Peter Michaud
gAstronomy and Exoplanets
Gemini’s Principal Investigators have many passions that go
far beyond astronomical research. Here we learn how Principal
Investigator Steve Howell is working with culinary master Bill Yosses
to connect gastronomy to the study of exoplanets — and how they
whipped up an exotic blend of tasty science and alien treats for Gemini
North’s local host community.
The Gemini user community is a diverse and creative lot. This becomes even more evident
when you start to uncover their interests and hobbies.
DSSI’s Principal
Investigator Steve
Howell shows a nine
year old how to create
exoplanet slime.
Last July, for instance, Steve Howell, one of Gemini’s most creative and imaginative Principal Investigators (PIs), brought the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument (DSSI) to Gemini
North for the second time as a visiting instrument. Before arriving, Howell, who also serves as
Project Scientist for NASA’s Kepler Planet Finding Mission, mentioned that he and Bill Yosses (an esteemed former White House Executive Pastry Chief ) are working together to find
ways to connect gastronomy to the environments
suspected on exoplanets. Howell explained, “The
same science principles astronomers use to understand alien worlds are also used to create marvels of culinary delight.”
Janice Harvey, who leads Gemini’s local outreach
programming in Hawai‘i, thought the idea was not
only an extremely intriguing marriage of topics
but also an appetizing concept for a new outreach
program for Gemini’s local community in Hawai‘i.
With that in mind, Harvey immediately cooked up
a partnership with the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Education Center in Hilo, and hatched an exotic community outreach program.
26
GeminiFocus
October 2014