2008 Woodie Awards
Exploring the stars at Astronomy Day
Amandine Redington
Issue date: 5/27/08 Section: News
The Math and Science Divisions and San Mateo County Astronomical Society held the second Annual National Astronomy and CSM Family Science Day.
The astronomy department has been holding events for 10 years, to observe National Astronomy Day, but only the second time held in conjunction with the math and science department.
The event was held in building 36. It featured different stations which attendees could learn about math, science, as well as get involved in arts and crafts. One of the stations, had materials to build candy bugs or marshmallow viruses, another station focused on building a planisphere, used to map out the sky and find constellations.
Outside building 36 there were posters and yard sticks that went the length of the quad which were a down-scale version of the solar system.
More than 100 people attended in the afternoon, which was less than last years event.
"I think overall it went great," said Mohsen Janatpour, professor of physics. "But I think next time we should time it a little better so we don't coincide with the other events like KFOG and Bay Meadows closing."
In the evening, more than 80 people gathered at the observatory. There, people had the opportunity to look at the moon, stars and planets such as Saturn, as well as photograph galaxies.
"It's cool," said Ken Montgomery, student. "I was in class and came by. I haven's been in this building before. It's kind of nice to see what's going on."
"The main thing is to get people out here who just don't know what we do and to show off our observatory and our planetarium and when people come they're surprised that College of San Mateo has such neat things," said Darryl Stanford, astronomy professor.
The astronomy department has been holding events for 10 years, to observe National Astronomy Day, but only the second time held in conjunction with the math and science department.
The event was held in building 36. It featured different stations which attendees could learn about math, science, as well as get involved in arts and crafts. One of the stations, had materials to build candy bugs or marshmallow viruses, another station focused on building a planisphere, used to map out the sky and find constellations.
Outside building 36 there were posters and yard sticks that went the length of the quad which were a down-scale version of the solar system.
More than 100 people attended in the afternoon, which was less than last years event.
"I think overall it went great," said Mohsen Janatpour, professor of physics. "But I think next time we should time it a little better so we don't coincide with the other events like KFOG and Bay Meadows closing."
In the evening, more than 80 people gathered at the observatory. There, people had the opportunity to look at the moon, stars and planets such as Saturn, as well as photograph galaxies.
"It's cool," said Ken Montgomery, student. "I was in class and came by. I haven's been in this building before. It's kind of nice to see what's going on."
"The main thing is to get people out here who just don't know what we do and to show off our observatory and our planetarium and when people come they're surprised that College of San Mateo has such neat things," said Darryl Stanford, astronomy professor.
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