This Saturday at Custer Observatory: How to Do An Astronomy Project and a Physics Demo
On Saturday, May 31 from 3:00-6:30pm, Custer Observatory will host a seminar, “How To Do An Astronomy Project.”
“Participating in science fairs is important for a number of reasons. The potential rewards are great so it’s important for all involved to prepare for the competition. This seminar is intended for teachers and students (and helpful parents). A team of presenters will cover all aspects of doing an astronomy project: from selecting a topic and finding resources to carrying out the research and writing up the presentation. Feel free to bring your ideas for discussion and development. Participants are welcome to remain (no additional charge) for Dr. Helio Takai’s presentation, “Demonstrations in Physics (or Life Outside the Box)” at 8:00pm. Afterward, there will be a tour of the observatory’s facilities and observing through powerful telescopes (weather permitting).
Presenters include members of Custer’s Research Committee (Peter Guastella, Science Research Teacher at Manhasset High School and Vice President of the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair; Dr. Jeffrey Owen Katz, Custer Observatory Director; Steve Orlando, Chemistry Teacher at BOCES; schedule permitting: Dr. Chiaki Yanagisawa, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, SUNY Stony Brook) and David Cohn, Director of the Educational Projects Network. Refreshments provided. Participants will include winners of 2008 LISEF awards. Suggested donation: $20 Adults, $10 Students, and free to all students (grades 9-11) who register to present their projects at Custer’s Astronomy Science Fair on October 4, 2008. Reservations suggested. To register for Custer’s fair or reserve seats at the seminar, contact CusterDonna@yahoo.com or call 765-2626.
On Saturday, May 31, 8:00-9:00pm, Custer Observatory will host, “Demonstration in Physics (or Life Outside the Box).”
“Physics is a basic science that is the foundation for many other areas of knowledge. It is simple and elegant, yet it is often considered one of the most difficult subjects in high school. Through a series of live demonstrations, Dr. Helio Takai will make it easier to understand physics from classical to modern, a span of over five centuries of knowledge. Demonstrations will involve light, sound, gravity, electricity, magnetism, semiconductors, Brownian motion and particle physics; each demo will describe a phenomenon and how it is of relevant to daily life. This presentation is for all ages. Presenter: Dr. Helio Takai is a physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory and is a member of Custer’s Research Committee. Suggested donation: $10 Members; $13 Non-Members; $5 Students.
