Astronomy Day set for April 24 in Bozeman

April 7, 2010 - PRLog -- A free afternoon of astronomy-related events for kids and adults will be held in Bozeman on Saturday, April 24, including a talk by Montana's only NASA astronaut, Loren Acton, a Montana State University physics professor who flew on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1985.

The event will be held at the Museum of the Rockies from 1 to 4 p.m., and all Astronomy Day 2010 activities, including admission to the museum, are free to the public.

Kids' activities include astronomy-related games, solar cookies, star-wheels and UV bead bracelets. Telescopes will be set up for solar observing (weather permitting), and exhibits in the main lobby will feature activities, information and give-aways from NASA missions and MSU researchers.

Acton will present "Space Travel, Space Research and (yuck) Space Adaption Syndrome" at 1:10 p.m. Joey Key of MSU will discuss "Listening to the Universe" at 2 p.m., and MSU's Space Public Outreach Team will present "Eye on the Big Sky" at 3 p.m.

Planetarium shows include "Star Signs" and "Lewis & Clark."

"In 2009, Astronomy Day was one of the largest science events in the state," said organizer and MSU student Ryan Hannahoe. "This year, we hope to make it even bigger. There is something for everyone, and all of it is free."

The event is sponsored by the Southwest Montana Astronomical Society, the Museum of the Rockies, and MSU's Astrobiology Biogeocatalysis Research Center, MSU's Extended University and Solar Physics Research Group.

For more information visit http://eu.montana.edu/AstronomyDay/

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MSU Extended University is an outreach arm of Montana State University offering distance learning, continuing education and public outreach for kids, adults and teachers. http://eu.montana.edu