May 6, 2006
10am-5pm
Exploration Place, Wichita, Kansas
316-263-3373
Celebrate national Astronomy Day with Exploration Place’s festival of astronomy and space on May 6, 2006 from 10am to 5pm! Spend the whole day with us learning about space with special exhibits, activities, CyberDome shows, solar observing, guest lectures, free materials, a chance to win two telescopes and Astronomy magazine subscriptions, a teacher’s workshop, and so much more for one very low special price!
See all the exhibits, lectures and unlimited CyberDome shows for $7 for ages 16+, $5 ages 5-15, $2 ages 2-4 and $6.50 for ages 65+. It’s a deal that’s, well, out of this world!
AstroFest 2006 will include:
Guest Lectures
CyberDome Shows
Activities and Demonstrations
Telescope Giveaway
Marsbot Teacher’s Workshop (8am, registration required)
Evening Observing at Lake Afton Public Observatory
Special Guest Lectures:
Dr. Peter Backus, Observing Programs Manager, SETI Institute, Mountain View, California. 2pm
Peter Backus is an astronomer who has been searching the Universe for signs of alien intelligence for almost 25 years. Later this year, he will be managing observations on the Allen Telescope Array, a new telescope giving astronomers their most powerful tool to date to find signals from alien civilizations. Dr. Backus will talk about how scientists search for extraterrestrial civilizations, as depicted in the movie Contact (which was based on two people working at the SETI Institute), and how the new Allen Array will spark a new era for the hunt.
Andrew Shaner, University of Arizona, 12pm
Andrew is a graduate student at the University of Arizona and team member of the Phoenix Mars Mission, the next NASA mission to Mars due to launch in 2007. Andrew will give an overview of the Phoenix Mars Mission and its lander, which will study the surface and atmosphere near the north pole of Mars. He will also cover the basic features of Mars, and the cutting-edge research about the Red Planet at the University of Arizona. Andrew is a graduate of Wichita State University and Northwest High School.
Win a Telescope!
Someone attending AstroFest will win a Meade ETX-90EC telescope and a tripod, courtesy Meade and Astronomy Magazine! One entry per person, winner need not be present at drawing to win. You can also enter during evening viewing at Lake Afton Observatory. All entries will be entered in a nationwide drawing for a Meade LX200R telescope, a $3400 value!
Activities and Demonstrations:
CyberDome shows: 10:30am Chirpie’s Magical Sky (ages 2-7), 11am Secret of the Cardboard Rocket, 12pm Black Holes, 1pm Stars Over Native American Kansas, 2pm, 3pm Black Holes, 4pm Pink Floyd; Dark Side of the Moon Cosmic Light Show
Solar Observing outside in the entrance plaza - see the closeup workings of the huge nuclear furnace that is a star - our star - like you’ve never seen it before.
For kids: Play in the “Buzz Liteyear Space Station” inflatable playspace outside, make and color season dials, make and launch your own straw rocket, play astronomy and space computer games, see Chirpie’s Magical Sky and Secret of the Cardboard Rocket, and much more.
Solar System Scale: Learn about how large the solar system by walking simulated distances between each of the planets
Ask An Astronomer: Have a question you’ve always wanted to ask an astronomer? Now’s your chance! Astronomers from Wichita State University and Dr. Peter Backus of the SETI Institute will be available throughout the day to bring the Cosmos down to earth.
Astro Computing: Browse the web for the coolest astronomy pictutres, and play with some amazing astronomical software.
Medieval Astronomy: Hear about the state of astronomy and science in the middle ages in Exploration Place’s Once Upon a Castle exhibit.
Kansas Astronomical Observers: Learn about Wichita’s own local astronomy club. See different types of telescopes, and find out how you can become an amateur astronomer.
Kloudbusters Rocketry Display: See high powered rockets built by amateur rocket builders, and actually meet the people who launch them thousands of feet into the atmosphere!
Evening Observing: Exploration Place is partnering with Wichita State University to promote evening observing at Lake Afton Observatory from 9-11pm.
Teacher’s Workshop (8-10am):. Preregistration required, call 316-266-4285 to register. Professional development credit certificate will be offered. Download more information from this pdf (Adobe Acrobat required). A free workshop for teachers developed and presented by The University of Arizona by Andrew Shaner, Phoenix Mars Mission staff member, MarsBots is designed for elementary educatiors who whsh to share the excitement and joy of Mars exploration with their students. Created by the Phoenix Mars Mission education and public outreach team, MarsBots is an interdisciplinary learning module containing hands-on, minds-on activities. These activities engage elementary students in simulated investigations of the Martian environment and the robotic technologies of space exploration. All lessons are aligned with national science, math, and language arts standards. Lessons 1-8 teach students about Mars and why scientists and engineers want to explore Mars with robots.
And even more than that! Just too much to list! See you at Exploration Place on May 6!
