Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences
Encyclopedia
The Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences is a research center on the University of Arkansas
campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas
.
, Engineering
, the Honors College
, and the Graduate School
). It contains the W.M. Keck Laboratory for Planetary Simulation, which is used primarily for the study of Mars
, asteroid
s and Titan
. The center also has an astronomy group, that specializes in galactic evolution, binary stars, and gravity waves, and it has groups interested in cosmochemstry, astrobiology, remote sensing, planetary morphology, and space flight instrument development. The Center offers two graduate degrees, a PhD and an MS in space and planetary sciences and four concentrations in space and planetary sciences in programs offered by its partnering departments. The Space Center offers courses of research and instruction for undergraduate students and a variety of outreach programs for the public. The center owns a a 20 foot planetarium for teaching and outreach, which is currently out of operation. The Center also produces a monthly newsletter (Space Notes) and a quarterly publication, Meteorite. The center recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/sears/SPAC%20program/2010%20anniversary/
The center houses the Paragould meteorite
, the third largest meteorite from north America, since 1988, except for a short period when it was in the Mullins Library.
until the construction of Barnhill Arena
. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1992.
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
.
About the Space Center
Founded in 2000, the Space Center is a partnership of six departments (Biological Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Geosciences, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics) from four colleges (Fulbright CollegeJ. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the University of Arkansas' college for students with interest in the liberal arts. It is named for former University President and United States Senator J. William Fulbright. The College has 19 different academic departments...
, Engineering
University of Arkansas College of Engineering
The College of Engineering is the University of Arkansas' college for engineering students. Although officially becoming a separate division in 1913, The University of Arkansas focused early on engineering...
, the Honors College
University of Arkansas Honors College
The Honors College at the University of Arkansas enhances the learning of students by sharing unique learning experiences with participants. Around 15% of Arkansas undergraduates participate in Honors. Entering freshman for the Honors College have an average score of 32 on the ACT and 4.1 high...
, and the Graduate School
University of Arkansas Graduate School
The Graduate School at the University of Arkansas is a center for postgraduate education at that University. It offers over 140 programs through six of the colleges at the University of Arkansas. The University of Arkansas Graduate School is a member of the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools,...
). It contains the W.M. Keck Laboratory for Planetary Simulation, which is used primarily for the study of Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s and Titan
Titan (moon)
Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
. The center also has an astronomy group, that specializes in galactic evolution, binary stars, and gravity waves, and it has groups interested in cosmochemstry, astrobiology, remote sensing, planetary morphology, and space flight instrument development. The Center offers two graduate degrees, a PhD and an MS in space and planetary sciences and four concentrations in space and planetary sciences in programs offered by its partnering departments. The Space Center offers courses of research and instruction for undergraduate students and a variety of outreach programs for the public. The center owns a a 20 foot planetarium for teaching and outreach, which is currently out of operation. The Center also produces a monthly newsletter (Space Notes) and a quarterly publication, Meteorite. The center recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/sears/SPAC%20program/2010%20anniversary/
The center houses the Paragould meteorite
Paragould Meteorite
The Paragould Meteorite at 16 by 41 by 24 inches and weighs 816 pounds is the second largest meteorite ever recovered in North America and the largest stony meteorite chondrite. It fell to Earth at approximately 4:08 a.m. on February 17, 1930. The fireball could be seen as far away as Illinois,...
, the third largest meteorite from north America, since 1988, except for a short period when it was in the Mullins Library.
Old Field House
Since 2003 the Space Center has been housed in the old museum building, formerly the field house used for the Razorbacks basketball teamArkansas Razorbacks men's basketball
The Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team represents the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The school's team currently competes in the Southeastern Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2008...
until the construction of Barnhill Arena
Barnhill Arena
Barnhill Arena is a 10,000-seat multipurpose arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas, now used primarily for volleyball. The arena opened in 1954 and was home to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and Ladybacks basketball teams before they moved to Bud Walton Arena in 1993...
. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1992.