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Public Invited to Explore the Universe and the Science of Light for Free at Flandrau on May 21

May 8, 2023 — Tucson, Arizona —  Families, teachers and science enthusiasts of all ages are invited to the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium on Sunday, May 21, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. for free planetarium shows and optics activities to celebrate the International Day of Light.

The International Day of Light is a UNESCO global initiative to celebrate light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, astronomy, and clean energy. May 16 marks the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer, Theodore Maiman. There’s no better place to celebrate light than in Arizona with our world leaders in optics, photonics and astronomy.

 

Students attending the planetarium shows can receive a Certificate of Attendance to provide to their teachers wishing to award credit. Ask at the event table.

The International Day of Light program is presented Sunday afternoon, May 21, by Optics Valley. The 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. planetarium shows and optics activity tables are free.

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Fun with Optics! Meet local optics experts and explore principles of light including prisms, reflection, and diffraction at our activity tables inside Flandrau’s lobby area. Free.

2:00 p.m.  From Earth to Universe + Live James Webb Space Telescope Talk [Full Dome Show] Take a stunning voyage through space and time and through sparkling sights and sounds of the Universe revealed to us by science. Free. First come, first seated.

3:30 p.m.  James Webb Space Telescope: Our First Year Capturing Light from the Dawn of Time [Lecture] Join Kevin Hainline, University of Arizona astronomer and JWST NIRCam team member, as he shares amazing highlights and stories from the exciting first year of the James Webb Space Telescope. Free. First come, first seated.

Get complete details: https://flandrau.org/international-day-light

About Optics Valley

Arizona is home to world-class businesses and scientific and educational institutions with decades of innovation and leadership in optics, photonics and astronomy. Optics Valley is the industry cluster that helps its members thrive through business acceleration, workforce development, startup support, and connections to local and worldwide opportunities. Optics Valley is a committee of the Arizona Technology Council.  More: opticsvalleyaz.org

 

 

James Webb Space Telescope in space (Source: NASA image library)

 

 

 

Karina Nebula image from the James Webb Space Telescope (Source: NASA Image Library)

 

 

 

Dr. Kevin Hainline presents in the University of Arizona’s Flandrau Planetarium (Source: Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium)

 

 

 

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