Lab Out Loud®

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SOFIA's 100 Inch Diameter Telescope

Dana Backman is the Outreach Director for SOFIA – The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy.  Essentially, SOFIA is a modified 747SP with telescope in its fuselage.  A joint project between NASA and the German Aerospace Center (NASA supplied the aircraft and the telescope was built in Germany), SOFIA is the largest airborne astronomical observatory that will allow astronomers to peer into the visible, infrared and sub-millimeter spectrum of space – above the majority of water vapor in the atmosphere.  Dana talks with us about the aircraft, the mission, and some exciting opportunities for science teachers.

Links:

• SOFIA Science Center
• SOFIA (nasa.gov)
• SOFIA Mission (nasa.gov)
• SOFIA Image Gallery
• SOFIA Video Gallery
• 747 Flies With a Big Hole in its Fuselage…For Science (Wired)
• SOFIA: Exploring the Hidden Universe (short documentary video)

Direct download: LOL42.mp3

Last night Dr. Mark Devlin appeared on The Colbert Report to talk about BLAST the Movie. The movie is a documentary about an experiment in 2006 that involved launching a car-sized telescope in Antarctica using a balloon.

Before Lab Out Loud, we did a podcast for the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers called Periodicity.  Dr. Devlin, a graduate of University of Wisconsin, spoke to us in January 2007- shortly after his return from Antarctica.

You can listen to the interview as Dr. Devlin discussed the science involved with the BLAST experiment, the struggles they encountered and the importance of basic research. As you listen to Dr. Devlin describe his experiences with such passion, it quickly becomes apparent that this experiment’s story has everything a compelling movie requires to keep you at the edge of your seat.

Our show notes also provided links to blogs that several of the graduate students maintained while they were in Antarctica. They provided a personal glimpse into the lives of scientists as their Antarctic mission unfolded. They also posted some amazing photos.

Find links to all of our old Periodicity episodes at:
http://www.wsst.org/podcasts.asp

A Weekly Podcast from the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers
Find more Periodicity Episodes

Today we talk with Dr. Mark Devlin (Department of Physics and Astronomy at UPenn) about BLAST (Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Sub-millimeter Telescope).

Running Time: 23:50

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Show Notes:

Today we talk with Dr. Mark Devlin (Department of Physics and Astronomy at UPenn) about BLAST (Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Sub-millimeter Telescope).

• BLAST Public Page
• BLAST at McMurdo Station, Antarctica (a weblog)
• BLAST on Ice (a weblog)
• BLAST Telescope (Wikipedia)
• BLAST the Movie (a documentary by Paul Devlin)

Direct download: periodicity3001182007.mp3