Welcome to the 2005 Flagstaff Festival of Science!!

From the tops of Earth's tallest trees to Saturn's mysterious moon, Titan, you' ll want to Swing into Science during this 10-day adventure that may well find you exploring centuries-old volcanoes, falling for a frog or throwing an atlatl!

All activities are FREE (although some events require reservations.)

Friday, Sept. 23

Walnut Canyon Island Trail Guided Hike
4:30 to 5:45 p.m.

Explore the canyon's geology, archaeology, plants, animals and fiery past on this moderately difficult hike. Call for reservations 928-526-3367.

The Shoemaker Keynote Presentation

Life in the Treetops: Exploration in Tropical Forests

Dr. Margaret Lowman

7 p.m., Ardrey Auditorium, NAU

Using unconventional methods to hoist herself into the tallest trees dropping in from hot air balloons, reaching in from jungle cherry pickers, climbing through on ropes and crawling about on elaborate tree house walkways Canopy Meg takes science over the top and into the treetops of the tropical rain forest. Meg, or Dr. Margaret Lowman, is known worldwide as the pioneering biologist who has inspired a generation of biologists to swing into science by studying the things that eat the leaves to better understand this ecosystem high above the rest of the world. This fun presentation follows the Swing into Science Ballet.

Swing into Science Ballet

7 p.m., Ardrey Auditorium, NAU

This lively group of dancers from Northern Arizona University s Preparatory School for the Performing Arts will swing to the jungle beat and put you in the mood for an evening of adventure in the tropical rain forest. This fun presentation is before the Keynote Lecture.

Campus Night Sky Viewing

7:30 to 10:30 p.m., NAU Campus Observatory

Explore the wonders of the night sky at NAU s Atmospheric Research Observatory.

Saturday, Sept. 24

Walnut Canyon National Monument Open House and Archaeology Hike
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Walnut Canyon Visitor Center

Learn about the canyon s earliest inhabitants, how they hunted and gathered food, grew crops, built cliff houses, traded with neighbors, adapted to the canyon environment and survived for centuries. View ancient artifacts and see a corn-grinding demonstration. Explore the canyon s human history with an archaeologist on a two-hour guided hike around the Island Trail at 11 a.m. Call for guided hike reservations 928-526-3367.

Homolovi Ruins Guided Hike
9 a.m., Homolovi Ruins State Park, I-40 east to Exit 257

While archaeologists continue to study sites to unravel the history of this ancient community, see for yourself where these prehistoric people lived, what they ate and the tools they used. A park ranger will lead the way.

Rio de Flag Water Reclamation Plant Tour
9 a.m.

The City' s Rio de Flag Water Reclamation Plant helps keep our parks and golf courses green and beautiful by recycling water for irrigation. Find out more about water' s journey in conservation. Call for reservations 928-556-1301.

Interferometer Tours
9 a.m., 11 a.m. & 1 p.m., Anderson Mesa

Sign up for a one-hour tour at Lowell Observatory s dark-sky site on Anderson Mesa. Check out the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer facility with measurements so precise it could give you the size of a dime from here to the moon! Call for reservations 928-779-5132.

Hart Prairie' s Bebb Willow Walk Canceled
10 a.m., Hart Prairie

Hart Prairie has the largest known Bebb willow riparian community. Spend a fall morning in one of northern Arizona s most beautiful meadows learning about this uncommon ecosystem and efforts to protect it.

Science in the Park
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wheeler Park

Get a close-up look at a spacesuit containing Gore technology, take the germ test, excavate for artifacts, attract some meteorite fragments, create a twig figurine, sample some tree cookies or get a close up look at the layers of the Grand Canyon. Also, swing into science with a yagi antenna, get your hands on artificial implants that open up arteries and do some day-time viewing with telescopes. You can get a big look into the tiny world of microorganisms or check out an electrofishing boat used by fish ecologists on the Colorado River and catch a tour to the newly restored sites in the Centennial Forest. From compost critters to the California condor exhibit, you ll have some real hands-on fun at the Park!

Mountain Campus Science Day
1 to 4 p.m., NAU Wettaw Building, #88

Attend an exciting chemistry magic show, handle favorite ugly bugs, see bizarre life forms in plants, view through an electron microscope and solar telescope, analyze ancient artifacts, create something special out of foraged foods, have body composition tests performed and learn about the human brain. Don t miss the tsunamis, earthquakes and aquifers in stereo through three-dimensional viewing of the Geo-Wall!

Discovery of Pluto
Kevin Schindler, Lowell Observatory
7 p.m., Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

It' s been 75 years since Pluto was discovered and Flagstaff became known worldwide. Retrace the steps to the discovery of this distant planet and learn about the personal difficulties faced along this journey.

Campus Night Sky Viewing
7:30 to 10:30 p.m., NAU Campus Observatory

Explore the wonders of the night sky at NAU s Atmospheric Research Observatory.

Sunday, Sept. 25

Walnut Canyon National Monument Open House and Geology Hike
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Walnut Canyon Visitor Center

Learn why Walnut Canyon was prime real estate for ancient cultures. Join a park geologist at 11 a.m. for a two-hour hike to explore the canyon s origin and development with impacts from water and erosion. Call for hike reservations 928-526-3367.

Hart Prairie Nature Walk
10 a.m., Meet at Fort Valley Plaza Shopping Center

Discover the birds, wildflowers and aspen groves at the base of the majestic San Francisco Peaks. Visit the 125-year-old homestead and stagecoach stop on this 90-minute guided walk.

Citadel and Lomaki Pueblos Guided Tour
10 a.m., Noon & 2 p.m., Wupatki National Monument, Meet at the Lomaki Parking Lot

Swing through time with a guided tour of 800-year-old Citadel and Lomaki Pueblos in Wupatki National Monument. Archaeologists consider these the most spectacular ruins of their time as hundreds of people moved here after the Sunset Crater eruptions and dry-farmed the ashy soils. Call for reservations 928-526-1157, ext. 0.

Fort Valley Experimental Station Open House
1 to 4 p.m., Hwy 180, 1 mile west of Snowbowl Road

Visit the country 's first Forest Service Research Station. Discover what it was like to live and work in the woods 100 years ago! Guided tours will be given to research sites and throughout the historic compound.

Williams & Kaibab National Forest Visitor Center Open House
1 to 5 p.m., 200 W. Railroad Ave., Williams

Swing in and see exhibits on the history of the area, Route 66, what ecosystems are and how we are a part of them. Interactive exhibits include a Kids Korner and a special traveling exhibit celebrating the Centennial of the Forest Service.

Lowell Expedition to Arizona
Kevin Schindler, Lowell Observatory
7 p.m., Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

It was in 1894 that Percival Lowell hired astronomer Andrew Douglass to travel the Arizona Territory in search of the best spot for a new observatory. Find out why he chose Flagstaff and how that shaped our future.

Lowell Open House
7:30 to 10 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Explore an exciting evening of star gazing and telescope viewing. Highlights include viewing through Percival Lowell s original 1896 Clark Telescope and other telescopes pointing at various celestial objects. The hands-on exhibit hall and historic Rotunda Library Museum, featuring the recently-restored six-inch telescope dating to 1892, also will be open.

Campus Night Sky Viewing
7:30 to 10:30 p.m., NAU Campus Observatory

Explore the wonders of the night sky at NAU s Atmospheric Research Observatory.

Monday, Sept. 26

Amazing Frogs and their Unusual Natural Histories
Dr. Marty Crump, NAU
4 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Join in the adventure through soggy rain forests and windswept coastal jungles to meet such compelling creatures as the golden toad, the egg-brooding horned treefrog and the poison dart frog.

Deep Impact
Dr. David Schleicher, Lowell Observatory
5 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Celestial fireworks took place near the start of Independence Day when Comet Tempel 1 was successfully hit by the Deep Impact spacecraft. Experience the results recorded by the spacecraft and from Earth-based telescopes including those at Lowell Observatory.

Carving Grand Canyon
Dr. Wayne Ranney, Museum of Northern Arizona
7 p.m., Museum of Northern Arizona

Grand Canyon is a world-renowned monument to the power of erosion, yet many of the specific details concerning its origin are still shrouded in mystery. Hear about some of the most innovative theories proposed for the canyon s formation and the creation of this dramatic landscape.

Tuesday, Sept. 27

Make a Splash with Project WET Water Festival
9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Foxglenn Park

Calling all fourth graders! Today, Foxglenn becomes an FUSD, NAU and City of Flagstaff coordinated water park where you ll get some very wet hands-on understanding of the value of water. Lessons include the water cycle, groundwater, watersheds and water conservation. (Coordinated through your child's school).

The Sun and Global Warming
Dr. Jeffrey Hall, Lowell Observatory
4 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Temperatures around the world have risen during the past 125 years. How much of this is human caused, how much is natural and what role, if any, does the Sun play? Hear about climate change and predictions for the future.

Mars Exploration Rover Missions
Dr. Ken Herkenhoff, USGS
5 p.m., Lowell Observatory

The success of rovers Opportunity and Spirit has exceeded the expectations of even the most optimistic scientists. Whether it s the tiny craters that Opportunity has discovered or the flurry of Martian dust devils that Spirit has encountered, the rovers have been feeding hungry researchers a feast of information.

Practicing Ecosystem Medicine: Restoration of Ponderosa Pine Ecosystems
Dr. Wally Covington, Ecological Restoration Institute at NAU
7 p.m., Museum of Northern Arizona

The ponderosa pine forests of the Southwest are unhealthy, enduring devastating wildfires, loss of diversity and unprecedented bark beetle attacks. Get a health check on this resilient ecosystem from the man who s been called the father of ponderosa pine ecosystem restoration.

Wednesday, Sept. 28

Hart Prairie Nature Walk
10 a.m., Meet at Fort Valley Plaza Shopping Center

Discover the birds, wildflowers and aspen groves at the base of the majestic San Francisco Peaks. Visit the 125-year-old homestead and stagecoach stop on this 90-minute guided walk.

Willow Bend Discovery Room
Noon to 6 p.m., Willow Bend Environmental Education Center

Stop by for some hands-on science fun for the whole family. Interactive exhibits promise to inspire wonder and amaze all ages.

Changes in Latitude
Merri Sue Carter, US Naval Observatory
4 p.m. Lowell Observatory

The Indonesian earthquake was the most powerful jolt to Earth s crust in almost 40 years. The resulting tsunami caused catastrophic destruction and loss of life. Was it actually strong enough to knock our planet off its axis? Learn about this and the many other events that influence the motion of Earth.

Photographing Flagstaff's Elusive Wildlife
Brandon Holton, Flagstaff Area National Monuments
5 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Photographers help researchers by documenting the different species and many habits of wild animals. Find out how remote cameras are used to tell us more about black bears, bobcats, antelope and other animals around Flagstaff in this very interactive presentation.

The Mysteries of Titan: New Images & Results from Cassini
Dr. Larry Soderblom, USGS
7 p.m., Museum of Northern Arizona

With its orange snow and icy gelatin-like lava, Saturn s moon Titan has long been considered to be among the most bizarre and alien worlds. However, NASA s Cassini Orbiter is surprising astronomers with images showing Titan s surface looking more like Earth than any other body in our solar system.

Thursday, Sept. 29

Exploring the Inside of Natural Bird Houses
Sarah Reed, Rocky Mountain Research Station 4 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Birds and many other critters use holes in trees as their homes or hide-a-ways. Take a peek inside these little cavity condos and meet our forest-dwelling neighbors!

Swing Between the Sun and the Moon with Ancient Astronomy
Jerry Snow, Museum of Northern Arizona
5 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Mark your calendars for a look at how ancient pueblo people kept theirs by observing the sun and the moon.

Moon Magic
David Portree, Lowell Observatory
7 p.m., Museum of Northern Arizona

The world next door is the most easily observed astronomical object and one of the most rewarding to study. Come learn about the moon and hear the latest on plans to explore its mountains, canyons and craters.

Friday, Sept. 30

Cave Use by Bats & Other Creatures
J. Judson Wynne, US Geological Survey
4 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Holy habitat, Batman! This talk will shed some light on the bat caves of Arizona and Belize. Find out why these sensitive ecological areas are an important refuge for a number of different animals and offer unique homes to unusual invertebrates.

Cougars of the Flagstaff Uplands
David Mattson, USGS
5 p.m., Lowell Observatory

Track the behavior of Flagstaff-area cougars, how they hunt and where they live. Find out how to stay safe when you re in cougar country!

Climbing the Redwoods
Dr. George Koch, NAU
7 p.m., Museum of Northern Arizona

Redwoods can be 25 feet across and 400 feet high. These coastal giants suck up huge amounts of water and nutrients to maintain their growth as they shoot up to the sky and connect with other redwood trunks high above the forest floor. Hear from a redwood-forest canopy explorer about this gnarled and intricate world in the top of the tallest trees on Earth.

Campus Night Sky Viewing
7:30 to 10:30 p.m., NAU Campus Observatory
Explore the wonders of the night sky at NAU s Atmospheric Research Observatory.

Saturday, Oct. 1

Meteor Crater Open House

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1-40 east to Exit 233

Spend the day at the crater and take a guided hike along a portion of the rim, crash meteors into planets with interactive displays or enjoy a 10-minute movie in the big screen theater about the formation of Earth s most accessible large impact crater. Also available for ages 12 and up, a rare two-and-a-half mile guided hike around the entire rim. Call for reservations on the whole rim hike 800-289-5898.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Open House

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Hwy 89, 12 miles north of Flagstaff, 2 miles east to Visitor Center

Volcano enthusiasts will love the interactive activities at the new visitor center! Find out about northern Arizona 's volcanic past and how it impacted life here. Get in on a ranger-guided tour of the Lava Flow Trail at 11 a.m., and hear from a volcanologist at Bonito Campground at 6 p.m.

Interferometer Tours

9 a.m., 11 a.m. & 1 p.m., Anderson Mesa

Sign up for a one-hour tour at Lowell Observatory s dark-sky site on Anderson Mesa. Check out the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer facility, its measurements are so precise it could give you the size of a dime from here to the moon! Call for reservations 928-779-5132.

Drawing Science Workshop
Zack Zdinack, artist
9 a.m to 11 a.m., East Flagstaff Public Library

Express your interest in science through drawings. Pick up sketching tips from a professional artist!

Flagstaff Area National Monuments Open House
9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6400 N. Hwy 89

Scientists are using the Global Information System (GIS) and three-dimension laser scanning techniques to get a better picture of prehistoric ruins. Find out what researchers are learning about early civilizations and natural resources of Wupatki, Sunset Crater Volcano and Walnut Canyon National Monuments. This event features artifact displays, interactive exhibits and discussions with researchers.

The Arboretum at Flagstaff Open House

9 a.m.to 5 p.m., 4 miles south on Woody Mountain Road

Take a tour of the gardens, engage in educational craft activities, learn about owls and join in a nature scavenger hunt, all in the setting of Flagstaff s magnificent fall colors.

Geology of the Escalante
Kevin Mullins, US Geological Survey
9:40 a.m., Coconino Community College, Lone Tree Campus

The rich geology of this region has been a source of wonder to many. Explore the geological foundations of this fascinating landscape.

Elden Pueblo Public Day
10 a.m.to 4 p.m., Coconino National Forest

Excavate, wash and analyze artifacts, experiment with prehistoric technology and try your hand at a hunting game. Find out why this ancestral Hopi site, known as Pasi voi, was one of the most important villages of the time and how it was impacted by eruptions at Sunset Crater. Visitors are welcome to join in two-hour shifts starting at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.

Deep Time in the Escalante: Dinosaurs, Plesiosaurs and Ammonites of the Cretaceous Interior Seaway
Dr. Dave Gillette, Museum of Northern Arizona
10:10 a.m., Coconino Community College, Lone Tree Campus

Field crews have explored the vast exposures in southern Utah that record the invasion and retreat of the Cretaceous Interior Seaway, which extended from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic and from central Utah to Kansas. Their discoveries have yielded some spectacular surprises!

Oak Creek Canyon Geology Walk
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Slide Rock State Park

Explore the unique geologic features of Oak Creek Canyon in a slide show presentation and walk.

Science Poetry Slam for Kids
11 a.m to 1 p.m., East Flagstaff Public Library

Swing into science with this fun writing workshop. Then present your poetry in front of an encouraging audience!

Prehistory of the Escalante River Basin
Dr. Don Keller, Museum of Northern Arizona
11:30 a.m., Coconino Community College, Lone Tree Campus

Hear how prehistoric people adapted to the unusual landscape and natural resources within the Escalante River basin using seasonal farming and foraging strategies, canyon-bottom campsites and inaccessible cliff-side granaries.

National Weather Service Open House
Noon to 4 p.m., Bellemont, I-40 Exit 185

See how professional weather watchers use sensitive instruments to predict monsoon rains, freezing snowstorms and gusting winds. Explore the new digital forecast database and tour the weather office. Witness the weather balloon launch at 4 p.m.

Fantastic Voyage
Noon to 4 p.m., Flagstaff Medical Center

Take a Fantastic Voyage through your body and through FMC. Learn about all the complicated activity going on inside your body to keep you healthy and moving. Displays and hands-on activities will help you learn how your body works and how to stay in the swing of things!

Invasive Plants Workshop
Dr. Gwendolyn Waring, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council
1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Museum of Northern Arizona, Branigar-Chase Discovery Center

Learn to identify nonnative plants of our region and ways to battle them.

Major Brady and the Museum
Jerry Snow, Museum of Northern Arizona
7 p.m., Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

Major Lionel Brady may have been one of the first to host summer science camps in Flagstaff. His love for botany, geology and archaeology earned him an important role in the development of the Museum of Northern Arizona. Witness it all in this living history presentation.

Deep Sky Star Party
7 to 11 p.m., US Naval Observatory, 1-40 to Exit 191, 5 miles west of Flagstaff

View a variety of star clusters and nebulas through telescopes provided by the Flagstaff Astronomy Club, weather permitting. Dress warmly and cover flash lights with brown paper bags. Be sure to arrive before nightfall.

Campus Night Sky Viewing
7:30 to 10:30 p.m., NAU Campus Observatory

Explore the wonders of the night sky at NAU s Atmospheric Research Observatory.

Sunday, Oct. 2

Hart Prairie Nature Walk
10 a.m., Meet at Fort Valley Plaza Shopping Center

Discover the birds, wildflowers and aspen groves at the base of the majestic San Francisco Peaks. Visit the 125-year-old homestead and stagecoach stop on this 90-minute guided walk.

Swing to the Sky
10 a.m., Arizona Snowbowl

Let Snowbowl 's Scenic Skyride whisk you to the Alpine Tundra where a Forest Service ranger will greet you with a science presentation at 11,500 feet! Participants must reserve one of only 50 free spots on the lift ahead of time. Call for reservations 928-779-1951, ext. 109.

Volcanism in the San Francisco Volcanic Field Hike
10 a.m., Meet at O' Leary Peak Parking Lot

Spend a good part of the day exploring northern Arizona s vast volcanic field with USGS scientists Dr. Lazlo Keszthelyi and Kevin Mullins. Special features include obsidian flows, the inner basin and local favorite, SP Crater. Call for reservations 928-556-7173.

Science Day at the Museum of Northern Arizona
Noon to 3 p.m., Hwy 180, 3 miles north of Flagstaff

Visit this local treasure for children s activities with fossils from noon to 3 p.m., and two nature hikes at noon and 2 p.m. At 1 p.m., join Dr. David Wilcox for "What was American Anthropology, A.D. 1888 to 1928?" followed by Dr. David Gillette for "The Saga of a Remarkable Mammoth" at 2 p.m.

US Naval Observatory Open House

12:30 to 4:30 p.m., 1-40 to Exit 191, 5 miles west of Flagstaff

Take a self-guided tour of the observatory s two largest telescopes! Visit with astronomers and find out how these vigilant sky watchers track comets and asteroids, and chart faint stars and galaxies. Also, special activities for kids!

Campus Night Sky Viewing
7:30 to 10:30 p.m., NAU Campus Observatory

Explore the wonders of the night sky at NAU s Atmospheric Research Observatory.

Name an Asteroid!Most of them are in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter; some of them need names!
Submit your suggestion today!

Visit www.nofs.navy.mil/festsci
or
the Asteroid Display at the Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library Main Branch.

Supernova	Friends of the	Festival
City of Flagstaff	Coconino National Forest	Northern Arizona University
W.L. Gore
	Galactic Friends of	the Festival
Arizona Central Credit Union	Coconino County	Flagstaff Medical Center
KNAU		USGS
	Stellar Friends of	the Festival
Aspen Printing	Arizona Daily Sun	APS
NAU-School of Forestry	Ecological Restoration Institute	Kaibab National Forest
National Park Service	NAU-Centennial Forest	Meteor Crater
Machine Solutions	Arizona State Parks	Frances B. McAllister
USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station		Unisource Energy Services

Planetary Friends of the Festival

Joy Cone
Limber Pine Enterprises
KAFF/KMGN
KNAZ-TV
KOLT/KOOL/The Eagle
KVNA
Nordstrom and Associates, CPAs
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Flagstaff
Planet Nissan-Subaru of Flagstaff
SWCA Environmental Consultants

Cometary Friends of the Festival

Boyer Metal
Clear Aire Audio
First State Bank
Nestle-Purina
Kevin and Gretchen Schindler
The Stockmen's Bank

For information contact the Flagstaff Visitor Center at

928-774-9541 or 800-842-7293 or log on to www.scifest.org

The Festival is a Flagstaff Unified School District approved activity.

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Questions:  scifest@earthlink.net

Copyright © 2005 Flagstaff Festival of Science
Last modified: September 23, 2005

09/23/05kmf