At the Kurashiki Science Center in Fukuda, Kurashiki City, star observation events using a large telescope are held every month.
During the observation event on Saturday, August 6, 2022, which was in the first half of summer vacation, many families with summer homework participated.
What is the "Star Observation Event" at Kurashiki Science Center?
At the Kurashiki Science Center, the star observation event called "Star Observation Event" is held every month.
- A 50-centimeter large telescope installed on the rooftop
- Several types of telescopes with different sizes and structures
The charm is that you can observe celestial bodies using telescopes that are rare in general households.
On Saturday, August 6, 2022, when the star observation event was held, the weather was slightly cloudy.
However, more than 100 participants who had pre-registered observed the "moon at 8 days old," as well as bright stars such as "Vega (the Weaving Princess)" in the Summer Triangle and "Altair (the Cowherd)" in the Aquila constellation, while listening to explanations about the stars of Tanabata and the Milky Way from volunteer staff.
The experience of elementary school students observing the moon for the first time using a telescope
When I asked elementary school students who observed the moon for the first time using a telescope, they shared the following impressions.
- I was surprised to see the surface's bumps and hollows more clearly than I expected.
- I thought that with a large telescope, the stars would look bigger, but they only appeared as small dots.
- I learned for the first time that stars come in various colors.
Observing the globular cluster M13 (Messier object)
Using the 50-centimeter large telescope at the observatory, we were able to observe the "globular cluster M13 (Messier object)" that was visible through a break in the clouds.
Regular visitors, a parent and child, observed celestial bodies that could not be confirmed with a small telescope and seemed to have a renewed recognition of the vastness of the universe.
They were curiously asking the volunteer staff questions like, "How far is it to M13?" and "How big is it?"
Conclusion
Okayama is called the kingdom of astronomy and the land of sunshine, making it suitable for star observation, and there are many specialized observation facilities.
Among them, the Kurashiki Science Center is located relatively close to the city center.
Even if actual stargazing cannot be done due to cloudy weather, there are star explanations using a planetarium.
Additionally, many of the volunteer staff hold qualifications as "star sommeliers" and provide enjoyable explanations of various star characteristics.
The regularly held "Star Observation Event" is scheduled for the next time on Saturday, August 27, 2022.
Why not come and visit?
Data on the "Star Observation Event" at Kurashiki Science Center
| Name | Kurashiki Science Center "Star Observation Event" |
|---|---|
| Date | The schedule for 2022 is as follows. ・Saturday, August 27, 2022 ・Saturday, September 10, 2022 ・Saturday, October 1, 2022 ・Saturday, November 5, 2022 ・Saturday, December 3, 2022 ・Saturday, January 14, 2023 ・Saturday, February 25, 2023 ・Saturday, March 25, 2023 |
| Location | 940 Koshinden, Fukuda-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | ・Free (pre-registration required) ・Participation accepted by phone on a first-come, first-served basis starting two weeks before the event (<a href="tel:0864540300">086-454-0300</a>) ・Gather at 7:00 PM (registration starts at 6:30 PM), free to leave ・Estimated duration is about 1 to 1.5 hours ・Children under elementary school age must be accompanied by a guardian ・In case of bad weather, only planetarium explanations will be provided |
| Homepage | Kurashiki Science Center |
