Hanford Observatory

April, 2006

Nearly 50 students from all grades of the Yakama Nation Tribal School visited LIGO Hanford on April 13 for an exploration of gravitational wave astronomy. The visit occurred under the auspices of Two Valleys One Vision GEAR UP, a chapter that operates within the University of Washington GEAR UP grant. GEAR UP coordinator Jennie Honanie planned the visit in collaboration with the Tribal School faculty. The school is located in Toppenish, Washington and draws students from across the mid-Yakima Valley region.

LHO operator Corey Gray, a member of the Siksika Nation, shared an auditorium presentation with the students that included a description of LIGO along with some notes of his own journey through the education system. Corey later hosted control room sessions during which the students witnessed the care and feeding of LIGO's long-baseline interferometers.

Another staple of a LIGO field trip is hands-on time with the site's interactive exhibits. The Giant Slinky and the Gravity Well are two of a dozen field trip activities that invited the Yakama students to ponder gravity, wave behavior and the nature of light as part of their LIGO experience.