Earth, from space, is Valley Museum draw

If you’ve ever wondered what Spokane Valley looks like from space, then now is a good time to stop by the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum: It will feature the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibit, “Earth From Space,” all summer.

Museum Director Jayne Singleton is excited about the exhibit, which she said will be a hit among the younger crowd.

“It’s very interactive,” Singleton said.

The exhibit is built around satellite images of dust storms, forest fires and other natural phenomena like volcanic eruptions and hurricanes.

A computer model lets visitors look at a map of temperature and precipitation data collected around the globe, along with satellite images of specific events like lava flow from erupting volcanoes.

“Kids just love the computer thing,” Singleton said.

The exhibit won a 2007 U.S. Geological Survey communications award because of its science content.

Large posters explain how satellites collect weather data and how that data is used to explain environmental changes and cycles.

A timeline shows the high points of space exploration – like the moon landing in 1969 – and a light display mirrors the evening sky.

Singleton said the exhibit reminds her of Carl Sagan’s book, “Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space.”

“I just love that idea of how the Earth is a little pale blue dot in the universe,” Singleton said.

The exhibit coincides with the Hubble Telescope’s 25th anniversary and the International Year of Light, a celebration of light science led by the United Nations.

“That inspired us to use a lot of different lights in the exhibit,” Singleton said.

The exhibit also features a poster board illustration of the Milky Way and lots of other space facts.

Singleton said that the exhibit is a reminder of how small we all are.

“My world is here on Sprague and in Greenacres,” Singleton said. “There is so much more beyond what we see every day.”