An Astronomy Book the Blind Can Appreciate
Telescopes have captured astonishing images of far-away galaxies and other cosmic mysteries. Now, a new book called Touch the Invisible Sky is helping everyone appreciate those pictures, even people who can't see.
This isn't the first book written by Noreen Grice, an astronomer who works at the Museum of Science in Boston. Back in 1984, Grice was a 21-year-old studying astronomy at Boston University. She had a job at the planetarium, and one Saturday, a group of blind people came to the show.
"I didn't know what to do because I didn't know anyone who was blind," says Grice. Her manager told her to just help the people to their seats.
After the show was over, Grice went up to the group.
"I said, 'So how did you like the show?' And there was an uncomfortable pause," she recalls. "And then they said, 'This stunk' and walked away. And that left me speechless because I thought the planetarium was, like, the best place in the world."
The next day, Grice took a bus to a nearby school for the blind. She found its library and looked for astronomy books. They were thick books, printed in Braille.
"But something was missing. I said, 'Where are the pictures? Are there any pictures in these books?'"
The librarian explained that it's expensive to translate an image into raised lines and textures that a person can feel with their fingers, so textured images are uncommon in books for the blind. Grice hated the idea that blind people weren't getting the same kind of cool astronomy books she loved as a kid.
"I had grown up in the housing projects outside Boston," says Grice. "People would say, 'you're a project kid, you're not welcome here.' I understood what it meant to be labeled. And I didn't really know how to make astronomy accessible. But I thought, 'I'll try.'"
Her first book, Touch the Stars, came out in 1990. She used a Braille printer to trace out the constellations. Her next book, Touch the Universe, traced out photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Grice created that one using thin plastic sheets.
"Basically, I was etching them by hand, in my kitchen," she says. "Some were like, really difficult. When you have diffuse gas that you can hardly see, it is very difficult to apply a texture to it."
Touch the Invisible Sky, her latest book, was written with two co-authors. It's beautiful, designed to be read by both blind people and sighted people.
The book has images taken by telescopes that detect things like radio waves, X-rays and gamma rays — the wavelengths of light that no one can see with the naked eye.
"I think we all have the same thing in common with this book," says Grice. "No human can see these other wavelengths so we're all approaching it together."
There's a real need for more books like this one, says Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind.
"Most people think that astronomy is the study of light, and they think therefore that blind people can't do it and would not be interested," he says. "Blind people can do it, and we find it fascinating."
Maurer loved the science textbooks his mom read to him when he was going to school. But a popular science book he could read by himself — there was nothing like that.
"There still are not enough books," he says, explaining that exciting science books with pictures and graphics are a rarity for blind people.
That's one reason why Chelsea Cook, a high school student in Newport News, Va., got her family to drive four hours to Baltimore for the new book's unveiling. She says Grice's astronomy books are "really interesting, you know, the visuals are easy to read, and they're just cool to look at."
Cook says she has enough vision to see a full moon, but not stars. Still, she wants to study astrochemistry and astrophysics. And she's fascinated by the idea of space exploration.
Her ultimate career goal? To become the first "blind astronaut." It will be "a lot to work toward," she says, "but I think it's possible."
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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
With telescopes these days capturing astonishing images of faraway galaxies and other cosmic mysteries, a new book is helping everyone appreciate those pictures, even people who can't see. It was unveiled yesterday in Baltimore by NASA and the National Federation of the Blind.
NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce has more.
NELL GREENFIELDBOYCE: Back in 1984, Noreen Grice was 21 years old. She was studying astronomy at Boston University and had a job at the local planetarium. One Saturday, a group of blind people came to the show. After it was over, she went up to them.
Ms. NOREEN GRICE (Co-Author, "Touch the Invisible Sky: A Multi-Wavelength Braille Book Featuring Tactile NASA Images"): I said, so how did you like the show? And there was an uncomfortable pause, and then they said, this stunk, and walked away. And that left me speechless because I thought the planetarium was, like, the best place in the world.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: The next day, she took a bus to a school for the blind. She found its library and looked for astronomy books. They were thick books, printed in braille.
Ms. GRICE: But something was missing. And I said, where are the pictures? Are there any pictures in these books?
GREENFIELDBOYCE: The librarian said, well, no. Not often. It's expensive to translate an image into raised lines and textures that a person can feel with their fingers. Noreen Grice says it just killed her that blind people weren't getting the kind of cool astronomy books she'd loved as a kid.
Ms. GRICE: I had grown up in the housing projects outside Boston. People would say, you're a project kid, you're not welcome here. I understood what it meant to be labeled and I didn't really know how to make astronomy accessible, but I thought I'll try.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: Her first book, "Touch the Stars," came out in 1990. She used the braille printer to trace out the constellations. Her next book, "Touch the Universe," traced out photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Grice created that one using thin plastic sheets.
Ms. GRICE: Basically, I was etching them by hand in my kitchen somewhere like, really, difficult. When you have defused gas that you can hardly see, it is very difficult to apply a texture to it.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: Her latest book, with two co-authors, is "Touch the Invisible Sky." It's beautiful, designs to be read by both blind people and sighted people. It has images taken by telescopes that detect things like radio waves, X-rays, and gamma rays - wavelengths of light that no one can see with the naked eye.
Ms. GRICE: Well, I think we all have the same thing in common with this book that no human can see these other wavelengths. So we're all approaching it together.
Dr. MARC MAURER (President, National Federation of the Blind): Most people think that astronomy is the study of light and they think, therefore, that blind people can't do it and would not be interested. Blind people can do it and we find it fascinating.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: Marc Maurer is president of the National Federation of the Blind. He says, as a kid, he loved the science textbooks his mom read to him. But a popular science book he could read himself? There was nothing like that.
Dr. MAURER: There still are not enough books. Science with pictures and graphics, and they're almost non-existent.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: That's why Chelsea Cook(ph) got her family to drive four hours to Baltimore for the new book's unveiling. She loves Noreen Grice's books.
Ms. CHELSEA COOK (High School Student, Newport News, Virginia): So really interesting. You know, the visuals are - you can read and they're just cool to look at.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: Cook is a high school student in Newport News, Virginia. She says she has enough vision to see a full moon but not stars. Still, she wants to study Astrochemistry, and her ultimate career?
Ms. COOK: The concept of a blind astronaut. It'd be a lot to work towards, but I think it's possible.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: So, would you want to do that?
Ms. COOK: Mm-hmm.
(Soundbite of laughter)
GREENFIELDBOYCE: Totally?
Ms. COOK: Yes.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
