UW Mobile Planetarium
Overview
The UW Mobile Planetarium brings an immersive experience of the Universe down from space and into K-12 schools. In addition to attending public events, we work closely with science teachers to help their students create tours of the universe, presented in the UW Mobile Planetarium. The dome is approximately 20 feet on a side and 10 feet high.
Contact Oliver Fraser for more information. |
How I Met The Mobile Planetarium (Bear with me, it's long)
It was winter quarter of my junior year and I was taking biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, and physics. I locked myself in Suzallo for the first week of winter quarter. I stared at the same page in my inorganic chemistry textbook (written by Zumdahl... people who have taken general chemistry probably cringe whenever they hear that name) for an hour. I could not understand it. After spending five hours on my first homework assignment in inorganic chemistry, I realized that taking three rigorous science courses in one quarter was an overkill. I needed a breather class. Something that wasn't too hard, something I didn't need to take, but wanted to take.
The first week of class was almost over; all the interesting classes were filled up. I was desperate. I decided to explore the 'untouched' territories of the Time Schedule, departments I would have never dreamed of course shopping in. That was when I discovered: Astronomy 101.
Instead of working on my homework for inorganic chemistry, I was going on rate my professor, searching for "Oliver Fraser," the professor who was teaching Astronomy 101. I couldn't find anything. Apparently, it was his first time teaching. Uh oh - new professors. They're like a ticking time bomb; you never know if they are good or bad. I took the courage to e-mail this professor and within minutes, he responded. He invited me over to his office and we had a small talk about the class. He was genuine, kind, and had the coolest New Zealand accent. He eventually sold me into taking his class by showing me the holographic astronomy textbook. It was shiny, who could resist?
I eventually dropped inorganic chemistry and registered for Astronomy 101. The first astronomy class was a short trip to the UW Planetarium. When I first walked in, it was like love at first sight. The stars circled around the dome, resembling a perfectly clear night sky. I wanted to lie in the dome and stare at the stars for hours and hours. Every visit to the dome was magical. Every lecture was mind boggling. From the formations of stars to distinguishing galaxies, I became more and more fascinated with the topic, so fascinated, I almost switched my major to Astronomy. Many nights, I would come back to my apartment and tell my roommates about all the cool things I had learned in Astronomy 101. After the end of the quarter, I had found my new interest.
Did I ever regret taking a 100-level class in my junior year? Heck no. Why? Because I this class led me into a topic I was genuinely interested in.
In spring quarter, I took Astronomy 270, which was a class that taught students how to use the UW Planetarium. I learned how to use the dome and gave a presentation in the planetarium about our solar system to a group of 1st and 2nd graders. I eventually joined Dr. O in his Mobile Planetarium Team and have been an active member since. I am not majoring in Astronomy or Physics. I am no expert and I still have lots to learn, but all I know is that I really like it. I love talking to the kids, looking at the stars, planets, and nebulas, and learning new things about our Universe.
People have told me that I am wasting my time because this has nothing to do my goals in becoming a doctor, but who cares? There are hundreds of walking, talking, breathing, stereotypically-labeled 'pre-meds' out there on campus, but I am not one of them. Truthfully, I never thought a simple astronomy class could change the entire course of my college life, but it did.
The first week of class was almost over; all the interesting classes were filled up. I was desperate. I decided to explore the 'untouched' territories of the Time Schedule, departments I would have never dreamed of course shopping in. That was when I discovered: Astronomy 101.
Instead of working on my homework for inorganic chemistry, I was going on rate my professor, searching for "Oliver Fraser," the professor who was teaching Astronomy 101. I couldn't find anything. Apparently, it was his first time teaching. Uh oh - new professors. They're like a ticking time bomb; you never know if they are good or bad. I took the courage to e-mail this professor and within minutes, he responded. He invited me over to his office and we had a small talk about the class. He was genuine, kind, and had the coolest New Zealand accent. He eventually sold me into taking his class by showing me the holographic astronomy textbook. It was shiny, who could resist?
I eventually dropped inorganic chemistry and registered for Astronomy 101. The first astronomy class was a short trip to the UW Planetarium. When I first walked in, it was like love at first sight. The stars circled around the dome, resembling a perfectly clear night sky. I wanted to lie in the dome and stare at the stars for hours and hours. Every visit to the dome was magical. Every lecture was mind boggling. From the formations of stars to distinguishing galaxies, I became more and more fascinated with the topic, so fascinated, I almost switched my major to Astronomy. Many nights, I would come back to my apartment and tell my roommates about all the cool things I had learned in Astronomy 101. After the end of the quarter, I had found my new interest.
Did I ever regret taking a 100-level class in my junior year? Heck no. Why? Because I this class led me into a topic I was genuinely interested in.
In spring quarter, I took Astronomy 270, which was a class that taught students how to use the UW Planetarium. I learned how to use the dome and gave a presentation in the planetarium about our solar system to a group of 1st and 2nd graders. I eventually joined Dr. O in his Mobile Planetarium Team and have been an active member since. I am not majoring in Astronomy or Physics. I am no expert and I still have lots to learn, but all I know is that I really like it. I love talking to the kids, looking at the stars, planets, and nebulas, and learning new things about our Universe.
People have told me that I am wasting my time because this has nothing to do my goals in becoming a doctor, but who cares? There are hundreds of walking, talking, breathing, stereotypically-labeled 'pre-meds' out there on campus, but I am not one of them. Truthfully, I never thought a simple astronomy class could change the entire course of my college life, but it did.