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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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I remember seeing a nice heliostat setup in the
exhibit hall at the Fiske Planetarium at the University
of Colorado in Boulder (many years ago).

They were using the light from the heliostat in three
ways...

1. A white light image projection onto a screen so
    visitors could see sun spots.

2. An eyepiece you could use to look through an
    H-alpha filter to see the surface features of the
    sun.

3. A portion of the sunlight was put through a high
    quality diffraction grating to project a 4-6 foot long
    projection of the sun's spectra.  I think I remember
    some bright and dark lines and a 'key' visitors could
    use to identify the lines.  The other thing that was
    great was that you (the visitor) could put a phosphorescent
    card at the end of the visible spectra to see the
    ultra-violet part of the spectrum.

Of course this memory is more than 20 years old and
I could have enhanced what was really there.

David

                   David Taylor
       AHHA Museum Services
            Now I Understand
        1560 NW Woodbine Way
            Seattle, WA 98177
             (206) 363-8126
   e-mail:   [log in to unmask]
http://www.AHHA-MuseumServices.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> From: Harry White <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Informal Science Education Network <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2005 12:31:17 +0000
> Subject: Re: Heliostats - anyone have one?
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> I always wanted one too.
> 
> Ken Gleason did a nice simple telescope based one at the Montshire MOS.
> 
> The Lied CDM in Las Vegas has one in it's own tower but it was closed the
> day I was there.
> 
> Tycho Brahe Planetarium Copenhagen's one was awesome but only when the sun
> was out. (Only once and by the time I had my camera out it was gone)
> 
> For workshops etc. the Sunspotter from Learning Technologies is great.
> 
> Please post it if you fund a good one,

> Harry White, Concept Development Director
> Techniquest, Stuart Street, Cardiff, UK. CF10 5BW
> Tel: +44 (0) 29 20 475 475, Direct: +44 (0) 29 20 475 464
> Web: http://www.techniquest.org
> 

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