GeminiFocus April 2013 | Page 22

Journey through the Universe Hawai‘i hawai‘i Journey through the Universe (JttU) 2013 was the ninth and biggest year yet for the program. Over 50 scientists and engineers went out to local Hawai‘i Island schools and reached almost 8000 students. “This program is alive and well in Hawai‘i,” said Jeff Goldstein, who started the U.S. national JttU program. “Thanks to Gemini, the Big Island community, and all of the Mauna Kea observatories, the spirit of TttU continues to grow in many new and exciting ways — ways that even I couldn’t have even imagined when we started the program back in 1991.” Gemini’s Janice Harvey, who directs the program, sees this year’s success as only a glimmer of what to expect next year, noting specifically that 2014 will be our 10th anniversary. “We are going to pull all the stops to make it even better and more inspiring than it was this year,” she said. JttU 2013, though, will be a tough act to follow, as illustrated by the images shown here. Students at Waiakea Intermediate School experiment with light using a “Light House,” which demonstrates reflection, refraction, and how telescopes collect light to study the universe. Gemini PIO Manager Peter Michaud explains condensation, clouds, and sublimation with a block of dry ice later used to make a comet for second grade students at Hilo’s E.B. DeSilva School. 22 GeminiFocus April2013