Hi everyone! I'm excited to share we're distributing a free tactile astronomy panel to publicly accessible museums, science and nature centers, libraries, and planetariums.
STScI has created a 12" x 12" tactile panel of the planet Uranus, based on imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope. We have a limited number of panels available, which will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis (one per organization).
These panels are designed to engage blind and/or low vision and sighted learners alike, with the goal of making the cosmos more accessible to people who may have had limited opportunities to experience it. If you've previously received one of our other tactile panels (like Pillars of Creation or Stephan's Quintet), you're still eligible for this one!
Thanks to our NASA funding, the panels are completely free. In return, we ask participating sites to:
-
Share an estimate of how many people interact with the panel during the first six months, and
-
Provide a short reflection (100–200 words) on how visitors engaged with it
We also welcome quotes, photos (with release forms), or other examples that help with reporting!
You can learn more about our tactile panel program here: https://outerspace.stsci.edu/display/STTI
If you'd like a tactile panel, please complete our Google Form at your earliest convenience, here: https://forms.gle/2jK9NwC3KDAdnAch6
After submitting the form, we'll follow up by sending you facilitation tips and science content to highlight when using the panel in outreach. We also encourage you to share this opportunity with local blind and low vision communities who may not already be connected to your usual outreach channels.
Happy to answer any questions, and thank you all so much for all the work you do to make your centers welcoming spaces for everyone!
Sincerely,
Alexander
-
Alexander Cotnoir (he/him/his)
Space Telescope Science Institute
NASA's Universe of Learning Program