April 8, 2004

Contact:

Amy Vineyard
Adventure Science Center
avineyard@adventuresci.com
615-401-5059

Shana Brogden
Seigenthaler Public Relations
shana@seig-pr.com
615-327-7999

Nashville, TN - The Adventure Science Center and Sudekum Planetarium will transport patrons to 17th Century Germany on Saturday, April 24, for a fully costumed reenactment of the Magdeburg Experiment, a scientific breakthrough that led to the discovery of atmospheric pressure.

The reenactment, which features sixteen horses trying to pull apart two metal hemispheres, will be the highlight of the Planetarium's 16th annual Astronomy Day and will be conducted by members of Germany's Otto von Guericke Society, named for the man who performed the original experiment in 1654. Officiating will be Magdeburg, Germany's Mayor, Dr. Lutz Trümper and Commissioner for Culture and Sports, Dr. Rüdiger (Roger) Koch together with Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell. Magdeburg is Nashville's newest sister city. The experiment will occur at 1:30 p.m. just outside of Adventure Science Center on the special event field, at 800 Fort Negley Blvd.

"This is a singular achievement for Nashville that brings together science, world culture and history in one enriching event," said Kris McCall, director of the Sudekum Planetarium. "The reenactment of the Magdeburg Experiment, a first in the United States, will long be remembered as a moment when scientists, actors, and civic leaders from two continents came together to memorialize the work of a scientific visionary."

The reenactment, part of Adventure Science Center's Astronomy Day, also kicks off the First Annual German Culture Week which runs through Thursday, April 28. The week is sponsored by Sister Cities of Nashville, The Adventure Science Center, The Metro Nashville Public Library, and Mayor Purcell's Office.

Otto von Guericke, at one time the mayor of Magdeburg, also was a scientist, diplomat, and engineer. He conducted his famous experiment to demonstrate both the existence of airless voids and the tremendous force of the air pushing inward to fill such vacuums. The Magdeburg Experiment proved the existence and power of what we now know as atmospheric pressure.

Von Guericke, a great showman as well as a scientist, made his case dramatically in 1654 in Magdeburg by placing two metal hemispheres together to make a complete sphere and removing the air with a pump he invented. He then attached an increasing number of horses until he had a total of eight on each side and he instructed that the horses pull against each other to prove that the halves would not come apart because of the intense pressure created by the absence of air within the sphere. On Astronomy Day, 350 years after the initial experiment, members of the Otto von Guericke Society will bring it to life once again, complete with costumes and horses.

This year's Astronomy Day features an array of science experiments and planetarium shows. It also will mark the opening of Adventure Science Center's latest temporary addition, the Otto van Guericke Exhibit, open through May 9, 2004. The full schedule for Astronomy Day is as follows:

• 11:00 to 5:00 p.m. - Activities, Displays and Demonstrations - Solar observing and planet searches with telescopes, video astronomy, binocular astronomy, door prizes and giveaways presented by the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society, Night Sky Network, International Dark Sky Association, JPL Solar System Ambassadors, Clarksville Astronomical Society and Austin Peay State University.
• 11:00 to11:20 a.m. - SciBites: Pump, Pressure, Pull! - Goldner Gallery - Experience the incredible yet invisible force that air pressure exerts on the world around us by utilizing the "gallow" and "air gun" components in the new Otto von Guericke exhibit.
• 11:00 to 12:00 p.m.- RingWorld - Sudekum Planetarium - Enjoy a show that explores beautiful and enigmatic Saturn, and anticipates the Cassini Spacecraft's encounters with Saturn this summer.
• 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. - Skies Over Nashville - Sudekum Planetarium - Take an interactive tour of the heavens, and see constellations and planets visible in the night sky from your own backyard.
• 1:00 to 1:20 p.m. - SciBites: Pump, Pressure, Pull! - Goldner Gallery - (Same as above)
• 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. - Magdeburg Experiment - Adventure Science Center field - Watch and cheer on members of the Otto von Guericke Society as they reenact the Magdeburg Hemispheres Experiment in full costume and with horses.
• 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. - Otto von Guericke Exhibit - Goldner Gallery - Witness the official opening of the new Otto von Guericke exhibit by Mayor Purcell, Mayor Dr. Lutz Trümper and the Commissioner for Culture, Sports Dr. Rüdiger Koch and members of the Otto von Guericke Society of Magdeburg.
• 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. - Rusty Rocket's Last Blast - Sudekum Planetarium - All rocket rookies report to class! Lift off with Rusty Rocket and learn rocket basics, relive great moments in space exploration, and discover just how far it really is to the Moon and planets.

Astronomy Day also will include displays, exhibits and concessions. Events of Astronomy Day and access to the Adventure Science Center and Sudekum Planetarium are included in the regular admission price and as always, members enjoy free admission.

The Adventure Science Center is encouraging patrons to make the sky and space a part of their everyday lives with several new programs throughout the months of April and May, which are "Air and Space Months" at the Center. Available daily are the new SciBites programs Rocket Rookies, Comet Crazy and Pump, Pressure, Pull!; and the Sudekum Planetarium shows RingWorld, Rusty Rocket's Last Blast, and Skies over Nashville. The Adventure Science Center will also host public "Comet Parties" on Saturday nights in May and June to view comets NEAT and LINEAR.

For nearly 60 years, Adventure Science Center has brought science to life for children in Middle Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Northern Alabama and beyond. The center offers hands-on, interactive exhibits and engaging programs that encourage children of all ages to explore how science, invention and innovation affect their lives. Adventure Science Center encourages imagination and curiosity, and engages the senses in the fascinating world of science.

Adventure Science Center's regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8.75 for adults and $6.75 for children ages 3 to 12 and seniors age 65 and older. The Science Center is located at 800 Fort Negley Blvd. For more information, call (615) 862-5160 or visit our web site at www.adventuresci.com.