Subaru Telescope recently made it possible for nearly 100 third- and fourth-graders from Na‘alehu Elementary School to visit its Hilo base facility recently as part of the Subaru Stars program, which continues to bring astronomy and STEM education to students across Hawaii Island.
The field trip, done in partnership with ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, allowed students to enjoy a fun-filled day exploring both facilities, where they learned about exoplanets, astronomy, super computers, telescope operations, and more.
“Most of us were inspired by experiences in our childhood that led to our future occupations,” Subaru Telescope director Satoshi Miyazaki said in a press release. “I hope the visiting students were excited about what they learned about Subaru Telescope.”
At ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, senior planetarium technician and educator Emily Peavy discussed what is going on in the solar system and which planets could be seen with the naked eye in the skies above the Big Island that very evening. She also discussed past lava flows on the moon. Students learned about what makes the sun a star, the different types of planets in our solar system (rocky and gaseous) and the difference between a planet and a dwarf planet.
“My favorite part of ‘Imiloa was when I went to the planetarium because we sat down and pretended to lasso the moon,” said Evelyn Cardwell, 9. “It really looked like the moon was coming closer!”
“Having the opportunity to interact with scientists who live and work in Hilo and who can share about the science happening right here on our island can inspire students in a very unique way by making the information that much more relevant,” said ‘Imiloa school group education program facilitator Chrissy Ghiasi. “Providing students with opportunities to interact with exhibits or having the experience of learning in the planetarium can ignite their curiosity and create connections about what they are learning that will become deeply ingrained as they continue on their journey as students.”