Chandra at the 2010 Folklife Festival

The 2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival wrapped up earlier this month on the National Mall in Washington, DC. This year, the Festival included the themes of the Smithsonian’s new Strategic Plan. Of course, Chandra and its role at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory fit squarely into the goals of the “Mysteries of the Universe” theme. Therefore, it was very exciting for us to have a presence during this giant event.

In addition to showcasing some of the spectacular images from Chandra, the Chandra exhibit also posed a little challenge to the Folklife attendees. We rolled out an exercise that involved jelly beans, dark matter and dark energy, and a little bit of math. We could go into more details here about this activity, but instead we’d rather leave you with those hints and encourage you to come experience it for yourself. The Chandra team will be out this coming October for another public exhibit at the nascent USA Science and Engineering Festival.

In the meantime, you can get some hints at the Folklife festivities in these photos from just a few weeks ago.

Folklife Fest and Chandra 2010

Folklife Fest and Chandra 2010

Folklife Fest and Chandra 2010

Folklife Fest and Chandra 2010

Folklife Fest and Chandra 2010

Folklife Fest and Chandra 2010

Photo Credit: Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage: Smithsonian Institution.

Carnival of Space

Carnival of Space

Carnival of Space

-Megan Watzke, CXC

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