher has a full control over the observatory: automatic focus, exposure times, binning, external auto guiding for long exposures, target selecting, and so on. The observatory has an on-line high sensitivity video fisheye camera and a Boltwood cloud sensor II so the teachers could see the telescope and 'sense' the weather the as it works.
Photo: The Rosetta nebula. Taken by students remotely - with the internet telescope
Informal education projects also take advantage of these amazing on line programs.
Carl Pennypacker, PhD used the telescope with his students. He is an astrophysicist at the University of California at Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, is the principal investigator for the HOU - Hands On Universe project:
"It was great. The students got a real thrill, and our image was beautiful.
Thanks so much.
"
The Internet telescope is a wonderful educational and research tool for students. Its serves our goal to bond and open new educational communication channels to international groups in a perfectly manner.
Chicago-Israel high school astronomical video conference, made via the web
During the conference the students from Chicago (U.S) and Jerusalem (IS) controlled the Bareket observatory's remote telescope and took images of the universe, including imaged of comet Holmes 17P, who was present in the sky at that time (See image below).
After the conference the students processed the data and continued to keep in touch. The main purpose of the web conference was to bond the two groups, which share a mutual love to astronomy despite the big geographic distance, while assisting them to feel more comfortable with astronomical data gathering & processing.
Photo: The IL group during the conference.
Photo: M42 nebula, one of the astronomical images that were taken by the students during the conference.השביט הולמס P17 HOLMES COMET
Photo: Comet 17P Holmes, one of the astronomical images that were taken by the students during the conference.
Dennis Erickson, teacher of high school astronomy in Chicago - regarding the high school Astronomical Conference, a global virtual meeting with a group of students in Chicago and students in Jerusalem.
"
As a young student in the 1960s, I dreamed of controlling a large telescope and taking images of faint galaxies form a dark sky site. And then analyzing those images and others taken from the other side of the planet-collaborating with other astronomers to discover a new supernova.
Well, some forty years later my dream was realized, when my students began such a journey as they held a live video conference with students in Israel and imaged the Andromeda galaxy.
This experience sparked an interest in my students - doing real science is possible as a young student.
I am especially interested in the wonderful opportunity for children of the globe to become more connected through astronomy. I believe the magnificent combination of Universal astronomy and International children has the profound potential to be the powerful and gentle link towards world peace. This is the reason and the motivation that I will do all I can to help and will encourage others.
It is both exciting and overwhelming at the same time to think of the possibilities of opening the communication between students on a global level.
I truly believe good things are about to happen.
When the word gets out and the work by the children is shown, there will be an explosion of interest.
If it's introduced to children like a second language, the younger-the-better, there will be no holding them back as they develop their contribution potential to science if they so choose. This exposure for children at this extent is so new, that I believe the individual who chooses to "stick-with-the-program" will be light-years ahead in the understanding of science like we have never seen before. If children develop their collaboration skills the younger-the-better as teammates with other young astronomers across the globe, we may see a level of tolerance and understanding among nations like we have never seen before.
In my opinion, I will point out that the only draw-back to advancement of science is when that level does not match the same level of maturity and harmony among Earth's occupants. There exists both a wonderful opportunity and a sobering responsibility.
"
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Very young students coaching each other how to use the robotic telescopes during an after school astronomy club. This computer is operating a telescope located at the Bareket observatory Israel by students near Chicago. |
Star Parks scouts program:
Star Parks is a program for Boy and Girl Scouts (of all levels) to invite their peers to join them in raising awareness about astronomy & light pollution and improving the skies in their community.
Star Parks is an IYA2009 Dark Skies Awareness cornerstone project.
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My name is mike and I'm here with a couple of my friends of which are very interested in astronomy.
We've been looking at the pictures you have sent us (-processed data after they controlled the telescope-) and think they are amazing. You ask us if we've enjoyed them, you're wrong, it's more than just given us entertainment, it has inspired us. My friend Kevin wasn't sure what major he wanted to take but after tonight's presentation he has decided that he wants to major in astronomy. We appreciate you letting us use the observatory in Israel.
Now the scouts are interested enough about astronomy that they are inspired to help reduce light pollution around their community so everyone can see more stars.
Mike Kevin and Garrett.
"
This first grade student was inspired to write a poem about the Horsehead Nebula, which he photographed using a robotic system connected to the Bareket Observatory in Israel. He read his poem via SKYPE to Ido from the Observatory in Israel.