Blast Off!!! Launch Your Own Water Rocket at the Philippine Science Centrum
April 27, 2012 by
After the successful Stargazing Event last February, the Philippine Science Centrum and SkyXplore bring you another fun learning activity. Make your summer productive by joining the Water Rocket Workshop & Competition at the Philippine Science Centrum and Riverbanks Amphitheater on April 28-29. Learn how to make a rocket out of plastic bottles and strips and LAUNCH YOUR ROCKET THIS APRIL.
This workshop is sure to be a blast so grab yourself a buddy and register your team now! Only 20 teams per category will be accommodated and you really won’t want to miss this chance to prove you’re NASA material.
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Registration forms can be downloaded at www.science-centrum.ph. The registration fee is inclusive of workshop materials, snacks and lunch for two days, access to the Philippine Science Centrum, Certificate of Participation, and a chance to win cash prizes and items. For further details please call (02) 942-5091 and (02)942-4137 and look for Ms. Cheryl Mulat.
SkyXplore’s Mobile Planetarium: Bringing The Skies Within Reach
April 23, 2012 by
My generation is still somehow blessed to have been able to view clear night skies before smog and other pollutants obstructed our view of the night sky and the air we breathed in the morning still smelled of fresh dew. Unfortunately, my little children and their generation have been deprived of this marvelous sight. If we wanted them to see how enchanting a clear night sky is, we’d have to hie them off to a farflung province where there is less air and light pollution.
Fortunately, advances in technology have made it possible for us to view and appreciate the wonders of our galaxy without having to travel far. SkyXplore brings to us the first and only Mobile Digital Planetarium – the Space Dome – in the country where we can literally “reach for the skies” and satisfy our curiosity about the marvels of our vast universe.
Last April 18, my little Jade and I were invited to join a special preview of the Space Dome and the other activities that SkyXplore offers. My little Jade still remembers the night we joined SkyXplore during their Stargazing Event and was quite excited to peep through the “giant telescopes” again. However, we didn’t get to see stars and planets through the telescopes as we were indoors and it was daytime. We did get to see them, up close and personal, inside the Mobile Digital Planetarium.
The Space Dome is seven meters wide and can accommodate up to about 100 viewers at a time. Inside the dome is a digital projector that casts images of stars, planets and other heavenly bodies throughout the entire dome. The simulation of the sky at the very moment we were inside was shown to us, then we were transported back in time then into the future. It was actually quite a wonderful experience to be able to view the sky at different periods. We were also able to take a closer look at the planets, star clusters, nebulas, and other galaxies. Oh, and we also got a preview of the meteor shower that occured last April 21 and the partial solar eclipse happening on May 21!
Aside from that we were able to go to Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn in just a few seconds! My little Jade even joined the count downs to our space travel to the different planets. She got a bit scared though when the pictures of the constellations were shown. I found it amazing but it must have been too eerie for a three-year-old.
SkyXplore completed the experience with film showing, interactive discussions, NASA photo exhibit and meteorite exhibit. After walking through the photo exhibit, Jade and I were able to touch the authentic meteorites. I just wish they had endowed me with super powers to make me a WonderMom. 😀 SkyXplore also provided activities for the children. Jade chose to do the Solar System worksheet and promptly sat on a chair to color the sun and the planets.
My little Jade and I definitely enjoyed exploring the vast universe that morning. SkyXplore visits hundreds of schools nationwide each year, so if you’d like your children and their classmates to widen their knowledge of the universe, do try to talk their Science teacher into scheduling an “astronomical” day with SkyXplore in your children’s school.
SkyXplore Brings the Skies Closer to Us
March 3, 2012 by
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star…When You Wish Upon A Star…Star Light, Star Bright – These are but a few songs sung to us by our moms and which we have sung also to our children when they were little. Sadly though, our fascination with stars do not go beyond these few simple songs. The mere mention of Astronomy making us cringe
Though most of us do still remember studying about the planets and the universe in grade school and in high school, only just a handful show profound interest in studying them further. Astronomy really isn’t a popular field of study here in our country. Aside from the misconception that Astronomy is esoteric, tools and equipment used for its study come with a hefty price.
SkyXplore, the pioneer state-of-the-art science road show in our country, aims to counter these misconceptions and to promote Astronomy awareness. As the only mobile digital planetarium in the Philippines, SkyXplore is able to engage students in discovering the wonders of the vast Universe. It has partnered with hundreds of schools and institutions and presented Astronomy in a more interactive and more interesting manner. SkyXplore has been succesful in sparking the curiosity of students through the Space Dome(a Mobile Digital Planetarium), Film Showing, NASA Space Photos and Meteorite Exhibits, Ask-An-Astronomer program, and Solar Viewing and Stargazing.
SkyXplore has many more exciting events to offer this year so do visit their website at www.skyxplore.com.ph and like their Facebook page www.facebook.com/skyxplore for updates.
Reaching For The Stars With The Philippine Science Centrum and SkyXplore
March 1, 2012 by
I just asked my little boy if he remembers what we saw through the telescope last week and he answered with exuberance, “Mars! Jupiter! And, uhm…Stars!” My little boy is just 2 1/2 years old and for him to remember what we did during the Star Gazing Event last week meant that the event was successful not only in drawing a huge crowd but also in imparting knowledge to those who participated in the event.
Last February 23, SkyXplore and The Philippine Science Centrum teamed up to bring the public closer to the skies through a Star Gazing Event at the Amphitheater of Riverbanks. The site was just about two blocks away from our house and the kids always have great fun during our visits to the Philippine Science Centrum that I immediately told my husband to block off his schedule that night as we were all going to the Star Gazing Event.
Children as young as 2 and as old as 70 :D, patiently waited in line to take a close glimpse of Venus, Mars, Jupiter and its Galilean moons. They also eagerly listened to Professor Edmund Rosales, Skyxplore’s head astronomer, as he animatedly shared his vast knowledge about astronomy.
Now this was not your ordinary classroom lecture, Prof Edmund was able to catch the interest of the attendees through his wit and candor.
Have you been wishing on the first star you see at night but your wish never comes true? Well, check that “star” again and see if it twinkles. If it’s not twinkling then it’s a planet, most likely Jupiter or Venus, you’re seeing. So next time you want to wish upon a star, choose one that twinkles.
Have you seen a UFO moving fast in the night sky? That’s just one of the many satellites orbiting the Earth. We were lucky to have seen one during the Star Gazing Event. It was like a tiny dot of light moving really fast across the night sky. Really cool!
Students now know this well but those in my generation who have not kept abreast with developments in astronomy may not know this at all – Pluto is not a planet anymore. It is considered as a dwarf planet. Apparently, it did not pass one of the three criteria which are (1) it orbits the sun, (2) it is spherical in shape and rotates on its axis, and (3) it is the largest body within its orbit. Since Pluto’s orbit crosses that of Neptune, it does not pass the third criterion; hence, it’s exclusion from the planets.
I could go on and on with all the trivia I learned from Professor Edmund but then, you may have questions of your own you’d like for him to answer. Just visit the SkyXplore Facebook page or the SkyXplore website and fire away with your questions.
My little Astronomer-Wannabes taking a peek at Jupiter and Mars
Mommy Bloggers Gene, Arcee, Olga, Bev, Pehpot, and Nina with some of the KidXplorers
The entire family really had an awesome night last Thursday. It was made more fun by other mommy bloggers who also came with their families in tow. On top of the wonderful experience we shared, The Philippine Science Centrum and SkyXplore also gave us gifts for joining the event. With what we learned and with the fun we had, we really should be the one giving them gifts. 😀
Thank you so much Philippine Science Centrum for inviting our family to this event. We’ll be taking the little ones there again for some Science fun.
Thanks for sharing about these free printables.
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