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More than 55 attend exhibit opening

Traveling astronomy exhibit opens at Grissom Library with presentations, displays and more

More than 55 people attended the opening events for Grissom Library's "Visions of the Universe" exhibit on Nov. 29.

Seven-year-old Abdalla Elrahhal peers into an astronomical telescope at the exhibit opening Nov. 29.

What will you be doing on Aug. 21, 2017? While most people probably haven’t given it much thought, Ron Shaneyfelt has the day all figured out.

The NASA speaker and astronomy teacher plans to be in Charleston, S.C., to get a good view of his first total solar eclipse. And if that location doesn’t work out, he’s prepared to drive to find the best alternate viewing spots.

“My son can’t believe that I’m this excited about two and a half minutes of darkness,” Shaneyfelt told an audience of more than 55 on Nov. 29 at Virgil I. Grissom Library in Newport News.

His excitement about viewing space was evident as he shared information, images, artifacts and giveaways with the audience as part of the Library’s opening of the traveling exhibit “Visions of the Universe: Four Centuries of Discovery.”

The exhibit, which celebrates Galileo Galilei first peering into the cosmos using an astronomical telescope and how astronomy has evolved over the 400 years since then, will be on display at Grissom Library through Feb. 15, 2012.

In his presentation, Shaneyfelt explained the development of telescopes, how they work, what makes some types better than others and what we can expect to see in the future.

He started with Galileo. “We give him credit, but we can’t say he invented the telescope,” Shaneyfelt said. Instead, he made existing telescopes work better by using different lens.

Isaac Newton improved on these first reflecting telescopes by using mirrors to reduce the spectrum effect, which produces multiple colors because of the way that the lens bends light, Shaneyfelt said.

Telescopes work by collecting and concentrating more light than the human eye can, he explained. Interferometry, several telescopes and mirrors working together, make for even better views, he said, and are now at work in places such as the KECK Observatory in Hawaii and the Very Large Telescope in Chile.

But, views from even these telescopes are distorted because of vibrations in the atmosphere of Earth, which is what makes stars look like they “twinkle.” Putting telescopes in space is still the best way to escape the atmospheric interference, Shaneyfelt explained.

We can not only look forward to the total solar eclipse in 2017, but also to seeing close-up images of the planet Pluto in 2015 and to better views of space from a telescope scheduled to see things better than Hubble after 2018, he said.

Library visitors got their own views of space during the exhibit opening with the help of Lawrence “Bird” Taylor, a member of the Peninsula Astronomy Club and NASA employee, who set up his telescope outside the Library.

Newport News Mayor McKinley L. Price formally opened the exhibit by cutting the ribbon. The opening also included the unveiling of a new wall display on astronaut Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom by Vice Mayor Madeline McMillan.

Grissom was part of the United States’ manned space program since it began, having been selected as one of NASA’s Original Seven Mercury Astronauts. He was the first man to fly in space twice, and landed the title of commander for the first Apollo flight. He died on Jan. 27, 1967, in the Apollo Spacecraft flash fire at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

He and his family lived in the Stoneybrook community of Denbigh in Newport News for four years. Grissom was an avid supporter of the Newport News Public Libraries, and the first Library opened in the Denbigh area in 1961 was named to honor him.

The “Visions of the Universe” traveling exhibit is presented by the Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland; the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts; and the American Library Association, Chicago, through funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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Part of the Newport News Public Library System, Grissom Library is located at 366 DeShazor Drive, Newport News, VA 23608. It will host the following additional free events in association with the exhibit. Call 757-369-3190 or visit www.nngov.com/library for more information about events, which are all free and open to the public.

Visions of the Universe Program Schedule

Visions of the Universe: Space Lego Party for Families
As part of the Visions of the Universe exhibit, families will work together to build a "space" creation with Lego building blocks for a chance to win prizes, 3-4:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10, at Grissom Library. Registration is required and begins Nov. 26 online at www.nngov.com/library/custom/onlinereg or by calling Grissom Library at 757-369-3190. FREE. Grissom Library, 366 DeShazor Drive, Newport News, VA 23608, www.nngov.com/library, 757-369-3190.

Visions of the Universe: Family Movie
As part of the Visions of the Universe exhibit, families are invited to watch the movie “October Sky,” 3-5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 20, at Grissom Library. Free and open to the public. No registration required. FREE. Grissom Library, 366 DeShazor Drive, Newport News, VA 23608, www.nngov.com/library, 757-369-3190.

Visions of the Universe: Astronomy Night. Children and teens ages 5-14 can view the night sky through telescopes and participate in telescope demonstrations, crafts and activities, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 12, at Grissom Library. Presented by astronomers from the Virginia Living Museum, the event also includes free giveaways. Registration is required online at www.nngov.com/library/custom/onlinereg or by calling Grissom Library at 757-369-3190. FREE. Grissom Library, 366 DeShazor Drive, Newport News, VA 23608, www.nngov.com/library, 757-369-3190.

Visions of the Universe: Explore the Universe Game Day
NASA educators will conduct a variety of games that will help youth from kindergarten through eighth grade explore the universe with images from the Hubble telescope, 1-4 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 28, at Grissom Library. Galileo may appear, too. FREE. Grissom Library, 366 DeShazor Drive, Newport News, VA 23608, www.nngov.com/library, 757-369-3190.

Visions of the Universe: Making a Telescope
Students in kindergarten through eighth grade can learn about and assemble their own telescope to take home, 1-2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4, at Grissom Library. All supplies provided. Register online or call Grissom Library. FREE. Grissom Library, 366 DeShazor Drive, Newport News, VA 23608, www.nngov.com/library, 757-369-3190.

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