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Intellect

Family fun available during BYU Astrofest May 18

The Brigham Young University Physics and Astronomy Department along with the BYU Astronomical Society will host the 2013 BYU Astrofest Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in and around the Carl F. Eyring Science Center on the BYU campus.

Planetarium shows, held every half hour in the Royden G. Derrick Planetarium on the fourth floor of the Eyring Science Center, will turn guests’ sights toward the sky with indoor stargazing and space exploring.

To savor the spring weather, children can build their own rockets to blast off from the outdoor launch pad, or they can perfect their paper airplane-building skills with models designed for trick flying and distance. Aspiring astronauts who dream of Mars exploration will enjoy an outdoor bounce house and rock wall that imitate Mars’ rough terrain.

Throughout the day, BYU physics students will offer science demonstrations that teach everything from electromagnetism to gravity. Audience members can volunteer to help in some “hair-raising” experiments or can tour the center’s anechoic and reverberation chambers.

For more information, contact Jeannette Lawler at (801) 422-3849 or visit astrofest.byu.edu.

Writer: Hwa Lee

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