Discover the Secrets of the Universe During AstroDay Chile 2022

March 22, 2022

NSF NOIRLab invites you to participate in a series of educational activities to celebrate the National Day of Astronomy in Chile

Discover the Secrets of the Universe During AstroDay Chile 2022

Every year NSF NOIRLab celebrates the Chilean National Day of Astronomy with our AstroDay Chile outreach program, which in 2022 will offer a series of virtual activities for the whole family. More than 40 professionals from a variety of scientific and tourist observatories and universities in Chile will take part in virtual activities from 23 to 25 March 2022 on NOIRLab's YouTube and Facebook channels.

The first day, 23 March, is devoted to tourist observatories in Chile. The day will begin with a panel of operators of tourist observatories who will describe the challenges of working during the pandemic. Later in the day, there will be a session describing the latest discoveries from NOIRLab and how tourist observatories can incorporate these into their programs. The last session on the 23rd features a workshop to help tourist observatories plan public programs for cloudy nights.

On Thursday 24 March the public is invited to learn from several astronomers from scientific observatories and universities in Chile as they talk about the latest discoveries made from telescopes in Chile. At 7:00 p.m. CLST, NOIRLab astronomer Kathy Vivas will answer questions from the public during a live stream on our YouTube channel. There will be a raffle among those who pose questions, with the lucky winner getting a free visit to the Alfa Aldea Observatory in Vicuña. At the end of the day the public will enjoy a live stream with staff in the observation rooms at the SOAR Telescope and the Gemini South telescope, and at the SMARTS 1.5-meter Telescope at NOIRLab’s Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.

On Friday 25 March we will begin by honoring the winner of the 2021 Padre Picetti award which highlights the work of exceptional science teachers who help spread the importance of science and astronomy in Chilean schools. Following this, youth will have an opportunity to interact in a virtual astronomy career panel to learn first-hand what it's like to work in a scientific observatory and how they can become part of the legion of cosmic explorers.

Friday's program will continue with a hybrid workshop to build and use a celestial planisphere. Materials for this activity are already being distributed at the Gabriela Mistral Regional Library located at Juan José Latorre 782, La Serena. On registering in advance at the library, people will be able to pick up the materials they will then join YouTube at 7:00 p.m. CLST on Friday, when staff from NOIRLab will teach them how to build the planisphere to recognize bright constellations in the night sky.

Finally, our friends from Explora Coquimbo will offer a workshop to teach how to carry out scientific investigations in educational environments on Friday, 8:00 p.m. CLST, on NOIRLab’s YouTube channel.

AstroDay Chile will be an exciting event for the whole family! Join us as we discover the Universe together.