>>> HELLO, EVERYBODY!
YAY!
EVERYBODY HAVE A SEAT.
WELCOME TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
I LOVE ASTRONOMY NIGHT.
WE HAVE A VERY CLEAR NIGHT TO ENJOY ASTRONOMY NIGHT.
THIS IS SOME OF THE MOST FUN THAT I HAVE ON THIS JOB.
THEY NEVER LET ME TINKER WITH THE TELESCOPES.
THEY DON'T LET ME HOLD THE MOON ROCKS WHEN YOU GUYS AREN'T
AROUND.
MICHELLE IS DYING TO KNOW HOW THEY GROW LETTUCE ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WHEN YOU GUYS COME I GET TO HAVE SOME FUN.
WE HAVE SPACE BUFFS HERE TONIGHT.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, INCLUDING FORMER
ASTRONAUT SENATOR BILL NELSON FROM THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA.
MY SCIENCE ADVISER JOHN HOLDEREN IS HERE.
JOHN, WHERE IS HE?
JOHN'S A SUPERSTAR IN THIS CROWD.
THE HEAD OF NASA, CHARLIE BOLDEN.
11 OF HIS FELLOW ASTRONAUTS.
MAY JAMISON, THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN IN SPACE,
IS HERE.
WE'VE GOT BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY.
WE'VE GOT THE MYTHBUSTERS IN THE HOUSE.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE HAVE IN ADDITION TO THIS GUY IS
THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE.
YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO ARE ALREADY FOCUSED
ON SOME OF THE GREATEST MYSTERIES OF UNIVERSE.
I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH A QUICK STORY.
A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY†-- ACTUALLY, IT WAS IN
BROOKLYN.
A 14-YEAR-OLD ASKED HIS PARENTS, WHAT ARE THE STARS?
HIS PARENTS REPLIED, THEY'RE LIGHTS IN THE SKY, KID.
THE ANSWER DID NOT SATISFY THAT YOUNG MAN.
SO HE SET OUT TO ANSWER HIS ENDLESS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
STARS AND THE PLANET AND THE POSSIBILITIES OF
EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL LIFE.
AND CARL SAGAN GREW UP TO BECOME AN ASTRONOMER WHO ENLARGED THIS
COUNTRY'S IMAGINATION AND SENSE OF WONDER ABOUT THE DEPTHS OF
OUTER SPACE.
WE'VE GOT SOME YOUNG AMERICANS HERE TONIGHT WITH THAT SAME KIND
OF ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT.
WHEN KUMAR WAS 6 YEARS OLD AND HE FOUND AN ENCYCLOPEDIA ABOUT
FAMOUS SCIENTISTS LYING AROUND THE HOUSE.
HE THINKS THEY WERE LYING AROUND, PROBABLY HIS PARENTS SET
IT OUT HOPING HE WAS GOING TO RUN INTO IT.
AND HE'S BEEN FASCINATED WITH OUTER SPACE EVER SINCE.
FOR YEARS, EVERY SATURDAY MORNING, HIS PARENTS DROVE HIM
AN HOUR TO AN ASTRO PHYSICS LAB FOR ASK A SCIENTIST CLASS.
BEFORE LONG WITH RESEARCHERS HE MET THERE TO STUDY GRAVITATIONAL
LENSING OF QUASARS.
THAT IS NOT WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT AT HIS AGE.
HE WAS A GLOBAL FINALIST IN THE GOOGLE SCIENCE FAIR, NOT ONCE,
BUT TWICE.
SO YOU KNOW HE'S GOING TO DO SOME IMPORTANT THINGS.
GIVE HIM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WITH HELP FROM THEIR COACHES, THE RCS ROCKETRY CHAMPIONS OF
RUSSELLVILLE, ALABAMA, WHERE ARE YOU?
YOU BACK THERE?
THERE YOU GO.
STAND UP, GUYS.
THEY BUILT A ROCKET THAT FLIES EGGS, OR AT LEAST ONE EGG,
NEARLY 1,000 FEET INTO THE AIR AND RETURNS TO THE EARTH
UNBROKEN IN UNDER A MINUTE.
THEY BEAT HUNDREDS OF OTHER TEAMS TO TAKE FIRST PLACE IN THE
AMERICA AND INTERNATIONAL ROCKETRY CHALLENGES.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU, GENTLEMEN.
AND LADIES.
VERY GOOD JOB.
FROM THE TIME SHE WAS YOUNG PHOEBE KIN SELL MAN SPENT THE
NIGHT ON HER GRABBED FATHER'S DRIVEWAY STARING AT STARS
THROUGH A TELESCOPE.
SHE SPENT SUMMERS AT SPACE CAMP AT NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AND
HER DREAM IS TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT.
I THINK SHE SPEAKS FOR MANY OF US WHEN SHE SAYS ONE OF HER
FAVORITE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS IS SCOTT KELLY'S.
SPACE IS A HUMBLING THING, PHOEBE SAYS.
YOU CAN'T GET TOO EAGER TO RULE THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE BUT PHOEBE'S
ON IT.
WHERE'S PHOEBE?
STAND UP, PHOEBE, SO EVERYBODY CAN GIVE YOU A BIG ROUND OF
APPLAUSE.
AND PRAVNA, GIVE PRAVNA A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
SO THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG PEOPLE THAT
WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
PHOEBE'S GIVEN PRETTY WISE ADVICE FOR A 17-YEAR-OLD.
YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE PHOEBE SHOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO HELP OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE SET THEIR SIGHTS AS HIGH AS THEY WANT.
WE NEED TEACHERS TO LIGHT A SPARK OF CURIOSITY IN YOUNG
MINDS AND WE'VE GOT SOME OUTSTANDING TEACHERS HERE TODAY.
WE NEED PARENTS TO LEAVE ENCYCLOPEDIAS OF FAMOUS
SCIENTISTS LYING AROUND THE HOUSE OR HELP TURN HOME INTO AN
IDEAS LABORATORY.
WE NEED TO INSPIRE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO ASK ABOUT THE STARS
AND BEGIN THAT LIFETIME QUEST TO BECOME THE NEXT GREAT SCIENTIST
OR INVENTOR OR ENGINEER OR ASTRONAUT.
WE HAVE TO WATCH FOR AND CULTIVATE THE COURAGE THOSE
GLIMMERS OF CURIOSITY AND POSSIBILITY, NOT TO SQUELCH
THEM, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S FUTURES AT STAKE,
BUT OUR OWN IS AT STAKE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS MY ADMINISTRATION'S WORKED SO HARD
TO ENCOURAGE KIDS TO ENTER STEM FIELDS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG WOMEN,
WHO ARE TOO OFTEN UNDERREPRESENTED IN THESE
FIELDS.
WE'RE HALFWAY†-- [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
WE ARE HALFWAY TO MY GOAL OF TRAINING 100,000 NEW STEM
TEACHERS BY THE END OF THE DECADE.
WE'RE ON TRACK TO CONNECT 99% OF OUR STUDENTS TO HIGH-SPEED
INTERNET BEFORE THE END OF THE DECADE.
OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, OUR EDUCATE TO INNOVATE CAMPAIGN HAS
RAISED $1 BILLION TO SUPPORT STEM PROGRAMS NATIONWIDE,
INCLUDING 80 OTHER ASTRONOMY NIGHTS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ALL
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO TONIGHT I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE NEW COMMITMENTS BY CITIES AND
ORGANIZATIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO EXPOSE EVEN MORE
STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS TO STEM EDUCATION.
BAYLOR IS LAUNCHING A NATIONAL EFFORT TO HELP 100,000 AMERICAN
PARENTS AND CHILDREN WORK ON SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROJECTS
TOGETHER.
MORE THAN 300 FOUNDATIONS, MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE PARTNERING TO BRING HANDS-ON
SCIENCE PROGRAMMING TO STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE IT.
EIGHT OBSERVATORIES IN HAWAII WILL OFFER ALL THE RESIDENTS OF
THAT STATE FREE GUIDED TOURS.
THEY DIDN'T DO THAT WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, WISH WE'D
THOUGHT THAT UP EARLIER.
BUT THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE WORK THAT'S
BEING DONE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I HOPE THAT MORE ARE
GOING TO FOLLOW THE LEADS OF THESE OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATIONS.
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE OUR NEXT GENERATION
OF EXPLORERS TAKE THIS EVEN FARTHER THAN WE'RE GOING TODAY.
YOU KNOW, A FEW HOURS AGO I GOT A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE
ASTRONAUTS UP ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WHERE SCOTT KELLY IS LIVING FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR.
LAST MONTH NASA FOUND WATER FLOWING ON MARS.
EARLIER THIS YEAR WE MAPPED PLUTO IN HIGH RESOLUTION.
IN RECENT YEARS WE'VE DISCOVERED THE FIRST EARTH-SIZED PLANET
ORBITING A STAR IN A DISTANT GALAXY.
WE'VE SEEN SLIPPED THE OUTERMOST GRASP OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM WITH
VOYAGER I, THE FIRST HUMAN-MADE OBJECT TO VENTURE INTO
INTERSTELLAR SPACE.
IN 2017 WITH THE HELP OF AMERICAN SPACE COMPANIES OUR
ASTRONAUTS WILL ONCE AGAIN LAUNCH TO SPACE, DIRECTLY FROM
AMERICAN SOIL, AND TODAY NASA'S DEVELOPING THE CAPABILITIES TO
SEND HUMANS TO MARS IN THE 2030s.
THAT MEANS THAT SOME OF THE
YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT MIGHT BE WORKING ON THAT
PROJECT.
SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE ON YOUR WAY TO MARS.
AMERICA CAN DO ANYTHING.
WE'VE JUST GOT TO KEEP ON ENCOURAGING EVERY NEW GENERATION
TO EXPLORE AND INVENT AND CREATE AND DISCOVER, WE'VE GOT TO KEEP
ENCOURAGING SOME YOUNG KID IN BROOKLYN OR BUDDING ROCKET
SCIENTIST IN ALABAMA OR THAT YOUNG GIRL WHO'S DREAMING TO
BECOME AN ASTRONAUT.
BECAUSE AS LONG AS YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE SO MANY OF YOU WHO ARE HERE
TONIGHT KEEP SEEKING ANSWERS TO THE GREAT QUESTIONS, AMERICA CAN
DO ANYTHING.
WHICH IS WHY I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ALL TONIGHT.
YOU MAKE ME FEEL HOPEFUL ABOUT OUR FUTURE.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH BEING HOME TO THE
LAST GREAT DISCOVERY, YOU WANT TO BE HOME TO THE NEXT GREAT
DISCOVERY.
AND WHEN I LOOK OUT IN THE FACE OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, I AM
ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT THERE ARE NEW FRONTIERS THAT WE'RE
GOING TO BE BUSTING THROUGH.
IN MY LIFETIME AND BEYOND.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOU MAKE ME EXCITED, YOU MAKE ME INSPIRED.
SO ENOUGH TALK.
LET'S HAVE SOME FUN WITH THIS TELESCOPE!
IT LOOKS PRETTY BIG.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE'VE GOT ANOTHER YOUNG LADY, SOPHIE.
WE NEED YOU TO COME UP HERE AND HELP ME WITH THIS TELESCOPE
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING.
WHERE ARE YOU?
SAVE ME, HERE WE GO.
OKAY.
I DON'T WANT TO BREAK IT.
ALL RIGHT.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
>> HELLO, I'M SOFIA ALVAREZ AND I'M A STUDENT AT BROOKINGS
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M FROM PARAGUAY.
>> IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU, SOPHIE.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THIS BIG TELESCOPE HERE?
>> WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE MOON.
>> WELL, LET'S DO THAT.
I SEE IT THERE.
>> YES.
>> YOU THINK I CAN GET A BETTER VIEW THROUGH THIS BIG TELESCOPE?
>> PROBABLY.
>> YOU THINK SO?
>> YEAH.
>> OKAY.
SO IS IT ALREADY SET UP FOR ME?
>> OH, YES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT.
>> PLEASE DO.
>> SO THESE ARE A REFLECTIVE TELESCOPE, IT HAS THREE PARTS.
THERE ARE TWO MIRRORS.
ONE OF THEM RIGHT NOW IS CAPTURING THE LIGHT OF THE MOON.
AND THEN THE OTHER MIRROR IS JUST MAKING IT FOCUS.
AND THEN THERE IS AN EYEPIECE IN WHICH RIGHT NOW IS MAKING IT
MAGNIFY IN THE IMAGE OF THE MOON.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE MOON THAT'S
RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
>> SHE JUST GO AHEAD AND TRY IT?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
>> YES.
>> DOES IT MATTER WHICH EYE?
>> THE ONE YOU SEE THE BEST WITH.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WOW.
>> SO RIGHT NOW WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THE BACK-MOST PART,
THE DARK-MOST PARTS ARE MARE FRIGORIS.
THERE ARE THE CRATERS.
THEY ARE THE RESULT OF HEAVY ENVIRONMENT.
YOU CAN SEE SPACE STUFF WITH THE MOON.
>> SPACE STUFF IS A TERM?
>> YES, I THINK SO.
>> CAN I JUST SAY THIS LOOKS SPECTACULAR?
>> IT DOES.
>> YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET A CHANCE TO SEE THROUGH THIS.
BUT AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS UP THERE, IT SURE LOOKS BETTER
HERE.
NOW THE INTERESTING THING IS THE IMAGE IS INVERTED.
>> IT IS?
>> YEAH, IT IS.
IF YOU LOOK UP†-- >> YES?
>> THE RIGHT SIDE, MY RIGHT SIDE, IS LIT UP.
BUT IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THE TELESCOPE, IT'S THE LEFT SIDE
THAT'S LIT UP.
>> IT HAS A MIRROR.
IT'S A REFLECTIVE ONE.
>> I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE A POINT.
>> YES, YES.
>> ABOUT OPTICS.
WELL, THIS IS SPECTACULAR.
SOPHIE, WHAT YEAR ARE YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL?
>> SORRY?
>> WHAT YEAR, WHAT GRADE?
>> I'M A SENIOR.
>> SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO NEXT?
>> I WANT TO STUDY ASTRONOMY.
I WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THOSE THREE.
>> WOW.
>> IF POSSIBLE.
>> ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE WITH YOU.
YOU'RE A SPECTACULAR YOUNG LADY.
GIVE SOPHIE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY.
WE ARE SETTING YOU LOOSE.
WE'VE GOT SOME INCREDIBLE EXHIBITS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
NOT JUST THIS TELESCOPE BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A MINI
PLANETARIUM AND VIRTUAL REALITY AND REAL REALITY.
SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF GOOD STUFF.
I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME TONIGHT.
AND I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU ARE INSPIRED THE WAY I AM BY SCIENCE
AND BY SPACE.
ALL RIGHT?
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
GREAT JOB.