Starry Heavens Newsletter
February 2021
What's new in February?
Our On Line Resources Update
Our On Line Resources is chock full of new content especially in the “Hands On Science” drop down menu thanks to Dr. Ciotti who has uploaded all his physics video demonstrations onto our
Hokulani Online site. There are around 45 videos to choose from. These are all extracted from his online physics video lectures. Although many involve higher level physics concepts, there are several that are appropriate for our younger visitors and the general public. Here are a few of those:
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Tops
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Daruma Otoshi toy
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Kendama toy
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Table cloth magic
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Aristotle vs Galileo on Free-Fall
A New Rover due to land on Mars February 18, Will Be Must SEE TV
NASA is just weeks away from landing a shiny new robot on the surface of Mars, and for the first time, we'll be able to see and hear what it's like to touch down on another world.
On Feb. 18, NASA will attempt to land a new rover on the surface of
Mars. As we previewed in the January newsletter, the rover nicknamed Percy is the size of a car. It is intended to look for past signs of microbial life on Mars. It was launched July 30, 2020 and is scheduled to land on Mars February 18. Landing events will be broadcast live on February 18 starting at about 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST in English and Spanish with touchdown at
about 12:55 PM PST/3:55 PM EST.
Perseverance is due to land in Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, becoming the first artificial object to land on the surface since the
Mars Insight lander in 2018 and the first rover since
Curiosity touched down in 2012.
But the new rover on the block is carrying more audio-visual gear than its predecessors to capture portions of the pivotal entry, descent and landing, or EDL, phase of the mission. A camera mounted on the back shell of the spacecraft is pointed up and will be able to catch a view of the parachutes that will deploy during descent to slow Perseverance as it comes in for its landing. Beneath this is a downward-pointing camera on the descent stage, which further slows and orients the rover for landing.
© NASA/JPL-CalTech - An illustration of NASA's Perseverance rover deploying a supersonic parachute before landing on Mars.
Finally, the rover itself is equipped with cameras and a microphone. Altogether, this suite of tech should provide us with the most detailed images and audio of a landing on Mars yet.
Perseverance carries a number of science instruments to help look for signs of ancient life on our neighboring world, to collect samples that will be returned to Earth and to test some technologies for future Mars missions.
Also, it has a tiny helicopter. Robots have spent years rolling around Mars, which is pretty cool, but for the first time NASA will use a
small helicopter, dubbed Ingenuity, to try flying around the planet. But before Ingenuity can fly, Perseverance has to nail its landing first. While its cameras and microphones will capture much of this whole process, there won't be a live feed like we've become accustomed to from the International Space Station or most launches from Earth. That's because the data relay Perseverance will be using during EDL is slower than even old dial-up connections. Besides, there will be a 14-minute delay for a radio signal to travel from Mars to Earth because of the distance between these two planets.
However, after landing it will be able to use the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to send images back to Earth. It is estimated that we'll be able to see at least some low-res images of the environment around Perseverance on the surface shortly after landing. We may have to wait a few days for more imagery and audio that paint the full picture of the landing process.
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For information about Imaginarium shows and events contact:
Manager, Dineene O‘Connor, at 808-235-7350 or
dineene@hawaii.edu.
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Our admission prices are:
- $8 General admission
- $7 WCC students, military, seniors (65 years or older), with ID
- $6 Children (ages 4-12 years)
- Free for children under 4 years of age (1 per paying adult), and WCC faculty or staff with university ID
- CASH & CHECK ONLY.
Please pick up and pay for tickets at the Imaginarium Box Office at least 15 minutes prior to showtime.
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As always, we welcome your feedback or questions, feel free to phone (808) 235-7350 or email to dineene@hawaii.edu. If you would like information regarding our
Adopt-a-Show sponsorship program please
click here.
Dineene O'Connor
Manager, Hōkūlani Imaginarium
Windward Community College
Hale Imiloa 135A
Office (808) 235-7350
