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newbies

Hi, list:

As a month-old newbie, I thought I'd welcome Stu to the list, too.  I
also find the conversations pretty intimidating sometimes (this is the
first time I've jumped in), but it's definitely the most interesting
site I've found!

I operate a planetarium in Louisiana.  About three years ago we bought a
kilogram piece of Canyon Diablo, which we now pass around at the end of
each school planetarium program.  Never fails -- as soon as I hold it
up, jaws drop and eyes widen.  It's one of my favorite parts of the
program!  We pass the meteorite around to about 10,000 kids a year, and
the number of questions that we get about meteors and meteorites in the
question-and-answer sessions after the programs has skyrocketed.  We
also offer to show it to people who drop by our console after public
programs, about another 2000 or so people per year (although I'm
surprised at how many adults don't take the opportunity -- to each his
own, I guess).

Because of all this, we have put up a small meteorite and tektite
exhibit, with several tektites and a dozen or so meteorites showing the
basic types.  The meteorites are small -- most of them golf ball sized
or less -- but a video zoom camera displays them on a 19 inch screen
that really impresses people (the Esquel slice draws gasps).  We've
gotten a very favorable response from our visitors.  I think it's one of
the best things we've done in a long time.

I appreciate all the discussions on the list, but what a learning curve
(I wouldn't know a vug if one fell on me, but from the sounds of it,
that would be OK)!  It's a wild ride, Stu, but a good one.

Dave Hostetter
Curator of the Planetarium
Lafayette (LA) Natural History Museum