/storytelling/files/2009/02/keel1.png" alt="keel1.png" align="right" width="300" /> In 2007 and 2008, UA astronomer Bill Keel was sent to Havana to help support a new planetarium and science-outreach center being built as art of the renovation of the historic old city (Habana Vieja). This project is spearheaded by astronomer Oscar Alvarez, of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA: CIencia, Tecnologia, y Medio Ambiente), an IAU member and the national coordinator for IYA2009 activities The well-known city historian, Eusebio Leal Spengler, who is in charge of the overall restoration in the area, not only supported the idea but allocated a building on the 17th-century Plaza Vieja, one of the most historic and well-visited parts of the old city, which is also seen by many school groups. The location is the pink building to the right in this view of Plaza Vieja.
/storytelling/files/2009/02/keel2.png" alt="keel2.png" align="left" width="200" /> Alvarez’ vision for the project centers on a traditional planetarium projector in an unconventional dome. The dome will be a full sphere, with the outside painted to resemble the solar surface when viewed under UV illumination, and surrounded by scale models of the planets. Visitors will take a helical ramp to the seating level, and along the way will see images marking a timeline of evens in cosmic history. The drawing at left is from the construction site.

/storytelling/files/2009/02/keel3.png" alt="keel3.png" align="right" width="200" /> Construction has been underway for 2 years now, with opening tentatively set for June 2009. The old building was reduced to a shell to allow use of the full height, after which much progress has been made (which is notable given the economic conditions in Cuba, and a sign that the project enjoys considerable support).  In mid-2008, the walls were being built up and concrete was poured to support the planetarium structure.

/storytelling/files/2009/02/keel4.png" alt="keel4.png" align="right" width="200" /> By December 2008, the steel supporting framework for the dome and seating level was in place, along with steel supports for the double roof (with an internal level allowing access to ceiling lighting).

/storytelling/files/2009/02/keel6.png" alt="keel6.png" align="left" width="200" /> Inner and outer spheres of the projection/sun dome have been fabicated locally, at the Chullima boat works – anything they could make a mold for, they could blow in fiberglass. Here are some views when the project staff visited the plant in May 2008.

There are several international partners in this project. A grant from the Japanese government has underwritten the purchase of a Goto projector system. The Spanish firm of Kelonik has been contracted for the interior lighting, allowing a starry background with realistic constellations in the main exhibit hall, and sound system. The University of Alabama, in addition to informational support, is providing the large image prints for the “Powers of 10” exhibit and to illustrate the cosmic timeline. We have also acted as liaison for an installation of the From Earth to the Universe exhibition which will open the new center. A selection of 33 images from the exhibition has been produced and carried to Havana in December 2008. These will be followed later in 2009 by a set of large images to illustrate a “Powers of 10” exhibit and the cosmic timeline. Here we see delivery of the FETTU poster prints being taken by Alvarez and Pepe Vasquez, of the Colegio de San Geronimo. (Trained as a solar astronomer, Alvarez couldn’t resist expounding on some of the solar images, right).

/storytelling/files/2009/02/keel7.png" alt="keel7.png" align="left" width="200" /> /storytelling/files/2009/02/keel8.png" alt="keel8.png" align="right" width="200" />

We plan a coordinated FETTU exhibition, with the same image selection, on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa (in one of the gallery spaces, we hope) timed to coincide with the opening in Havana. This will act both as astronomical outreach and as a very public sign of the Cuba Initiative. Afterward, the image prints will reside in the Physics and Astronomy building on campus, provoking the same sense of wonder in students and visitors for years to come.

Oscar has more in mind. There is an observatory atop the mathematics building at the Universidad de La Habana, which could be renovated and added to their outreach facilities. He has had meeting about working with students to make this happen (and for that matter there have been discussions about making some of the challenges of dong this with locally available materials UA engineering assignments, as well).

/storytelling/files/2009/02/keel9.png" alt="keel9.png" width="300" />

NAUTICAL STARS, selected as one of the 100 Best Quilts of the 20th Century, was inspired by an anonymous pen and ink drawing at the Henry Ford Museum, possibly from the late 1800s.  It is thought to be a fraktur drawing–German fancywork—and who is to say it wasn’t created by a talented sailor with time on his hands who based his drawing on the heavens he observed nightly while sailing the seven seas?
VIEW FROM TABLE MOUNTAIN was created to celebrate a site in eastern Washington where many star parties take place and where the  quilt artist, her husband, and daughter go each August to watch the Perseid meteor showers. At an altitude of 6000 ft., the nights are usually cold and clear while overhead stars, planets, the moon, shooting stars and occasionally the Northern Lights fill the sky. Mt. Rainier and other peaks in the Cascades are visible on the horizon. The artist made this quilt for her husband, to honor his interest in astronomy and a special place in their lives.

SEARCHING FOR INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE is a humorist story quilter’s depiction of those thoughts we usually keep tucked away in the back of our minds about “little green men” being out there somewhere, and the idea that possibly, maybe even probably, we aren’t the only ones in this awe-inspiring endlessness we call space.  We know it is filled with a myriad of mysteries and marvels which those in the field of astronomy are working tirelessly to understand and interpret for us.

The Pajaro Valley Quilt Association, County of Santa Cruz, California, is grateful to IYA for the theme of our 2009 Quilt Show, The Universe of Quilts: Yours to Discover.  We look forward to having an outstanding array of astronomy-inspired quilts starring in our show and several faculty members of the UCSC Astronomy /Astrophysics Department will serve as judges to each select a quilt as their “Faculty Favorite”.  We are thrilled to be able to support the IYA in this manner, and if you happen to be in the Monterey Bay area on February 21-22, 2009, we invite and encourage you to attend our Quilt Show. For additional information, visit www.pvqa.org.
Legends for photos:
Figure 1 - NAUTICAL STARS by Judy Mathieson, Sebastopol, CA, 73” x 88” (www.judymathieson.com)
Figure 2 – VIEW FROM TABLE MOUNTAIN by Marie O’Kelley, Seattle, WA, 97” x 98”
Figure 3 – SEARCHING FOR INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE by ellen edith, Santa Cruz, CA, 45” x 45” (www.ellenedith.com)
Submitted by:
Iris Frank, Co-Chair
PVQA 2009 Quilt Fair
The Universe of Quilts: Yours to Discover
(Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy)
Phone – 831.475.0402
Fax – 831.475.0420
Email – iriscfrank@earthlink.net
Mailing address:
5023 Thurber Lane
Santa Cruz, CA 95065-1152