Stargazing: Lost In Space

Date and Time : 8 November 2018, 6.30 pm-10.00 pm

Venue : National Institute of Education, Gymnasium

Our universe is an amazingly mystical one, full of exciting fantasies and enchanting mysteries. Every star is beautiful and unique in its own ways. As they are implanted on the breathtaking hues of blue and purple, there emerges spectacular arrays of constellations. In its desire to invite everyone to venture into the fields of astronomy and savour the infinite delights of the night skies, Club Sci·Napse is back with its annual stargazing event catered to the NIE student population. The event seeks to create an enchanting platform for our students to delve into the world of astronomy and relish the tranquility of the night skies whilst gaining insights on astronomy.

Gathering the feedback from the past years and in the interests of our participants, Club Sci·Napse engaged in a collaboration with Science Centre Singapore to bring the constellations right before our eyes in a sensational planetarium. Their experienced instructors provided our participants with a great and an immersive night with never-before-seen footages. Our student-teachers were transported to another world in their very own gymnasium! This was complemented with a documentary screening and a photo-booth. With such avenues, the club was successful in broadening the horizons of the participants and presenting a new perspective when admiring the wonders of the world. We're sure that our participants left with stronger friendships as well!

Activities

Starlab - A portable planetarium

The STARLAB planetarium constitutes a projector and an inflatable dome to simulate a starry night sky containing thousands of stars. The portable planetarium was set up in the NIE gymnasium. During the programme, our student-teachers embarked on an extraordinary tour of the night sky, as they identified key constellations and discovered the ancient stories about how the stars are named. Multiple concepts such as the Earth's rotation and the seasons were also discussed as they explored the changes that took effect in the sky during different times of year. Facilitators from Science Centre Singapore came over to offer an insightful sharing session that unravelled the wonderful mysteries of the night skies.

Galaxy Jar Activity

To further enhance the stargazing experience for our participants, we conducted a hands-on activity with participants which was held concurrently with the stargazing. This activity was based on a tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAAulSXE9B4 but it was modified to align with our galaxy night theme. Participants made their own customary jars using the provided materials and brought them back home as souvenirs. Our club members also designed and printed a custom-made sticker for this event!

Photo-booth

There's no better way to capture moments and keep memories than by taking photos! Our simple photo-booth of a black backdrop, tassels and glow in the dark stars gave our participants the space to take photos "out of this world"! After taking photos at the booth, our team took great care to border every photo with the event name before personally emailing participants their photos.

Documentary Display

Astronomy is a field of wonder, mystery and fantasy, with things waiting to be discovered! We want our participants to leave having more knowledge and interest in the starry skies and endless worlds above us. Therefore, we jumped at the opportunity to screen some insightful documentaries in the multi-purpose hall, which our participants can learn as they rest between activities. The documentaries undoubtedly provided more avenues of learning and facilitated deeper understanding of the astronomic arena for our participants!