Meteor Watch Day

Meteor Watch Day, a time to look to the skies for meteor showers. Will you be lucky enough to see meteors streaking across the night sky? We sure hope so.

Meteors are space dust and ice that enter the earth's atmosphere. Meteors can be as small as specks of dust. As they enter the atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up, producing light as they streak across the night sky. Sometimes, you see them streak across the sky and disappear at the horizon. Other times, they end suddenly, burning out right before your eyes. 

  

Amana Meteor displayed in Iowa Hall

If you are not able to see a meteor on Saturday, stop by the museum and check out our meteorite on display. This meteorite is about 4.5 billion years old! It fell near Amana in 1865. And remember to keep an eye out for upcoming meteors!

Upcoming Meteors to watch:

v  July 28 and 29, 2012 - Delta Aquarids

v  August 12 and 13, 2012 - Perseids

v  October 7, 2012 - Draconids

v  October 21, 2012, before dawn. - Orionids

v  November 4/5, 2012, late night November 4 until dawn November 5 - South Taurid

v  November 11/12, 2012, late night November 11 until dawn November 12 - North Taurids

v  November 16/17, 2012, late night November 16 until dawn November 17 - Leonids

v  December 13/14, 2012, late night December 13 until dawn December 14 - Geminids

Tips for watching meteorites:

v  Find a very dark place.

v  Find a location with open sky. A gap in the trees is not going to work; try a hilltop with a clear 360 view.

v  Get comfortable! The best way to watch meteorites is laying on your back look up, so bring plenty of blankets along.

v  Turn off all lights, if possible.

v  Don’t concentrate on one section of the sky. Meteorites come from all directions.

-Written by Assistant Education Coordinator Ashlee Gloede

Meteorite Display in Trowbridge Hall


 

Summer Outreach!

Parades were always my favorite part about summer - sitting along the parade route just waiting for candy or small trinkets to be thrown your way. Then once it was thrown running like crazy to get as much as possible before anyone else. When candy is involved all the rules are out the window, so there was always lots of pushing and running. After the parade, giant stomach aches from all the delicious candy that we were told not to eat because it would ruin lunch (we never listened).

The Museum of Natural History staff and volunteers will be visiting several cities over the summer, and participating in the town’s local events.

Saturday June 23 – Hog Wild Days parade in Hiawatha at 10am

Friday July 13 – Tiffin Fest parade at 6pm

Saturday July 14 – Tiffin Fest at the UI Dig Box from 11am-5pm

Saturday July 21 – Solon Beef Days parade at 10am

All these events are free and open to the public. Get ready to catch lots of candy!!


-Written by Assistant Education Coordinator Ashlee Gloede

Celebrate Iowa’s Museums!

Do you know that Iowa has over 300 museums?! Iowa’s museums include art, history, natural history and specialty museums, science centers, zoos, aquariums, botanic gardens, arboretums, nature centers, historic sites and similar institutions.

On Thursday, June 7th Governor Terry Branstad proclaimed June 11-17, 2012 as Iowa Museum Week. During this week, Iowa Museums will raise awareness of their programs and celebrate what makes them unique community assets. Iowa’s museums are important community assets, attracting visitors to area hotels, restaurants, and recreational areas; providing education and outreach for all ages; driving both incoming tourism revenue and job creation; and contributing to the overall quality of life that makes Iowa’s communities great places to live, work, and raise a family. According to the American Association of Museums, museums average approximately 865 million visits per year or 2.3 million visits per day. That’s a lot of museum visits! It doesn’t hurt that there are museums in every state.

Museums are great places to explore, learn and spend time with family and friends. You really never know what you will find in a museum! The best way to find out is to explore. Throughout this week, visit some museums close to you to find out the wonders that are waiting behind their doors.

To celebrate Iowa Museum Week, the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History is hosting a special family night on Thursday June 14^th from 4pm-7pm in Iowa Hall. Families can paint a cast of an animal footprint to take home and enjoy! This activity is free and open to the public.

Show you care about Iowa’s museum not only this week, but everyday!

-Written by Assistant Education Coordinator Ashlee Gloede

Iowa City Children's Day

Children’s Day was one of many exciting events happening during the 2012 Iowa Arts Festival. Children’s Days is a free event produced by the Iowa City Public Library with help from a variety of local organizations. Children’s Day featured activities and entertainment geared toward children.

The UI Museum of Natural was one of many organizations that took part in this event. The museum has been involved with Children’s Day for the past several years. What child does not like to play with fossils or dig?!  Our booth involved both of these aspects. We had a large dig box that children dug in to find fossils from a variety of animals, such as the giant ground sloth, bison, cows, and other animals.

We also had a hands-on table filled with fossils from Devonian period to the present. Children and adults were able to touch and discuss these million year old fossils.

Alex Woods from the Office of the State Archaeologist demonstrated to families how to flint knap. What is flint knapping? It is the making of chipped stone tools. This technology was used in historic times to manufacture gun flints and in prehistoric times to make spear and dart points, arrow heads, knives, scrapers, blades, gravers, perforators, and many other tools.

Flat Rusty even got to get his hands dirty looking for fossils! We had a wonderful time at this year’s Children’s Day. It is always great to see all the children and families come out to such a fun event. To learn more about Summer of the Arts events later this summer check out their website at: http://www.summerofthearts.org/summer-of-the-arts/home.aspx



-Written by Assistant Education Coordinator Ashlee Gloede