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MARCH 2008 BRIEFING:

Seeing Hubble's Universe: Making Pictures from Data

Zolt Levay , Space Telescope Science Institute

Hubble's view of the universe, as the public sees it, is a visually compelling portrait. Yet these images originate not for artistic reasons, but for science research. Zolt Levay is perhaps the person most responsible for shaping the public perception of Hubble imagery, and thereby much of their opinions of astronomy.  In this briefing, he will discuss the process of reconstructing color photographs from the Hubble Space Telescope's science data.  The detailed and involved procedures require technical  as well as aesthetic choices and rely on techniques from art and photography to produce visually appealing pictures without sacrificing scientific validity.

Telecon to be held March 6, 2008 at 3:30 PM EST. See the NASA Museum Alliance website for more details.

FEBRUARY 2008 BRIEFING:

The Evolution of Galaxies over Cosmic Time

Harry Ferguson, Space Telescope Science Institute

Dr. Harry Ferguson, Head of Science at the Space Telescope Science Institute, has been involved in several deep surveys of galaxies with the Hubble Space Telescope. The Hubble Deep Field, GOODS, COSMOS, and Ultra Deep Field have provided unprecedented detail of galaxies stretching to more than 12 billion light-years distant in space, and thus more than 12 billion years in time. These collections of observations allows us to study the growth and development of galaxies from the proto-galactic star clumps through to fully formed majestic spirals and ellipticals. Dr. Ferguson will review some of the highlights of these findings.

Telecon and Presentation Materials at the NASA Museum Alliance (password required)

Local Copy for Non-members:

     Slide Presentation: PDF Format (7.8 MB)    PPT Format (6.0 MB)

     Image Notes:   Plain Text (4 kB)

     Movie - Slide 4:   Windows Media 9 (8.5 MB)      Quicktime (4.7 MB)

     Movie - Slide 9:  MPEG Format (9.1 MB)

     Movie - Slide 32:   Windows Media 9 (3.5 MB)      Quicktime (7.2 MB)

     Movie - Slide 33:   Windows Media 9 (12 MB)      Quicktime (7.0 MB)

     Telecon recording:  MP3 Format (9.5 MB)

     Telecon transcript:  PDF Format

DECEMBER 2007 BRIEFING:

James Webb Space Telescope

Knox Long, Space Telescope Science Institute

Join Dr. Knox Long of the Space Telescope Science Institute to learn about the James Webb Space Telescope now under construction. JWST will orbit beyond the Moon to search for the first stars, to identify how galaxies assemble their glorious spiral and elliptical structures, and to understand more fully the processes that give birth to stars and planets.

Telecon and Presentation Materials at the NASA Museum Alliance (password required)

Local Copy for Non-members:

     Slide Presentation:  PDF Format (2.4 MB)   PPT Format (4.4 MB)

     Movie - Slide 28:  Quicktime (25 MB)

     Movie - Slide 30:  Quicktime (61 MB)

     Telecon recording:  MP3 Format (8.2 MB)

     Telecon transcript:  not available

Links:

     JWST Website at STScI

NOVEMBER 2007 BRIEFING:

Astrophysics Enabled by the Return to the Moon

Mario Livio, Space Telescope Science Institute

In November 2006, the Space Telescope Science Institute hosted a forward-looking conference on the compatabilities and synergies between astronomical research and the current plans for manned space missions. Dr. Livio, chair of the organizing committee for that conference, will discuss its most important results. He will identify important astrophysical observations that can be either carried out from the lunar surface or that will be enabled by the Vision for Space Exploration. 

Telecon and Presentation Materials at the NASA Museum Alliance (password required)

Local Copy for Non-members:

     Slide Presentation:  PDF Format (1.3 MB)   PPT Format (5.4 MB)

     Telecon recording:  MP3 Format (7.5 MB)

     Telecon transcript:  Microsoft Word Format (77 kB)   OpenDocument Format (30 kB)

Links:

     Astophysics Enabled by the Return to the Moon  Conference Website

JUNE 2007 BRIEFING:

Science with Hubble's New Instruments

Kenneth Sembach, Space Telescope Science Institute

Two new Hubble science instruments are scheduled to be installed during the final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope in fall 2008. The Wide Field Camera 3 and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph will provide views of the Universe with greater clarity and depth than ever before. This talk will describe the key science topics addressed by the two new instruments. Dr. Kenneth Sembach is the Hubble Project Scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Telecon and Presentation Materials at the NASA Museum Alliance (password required):

Local Copy for Non-members:

     Slide Presentation:  PDF Format (1.8 MB)   PPT Format (3.8 MB)

     Movie - Slide 15:  DIVX encoded AVI (7.5 MB)   Quicktime (26 MB)   Windows Media 9 (62 MB)

     Telecon recording:  MP3 Format (8.4 MB)

     Telecon transcript:  not available

Links:

     Hubble Servicing Mission 4 on the NASA Website

MAY 2007 BRIEFING:

HST Servicing Mission 4 - Repairs

Chris Blades, Space Telescope Science Institute, Project Scientist for SM4

The next and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope is currently scheduled for fall 2008. There are three main goals for this complex mission. The first is to enhance the Observatory by the addition of two new instruments. The second is to restore the existing scientific capability through in-situ repairs of STIS and ACS, and the third is to ensure life expectancy to 2013. This is likely to be the most challenging mission to Hubble that NASA has ever attempted. Chris Blades is the Project Scientist for SM4 at the Space Telescope Science Institute and during this briefing he will discuss the current situation with the Hubble telescope and describe the plans for SM4.

Telecon and Presentation Materials at the NASA Museum Alliance (password required):

Local Copy for Non-members:

     Slide Presentation:  PDF Format (1.2 MB)   PPT Format (0.9 MB)

     Telecon recording:  MP3 Format (7.3 MB)

     Telecon transcript:  Microsoft Word Format (123 kB)   OpenDocument Format (39 kB)

Links:

     Hubble Servicing Mission 4 on the NASA Website