Exhibit provides lunar sensations

‘Where else can you touch a moon rock?’

Claire Kaufmanschmidt, 3, looks at a piece of moon rock, at center, and a video display of men on the moon at a NASA exhibit at Eaton Hall at Kansas University. The multimedia exhibit showcases NASA exploration programs and will be open again from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.

Cody Stumma smiled after walking out of a trailer housing a touchable moon rock on the Kansas University campus.

Now, the Hoisington freshman is pursuing a career in music education. But when he first entered school, he was in aerospace engineering, with the hopes of becoming an astronaut.

His first-semester grades forced a change in plans, but space has not lost its appeal. Stumma was one of hundreds who showed up Monday at Eaton Hall to touch something from very, very far away.

“Unless of course they start allowing music teachers into the space program, this will probably be the closest thing I can get” to actually going into space, Stumma said.

The moon rock is one of seven in the world that people can touch, and many who toured the exhibit said the rarity of the opportunity drew them out, along with the opportunity to see and feel something completely foreign to the planet.

The exhibit, housed in a trailer on the eastern side of Eaton Hall, also features displays detailing the history and future of NASA’s space program.

On a cold and drizzly day, the exhibit had already attracted more than 825 visitors by 5 p.m.

Lucie Johannes, a NASA engineer, fielded questions from attendees and helped others take photos.

“The kids, you can really tell, are enjoying it,” she said, saying many even stopped to read the information on NASA programs, including information on the new Ares spacecraft, before heading off to see the moon rock.

The pictures attracted electrical engineering seniors Ali Womack, Mark Davis and Thanima Pilantanakitti, who stopped by the exhibit on their way to a class.

“Where else can you touch a moon rock?” Davis asked.

The attraction itself is a thin, smooth, shiny, dark-colored rectangular metallic rock, with a total area resembling a postage stamp. It was securely held to its base, but remained easily accessible to visitors.

Michael Braman, 10, from Lawrence, attended the exhibit Monday with his father. Michael had the day off from school, and his father, Keith Braman, spotted an ad for the exhibit that sparked his interest.

Keith Braman said he studied aerospace engineering in school and retained an interest in the topic.

“I’m just trying to give my son an opportunity to share the experience,” he said.

Michael’s verdict? “Really awesome,” he said, adding that if he gets the chance at being an astronaut later in life, he’d certainly be willing to take it.

The exhibit is scheduled to visit Abilene and Salina after the exhibit closes at 7 p.m. today at KU.