A warm (really a hot) evening, a clear sky, newly-minted telescopes, and an artifact from NASA’s Space Shuttle Mission-113 brought interested individuals and families to the A Time for Science Learning Center and the Bray Hollow Nature Conservancy for the first annual Summer Solstice Party. Thanks to the assistance from student volunteers from DH Conley High School, St. Gabriel’s Youth Group and elsewhere, this Solstice Party offered some heavenly sights and interesting experiences for all. Although a bright moon and a partly cloudy sky precluded the planned sky show, lunar and planetary viewings were excellent. Many of Pitt Community College’s newly-minted (AST-251) astronomers were able to show off their creations to large group of interested audience.
One highlight of the evening was the nose wheel nose-wheel tire that went into space and back on the Space Shuttle Endeavour, Mission STS-113. Visitors were able to touch, feel and explore many aspects of this tire which is on loan from NASA and the Eastern NC Regional Science Center, Inc. (DBA Go-Science). Answers to questions about the tire, posed to our “Tire Hostess,” will, in time, be posted here at the website.
Two reminders for all: 1.) The Shuttle tire will remain for several more months at the ATFS Center for all visitors to see. And 2.) Be sure to mark your calendars and save the date for our Fall Equinox Party in three more months.
Click a photo to start the slideshow, move the mouse cursor off the photo to see without controls.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Last Saturday, June 19, another group of “inquiring minds,” spanning a 60 decade age range, assembled for another of the now “famous” AST-251 Astronomy Telescope Making Workshops at PCC. The day was spent in fun building a Dobsonian mount, Newtonian reflector scope. The evening was also spent in fun making all of the appropriate adjustments and viewing the heavens at “First Light” for these new creations. Though the scopes were constructed from seemingly humble materials there was some very high-tech assistance afforded the night-time viewing.
Starting bright and early Saturday morning, June 12, eight students entered one of the physics classrooms at Pitt Community College and by 5:00 that afternoon walked away with a fully functional Dobsonian mount reflector telescope. Under the direction of Charles Goodman, one of the volunteer advisors for A Time for Science, and assisted by Nancy and John Bray students assembled from ATFS style kits four 4 ½-in, three 6-in and one 8-in telescopes. Later that evening most of these budding astronomers, some joined by family, gathered with the 
The warm, humid, windless weather on June 5th was perfect for bug-hunting. A small group of committed entomologists from the East Carolina 4H club used this opportunity to set traps to attract insects to add to their collections. A homemade concoction of mashed bananas and whiskey was painted on several trees around the A Time for Science Learning Center. This nectar imitation attracts large butterflies, beetles, and moths. Bamboo poles were erected to suspend a white sheet near the pond. A black light and a mercury vapor light were angled to shine on the sheet to imitate the moon. This is another trap designed to attract big, beautiful bugs. Traps set, it was time to wait for the sun to set.
The amateur entomologists convened inside the ATFS center to pin previously-collected insects for display and study. They pored over field guides to identify the many bugs they’d pinned. An hour later, darkness had descended and the hunt was on. Insects swirled around the hanging sheet. Tiny mosquitoes buzzed ears and ensnared themselves in long hair. Several huge grapevine beetles, giant diving beetles, and assassin bugs were attracted to the hanging sheet, then trapped in jars loaded with ethyl acetate. The prizes of the night were huge lacewings and a huge hawk sphinx moth. Everyone left with dozens of insects to freeze at home and add to their growing insect collections. It was great buggy fun!
