Philip Deutschle, astronomy instructor, wins national recognition

Philip Deutschle, co-chair of the Science Department at Salinas High School and adjunct astronomy instructor at Hartnell College, has earned the Thomas J. Brennan Award by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

The award recognizes exceptional achievement related to teaching astronomy at the high school level in North America.

An astronomy instructor at Salinas High since 2003, Deutschle efforts led to the opening of an observatory at the school in the summer of 2010. The observatory is open to the public one night a week during the school year, and many community members witnessed the Venus transit earlier this year at Salinas High through this effort.

Deutschle has helped his high school students obtain paid internships at the Fremont Peak Observatory in collaboration with Hartnell’s Science and Math Institute. Andy Kreyche, Hartnell’s planetarium educator, nominated Deutschle for the award.

In the photo: Shawn Laatsch, board member of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, presents Philip Deutschle with the 2012 Thomas J. Brennan Award at the ASP Annual Meeting Awards Banquet in Tucson, Arizona, on August 7. Courtesy of Hartnell College.

There's still time to view Venus at Salinas High

Students of the astronomy club at Salinas High have been planning for months for the occasion: the Transit of Venus across the sun, an event that won't happen again until December 2117!

Ricky Maciel took the amazing top photo posted above. He and Ana Meza were some of the students who were staffing the astronomy camp today. There's a few hours to see the celestial event, so come check it out. It really is amazing.

For more information about Venus celestial journey, click here.

Is that you, Prince Charming?

Assemblywoman Anna Caballero promised students of Los Padres Elementary School in Salinas that she would kiss a frog if they met their test scores goals.

Well, the students increased their test scores by 21 points, and Caballero delivered. On Monday, she went looking for Prince Charming. Juan, is that you in there?

It's not the first time that Caballero encourages Los Padres students by promising a stunt. Three years ago, she jumped out of an airplane to celebrate the students' accomplishments.

And speaking of motivating children, The Lyceum, in partnership with Hartnell College, is sponsoring a two‑day workshop designed to get kids and adults involved in fun, hands‑on astronomy experiments. Parents and kids will meet for two Saturday sessions and participate in a creative and educational project about the Earth’s moon and the solar system. This exciting class will have you seeing stars! The two sessions take place from 10 a.m. till noon, Oct. 9 and Oct. 23 at the Ching Planetarium in Salinas. $35 per child. For more info, click here.