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Have a fun and safe Hallowe’en.

sightings – Creepy starfish fingers

Just in time for Hallowe’en. From my first visit to the new aquarium.

starfish clinging to rock photo source : Lorie Pierce

 

sightings – a unique view of Saturn

Thanks to the Cassini space probe and the dedicated work of Gordon Ugarkovic (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugordan), we are able to see this planet in a way that was never before possible.

Saturn photo source : apod.com NASA/JPL Composition by Gordon Ugarkovic

This image of Saturn could not have been taken from Earth. No Earth based picture could possibly view the night side of Saturn and the corresponding shadow cast across Saturn’s rings. Since Earth is much closer to the Sun than Saturn, only the day side of the ringed planet is visible from the Earth. In fact, this image mosaic was taken earlier this month by the robotic Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn. The beautiful rings of Saturn are seen in full expanse, while cloud details are visible including the polar hexagon surrounding the north pole, and an extended light-colored storm system. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131021.html

Pretrial – Mammoth freeze

An event on Nov 1st features the topic of Climate, so a natural Palaeo tie-in is the Ice Age. And we have some wonderful specimens on display in our permanent gallery including a Mastodon that was unearthed near Niagara Falls.

For the past two weeks, I have been doing a pretrial freeze and thaw of a teddy bear. This is what I learned.

1. It is best to have at least part of the stuffed toy’s face uncovered to make it easier to understand what object is frozen in the block.

2. A base layer of ice should be frozen first to set the stuffed toy on. So that the toy does not lean sideways when being frozen, place ice cubes around to support it and then pour water over that ice cube layer.

3. Have parts such as the feet, hands or side of the animal close to the edge so it will not be long before an identifiable part is showing as it melts. The teddy bear block melted at a rate of 3/4 to 2 cup of water per hour, which was a lot slower than I expected. Since the event is only 2.5 hours long, the mammoth cannot be so encased in ice that it is unrecognizable. Nor can it be too melted out as to not look like it was entombed.

4. Plan to have a air dryer nearby after removing the solid stuffed toy from the container it was frozen into. This will allow you to melt specific portions of the ice block to enhance the display.

5. After the toy melts out of the ice block, allow it to melt gradually in a colander so that tufts of fur do not pull out of it.

Here is the mammoth in its first stages of freezing.

toy mammoth sitting on ice layer, surrounded by ice cubes photo source : Lorie Pierce

toy mammoth in freezer photo source : Lorie Pierce

I will add more water tomorrow.

 

Always do a walk through

Being a tour guide in a museum can be a very satisfying position, whether as a volunteer or paid staff. You get to share the wonders of Ancient Cultures and Natural History with others while close up and personal to amazing artifacts.

Currently, I am leading general public and school tour groups through an exhibit on ancient Mesopotamia. Usually, before I do a tour, I take a few minutes to enter the exhibit area to check for noise and crowd levels, and whether there have been any changes to the exhibit (especially in the first two weeks). One time, a key map had fallen off the wall and been removed. I noted this on the walk through and determined an alternate strategy and placement for that stop.

But last week, I had not done a walk through before the tour and entered an exhibit room expecting to see this object….

ram caught in a thicket photo source : Penn Museum

Instead, I was face to face with this equally stunning artifact……

bull in lyre photo source : themorgan.org

I did know that the two artifacts were to be rotated partway through the exhibit but had lost track of when it actually occurred. If you want a better idea of what this musical instrument looked like, note the third image from the top in the panel. There you will see the lyre being played by animals with the bull face in front.

And whenever I see the bull in the future I will remember the advice I am giving now….always do a walk through.

Scary or Not touch table

It’s Hallowe’en. The time when all things scary are featured in the museum’s family programming. But are these specimens really scary? We presented them for the visitors to determine themselves. Above….photo of witchy me showing shark’s jaw with bat skeleton and shark egg cases on table. A python skin, tarantula moult and rattlesnake jaw were close at hand.

This activity also doubles as an information hub, so museum guide (maps), brochures about family programs and tickets for that day’s Ghost Tour were also available at this location.

photo by K. M (originally tweeted @ROMkids)

sightings – Hallowe'en mash-up

photo source : Lorie Pierce

View from the second floor Biodiversity Gallery during Hallowe’en Friday Night Live party. Giant sunfish, futalognkosaurus and b&w horror movie projected on the wall of museum lobby. Fun was had by everyone. Great way to attract the 19 to 30 year old crowd.

#trilobitetuesday

I have recently begun to use Twitter to connect with people in the museum world and, in specific, the world of Palaeobiology. A new hashtag has been launched to celebrate the incredible early life sea animals known as trilobites. Here is my contribution to today’s Trilobite Tuesday.

trilobite coloring sheet

Just in time to make a Hallowe-en mask.

musings – That's why the book was titled 'Jaws'

photo source : Lorie Pierce

This is a moving mechanical model of a shark bite that is installed as an educational component at the new aquarium. Look at those rows of teeth ready to spring into action when others are lost.

sightings – Aquarium opens at last

Probably for my whole life, I have wished that an aquarium would come to my city. It has finally happened and I got my first look today.

horseshoe crab touchpool photo source : Lorie Pierce

small sharks photo source : Lorie Pierce

jellyfish photo source : Lorie Pierce