Discover Space at Aurora Public Library

The Space Science Institute's National Center for Interactive Learning's traveling exhibit, Discover Space, is at the Aurora Public Library in Colorado until February 1, 2011. Discover Space, which has already been to five other Colorado libraries, provides science and technology learning experiences to library patrons.

Patti Bateman, director of the city of Aurora’s Library & Cultural Services department says, “This exhibit offers a chance to bring space science and technology to life and make it relevant to the residents whose lives are touched indirectly by this subject matter every day.”
 
Discover Space includes two exhibit areas, Space Storms and Star Quest. Space Storms introduces audiences to space weather, covering topics such as sunspots, coronal mass ejections, and magnetic storms. The Space Storms area also shows how space weather can harm astronauts, damage satellites, and disrupt power grids and communication systems on Earth. Star Quest explores how stars are born and how they die. Utilizing a touch screen computer, visitors are able to design interactive solar systems, complete with planets, asteroid belts, and multiple suns.
 
The Discover Space exhibition is the National Center for Interactive Learning's first foray into library exhibitions.  This pilot program has been so successful, that the National Science Foundation has recently funded a follow-up project (STAR_Net) that will feature two traveling library exhibitions, Discover Earth and Discover Tech. STAR_Net will focus on reaching underserved populations and areas not served by large science centers. Partners in this project include the American Library Association, the Lunar and Planetary Institute, and the National Girls Collaborative Project.