Outreach Opportunity - SXSW

The James Webb Space Telescope (or JWST for short) is NASA's "successor" to Hubble - it will launch in 2018, have a light-gathering power 7X greater than the Hubble Space Telescope, and also peer redder than the eye can see, which is necessary to see the most distant galaxies, as well as to peer into dense star-forming regions within our own galaxy.  Northrop Grumman (the prime contractor for JWST) is teaming with NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute (the organization which runs Hubble) to pack a ton of events into this 3-day period.  We are particularly excited to host this event in Texas, as the majority of the testing of JWST will take place just down the road at Johnson Space Center.

The biggest draw will be the model of the telescope itself - it is quite impressive, with a 6.5 meter primary mirror, and a sun shield which is the size of a tennis court.  Next to the telescope we will have a large tent, filled with exhibits, a Microsoft visual wall, and ongoing talks (by astronauts, Nobel prize winners, and UT astronomers).  All of these events will be free and open to the public (no badge required), and will take place outside just south of Auditorium shores, between the Long and Palmer centers.