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"African Solar Eclipse Experience" Event from Zambia to be live webcast at Chabot Space & Science Center on June 21

Eclipse: June 21, 6:00am (PDT)
Webcast and public event at Chabot: June 21, 5:00am – 8:00am

Produced by the Exploratorium and NASA with over 50 participating museums around the world 

1 June 2001 – OAKLAND, CA: A total solar eclipse will occur in southern and central Africa on June 21, 2001. Not visible at all from the United States, this first total solar eclipse of the new millennium will be brought live from Zambia to Chabot Space & Science Center and to the rest of the world by San Francisco's Exploratorium, via satellite and high-speed Internet connections. This event is made possible by the San Francisco Exploratorium with support from NASA, and features official endorsement by the National Society of Black Physicists. 

"Have the full experience of this celestial event here at Chabot Space & Science Center at an early morning museum public gathering that begins at 5:00am, leading up to the 6:00am eclipse," says Dr. Mike Reynolds, Executive Director of the new Space & Science Center in the Oakland Hills. "If you can't get up that early, join the rest of the planet via satellite and high-speed Internet connections on the Internet at http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse."

An Exploratorium science museum team will be on the ground in Zambia, capturing video images of the eclipse using specially equipped telescopes. Besides being streamed live to the Chabot Space & Science Center and to the rest of the world, these images will be broadcast to over 50 participating museums around the globe that are holding eclipse events based on the Exploratorium-originated live feed. 

This year, the event will focus on the themes of solar maximum, habitability of space, and living with the Sun. A possible downlink from the International Space Station is planned and would include a conversation with astronauts Jim Voss and Susan Helms of the Expedition Two crew. The conversation with the astronauts will focus on how the sun affects life in space: how solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections can produce radiation bursts that affect everything from communications with earth to the health and safety of the astronauts themselves. 

The event will also feature scientists, including members of the National Society of Black Physicists (http://www.nsbp.org ) to engage and excite young people about space science and technology. Astronomers Dr. Gibor Basri and David Rodriguez will be on hand as guest speakers. Other activities during the event include a solar eclipse planetarium show, hands-on educational activities, and continental breakfast. Tickets: $12 non-members; $10 members, free for children ages 5 and under.

Among the over 50 museums participating: Museum of African American Technology Science Village (Oakland, CA); Museum of Science (Boston, MA), Maryland Science Center; Adler Planetarium (Chicago, IL); Strasenburgh Planetarium of the Rochester Museum & Science Center (NY); Sydney Observatory (Australia); The American Museum of Science and Energy, (Oak Ridge, TN); Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (OH); Exploradome (Paris, France); Computraining Centre (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania); Bishop Museum (Honolulu HI). For a complete list of museums go to http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse.

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