Everything Nac

The planetarium in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Cole STEM Building will offer three shows on Saturdays starting June 29.

“The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket” is a matinee show that takes viewers on a journey through the solar system before landing on the dwarf planet Pluto. The show is at 3 p.m., and tickets are $3.

“Supervolcanoes,” presented at 4:30 p.m., explores volcanic phenomena and lets audiences experience recreations of cataclysmic past eruptions on earth. Offered at 7 p.m., “Dark Universe” introduces viewers to two cosmic mysteries — dark matter and dark energy.

“Hurtle through Jupiter’s atmosphere, sail out to the far reaches of space, and be there for the birth of our own galaxy while exploring how our understanding of the universe has evolved over time,” said Ed Michaels, planetarium director.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children, students, and faculty and staff with ID.

In addition to the regularly scheduled shows in July, the planetarium will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with a special tribute. Prior to each show, visitors will view a recreation of the last three minutes of the moon landing using historic audio between the astronauts and mission control. Audiences will also get to view photos of the six Apollo landing sites using images taken by the astronauts.

“These are full panoramic views of the moon’s surface, and you will feel like you are standing on it,” Michaels said.

For more information, to make a group reservation or view the schedule, visit planetarium.sfasu.edu.

By Joanna Armstrong, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Students participating in a recent Stephen F. Austin State University science academy spent the week learning to charge cell phones with fruits and vegetables, assessing the geological stability of houses, solving crimes through computer coding, building rockets and designing vehicle collision safety systems.

SFA’s STEM Research and Learning Center hosted 59 area students for iMAS Academy, an interactive learning experience designed to teach students about STEM fields. Students worked throughout the week with SFA faculty members and master teachers to explore chemistry, computer science, geology, engineering and physics. High school students, including members of SFA’s STEM Academy, assisted as volunteer leaders.

“iMAS Academy expands student knowledge of what is involved in a particular STEM field or career,” said Dr. Jana Redfield, assistant director of the STEM Research and Learning Center. “The intent of the investigations is to expose students to skills used by chemists, computer scientists, geologists and engineers in ways that make the disciplines real and applicable, not just something they read or hear about.”

Partnering with the center, Suddenlink by Altice provided scholarships for 10 students to attend the academy.

“We are continually amazed at the commitment of the SFA faculty in training our STEM innovators of the future and are proud to play a small part by providing these scholarships,” said Curt Allison, Suddenlink community engagement specialist. “It is obvious that our future is in good hands.”

For more information about the STEM Research and Learning Center, visit sfasu.edu/stem.

By Joanna Armstrong, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.