CSI ASTRONOMY DAY ACTIVITIES 

TWIN FALLS, ID – The annual spring Astronomy Day activities at the Herrett Center for Arts and Science will take place from 1-11:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. Astronomy Day is an international observation and celebration of the oldest of all sciences. Last spring’s Astronomy Day activities were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this spring we are back to offer up the popular make-and-take activities in the center’s Rick Allen Room during the afternoon.

Astronomy Day is more than just the afternoon, though. In addition to the make-and-take activities there will be safe solar observing during the afternoon and a free star party in the evening, both dependent upon the weather allowing for it. Additionally, the Faulkner Planetarium has its regularly scheduled shows available in the afternoon and evening.

During the afternoon, kids of all ages can, for a small fee of $1 per person, partake in the make-and-take activities. These include a couple of new activities this year; Pinwheel Galaxy and Moon Phase Volvelles. A volvelle is a turning wheel apparatus that in this case demonstrates the proper order of the Moon’s phases and gives some information about the phase, when the Moon generally rises in a particular phase, and when the Moon is at its highest for each phase. Of course, no Astronomy Day would be worth its salt without the ever popular building and launching of water bottle rockets. Kids of all ages just love to build the rockets made from empty 2-liter soda bottles and then head out to the launch pad to see just how far their rocket will fly. There will be additional make-and-take activities as well. These activities are scheduled between 1 and 5 p.m.

Solar observing will take place on the Centennial Observatory’s stargazer deck between 1-5 p.m. Access to solar observing will be controlled as to maintain social distancing. Participants can hope to catch views of sunspots and prominences through safely filtered telescopes. In the event of cloudy conditions, solar observing will be cancelled.

During the afternoon and evening the Faulkner Planetarium will have its regular slate of shows, with regular admission prices in effect. A total of six show times are on the schedule at 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 6, 7, and 8 p.m.

An evening star party, weather permitting, is scheduled between 9:30 and 11:30 p.m. in the Centennial Observatory. Access will be controlled and restricted to one family/group in the observatory at a time to abide by COVID-19 protocols. The star party is free to attend.

Face masks are still required of all guests at the Herrett Center and no more than 50 individuals can be allowed in the Rick Allen Room and planetarium at one time.

The Herrett Center for Arts and Science is located on northeast corner of the College of Southern Idaho campus in Twin Falls, ID.

For more information on the center, planetarium, and observatory, visit the Herrett Center’s web page at http://herrett.csi.edu.