For 2020, AstroFest will be held online, accessible through a browser, between Thursday, August 13 and Sunday, August 16. The program will include presentations, virtual telescope viewing, demonstrations, virtual planetarium shows, and explorations of our video game virtual world we use for teaching astronomy general education classes at Penn State. All of the activities will be accompanied by safe, moderated chat rooms where guests can type in questions for a live speaker to answer. The times for the live portion of the program are to be announced, but many of the presentations and activities will be available to the public throughout the event and beyond. Further information will be posted as it becomes available.
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Since 1999, Penn State Astronomy students, faculty, and friends have been inviting the public to Davey Lab for AstroFest, a four night festival of Astronomy held concurrently with the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. For 2019, AstroFest will be held each evening from 8:30-11:30 pm from Wednesday, July 10 through Saturday, July 13. AstroFest features many exciting activities, talks, and presentations, including stargazing through the telescopes on the roof of Davey Lab.
AstroFest Facebook
2019 Presentations and Activities
Room 541
- Star Sorting for "Kids" of All Ages! by Kim Herrmann - 8:30
- The ABCs of Space by Julia Kregenow (Kids' talk, suitable for all ages) - 9:00
- Fly Me to (Saturn's) Moon by Evan Sneed - 9:30
- Life in the Universe by Kim Herrmann - 10:00
- Astronomy Idol featuring multiple astronomers and MC Alex Dimoff - 10:30
- Black Holes on Earth!? by Kallan Berglund - 11:00
Room 530
- A Tour of Galaxies with the Hubble Space Telescope by Kevin Luhman - 9:00
- Things that Go Boom in the Night by Mike Siegel - 9:30
- The (Very Condensed) Future of the Universe by Evan Bray - 10:00
- Sizes of Things in the Universe by Kevin Luhman - 10:30
- How We Got to the Moon by Michael Rodruck - 11:00
Room 541
- Stars: More than Pinpricks of Light by Jacob Luhn - 8:30
- Mind-Bending Black Holes by Mike Eracleous - 9:00
- The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 by Luis Martinez - 9:30
- Stars: More than Pinpricks of Light by Jacob Luhn - 10:00
- Astronomy Idol featuring multiple astronomers and MC Alex Dimoff - 10:30
- A Tour of Galaxies with the Hubble Space Telescope by Kevin Luhman - 11:00
Room 530
- The ABCs of Space by Julia Kregenow (Kids' talk, suitable for all ages) - 9:00 - 9:00
- Life in the Universe by Kim Herrmann - 9:30
- Mind-Bending Black Holes by Mike Eracleous - 10:00
- Astronomy in the Movies by Michael Rodruck - 10:30
- The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 by Luis Martinez - 11:00
Room 541
- Understanding the Night Sky by Kevin Luhman - 8:30
- The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 by Luis Martinez - 9:00
- Life in the Universe by Kim Herrmann - 9:30
- The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 by Luis Martinez - 10:00
- Astronomy Idol presentations featuring multiple astronomers and MC Alex Dimoff - 10:30
- Things That Go Boom in the Night by Mike Siegel - 11:00
Room 530
- The (Very Condensed) Future of the Universe by Evan Bray - 8:30
- Things That Go Boom in the Night by Mike Siegel - 9:00
- Fly Me to (Saturn's) Moon by Evan Sneed - 9:30
- The (Very Condensed) Future of the Universe by Evan Bray - 10:00
- Sizes of Things in the Universe by Kevin Luhman - 10:30
- Life in the Universe by Kim Herrmann - 11:00
Room 541
- Galactic Trainwrecks by Mike Eracleous - 8:30
- Things That Go Boom in the Night by Mike Siegel - 9:00
- Galactic Trainwrecks by Mike Eracleous - 9:30
- Understanding the Night Sky by Kevin Luhman - 10:00
- Astronomy Idol presentations featuring multiple astronomers and MC Alex Dimoff - 10:30
- Black Holes on Earth!? by Kallan Berglund - 11:00
Room 530
- Star Sorting for "Kids" of All Ages! by Kim Herrmann - 8:30
- Stars: More than Pinpricks of Light by Jacob Luhn - 9:00
- The (Very Condensed) Future of the Universe by Evan Bray - 9:30
- Things that Go Boom in the Night by Mike Siegel - 10:00
- Stars: More than Pinpricks of Light by Jacob Luhn - 10:30
- Life in the Universe by Kim Herrmann - 11:00
Telescope Observing
Planetarium Shows
3D Shows
Various Kids Activities and Crafts
Spectroscopy Demonstration
Astronomy Q&A (with prizes!)
Bottle Rocket Launching
Make Your Own Comet
Crater Demonstration
Astrogami
Swift Booth
Guided Tours of the Solar System and the History of the Universe
Gravity Gym
Astronomy Video Game
Finding Habitable Zone Planets
Astronomy Idol Competition
Kids can Earn Prizes!