Astrigue is an annual Astronomy outreach programme, comprising a convention and a competition, hosted by Raffles Institution (Junior College) and Hwa Chong Institution. This programme is targeted at lower and upper secondary school students, and is aimed at spreading an appreciation and passion for Astronomy in Singapore. This event has been enjoying success and enthusiasm since its nascence in 2006.

Astrigue 2010 comprises two separate events:

1. Astrigue Convention 2010: A one-day Astronomy camp held in the Hwa Chong Institution campus on Saturday, the 3rd of April 2010.

2. Astrigue Challenge 2010: An Astronomy competition held in both the Hwa Chong Institution and Raffles Institution (Junior College) campuses over two Saturdays: 10th and 17th of April 2010.

There are two categories for the Astrigue Challenge: Normal and Newcomer. The Newcomer category is for students who have just been introduced to Astronomy and/or Astrigue. Lower secondary students and/or schools that have never taken part in Astrigue before are encouraged to sign up for this category.

Each school is allowed to send a maximum of 20 people for the Astrigue Convention and 2 teams of 4+1 reserve for each category (Newcomer and Normal) of the Astrigue Challenge.

For more information, please visit http://astrigue.netau.net/Astrigue2010/Home.html

Date: 15th Jan (Fri)
Time: 3:30pm – 5pm
Venue: The Observatory @ Omni-Theatre
Fee: Free admission (No registration required)
…
The partial solar eclipse will commence at 3:10pm, reach a maximum around 4:26pm and end at 5:32pm.

Please remember never to look at the Sun directly with the naked eye.

The class timing is from 7:30pm – 9:30pm except for class on 28 Nov.
Students who are in Primary 5, 6 and Seconday 1 to 5 are eligible to participate.
Please send your enquiry to mpastrosociety@gmail.com.

About School Outreach Astronomy Programs (S.O.A.P)

S.O.A.P is a non-profit Astronomy outreach programme organize by Marine Parade CC YEC Astronomical Society (MPASTRO), where workshops and weekly classes will be conducted for all secondary school students with a keen interest in Astronomy. The workshops and classes (can be conducted at individual participating secondary schools) consist of educational talks, interactive discussions and games, including a telescope viewing session where students will have a first-hand experience of looking through the telescope for sky observations, as well as learning how to operate a telescope. The workshops will be using problem-based learning (PBL) teaching and learning approach in order to improve students’ learning experience in the subject of Astronomy rather then the traditional lecture-tutorial approach.

PBL is a revolutionary and radical teaching approach. It is completely different from the traditional lecture-tutorial approach as there is a shift of power from the “expert teacher” to the “student learner”.

S.O.A.P is an initiative by MPASTRO to enrich students in Astronomy and serves as a platform to broaden their exposure to various aspects of the field (in astronomy) ranging from geography to sciences like chemistry and physics. More importantly, we hopes to ignite in the students a life-long passion for Astronomy, and to maximize the potential of every individual by creating a culture of lifelong learning and to instil the ability in each learner the ability to reason.

Date: Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Time: 7:00pm
Venue: The Newton Room, Science Centre Singapore
Speaker: Mr Kenji Williams, Creative Director & Music Producer, Remedy Arts LLC
Title of talk: BELLA GAIA – A Poetic Vision of Earth from Space

Bella Gaia (“Beautiful Earth”) is a ‘living atlas’ journey of our world, expressing the deeply moving beauty of planet Earth as seen through the eyes of astronauts. Created by award winning director and classically trained violinist, Kenji Williams, Bella Gaia features a 50-minute live performance by Kenji against a large-screen backdrop of orbiting visualizations of Earth from space: from fires in the Amazon basin to time-lapse images of Arctic ice melts, the stunning orbital imagery – rendered by SCISS’ Uniview using data from NASA, provides an exquisite simulation of the astronaut’s view from space. The performance also includes earthbound visitations from exotic Japanese temples to Egyptian pyramids, bringing a rich cultural dimension to the experience. Bella Gaia is a powerful entertainment and educational outreach vehicle for planetariums, science centres, universities, government agencies and other institutions that wish to convey a broader worldview that the destiny of humans and our planet Earth are inextricably linked.

In this café, Kenji will perform an abbreviated version (~10 minutes) of his beautiful creation, Bella Gaia. The short performance will be followed by a discussion about the background of his inspiration on Bella Gaia, and examples of the variety of uses for Bella Gaia, including science education. Time- permitting, Kenji will discuss his creative processes in this fusion of science and art. Movie clips may also be included in this café (time- and resource-dependent).

Attendance is free of charge but pre-registration is required.
Reservations are accepted on a first-come-first-served basis due to limited seating.
Please make your reservations online through http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/CafeMain.htm
not less than 2 days before the café.
Please refer to the attachment Bella Gaia for more information.

You may also like to watch the trailer of Bella Gaia at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiI7vMbSpn8.

Hi Sir,

This Oct 23/10/09 to 25/10/09. Friday to Sunday.

This time we will see the Orionid shower(weather permitting)

This time we only have four chalets left.

Limited to only 20 peoples. First come basic.

Cost is S$130.00 per person for 5 sharing per chalet.

Interest please e mail me at yenaw@pacific.net.sg

Closing date : 15/10/09

Thank you, Carole

Re : Punggai Astronomy Trip,

Date : 25/9/09 to 27/09/2009

Day 1

We leave on Friday night about 8 or 9pm. All will meet at pint(to be inform)

We go by 12 seat van than will take 10 persons with our equipment.

We go thought the woodland causeway or clear Singapore side and

Malaysia side. Travel along the way, we stop at petrol station for you to buy

For food tidbit.  On reaching the Punggai resort it wills late night, check

in chalet. If the night is clear, set-up telescope to do your observation the night sky.

Day 2

Morning breakfast (Buffet). Free and easy for you to enjoy

the morning Walk/photo taken.  Talk on Astronomy (on request).

Lunch and evening Dinner time. After that set-up telescope and

Start night sky observation and taken photography. Weather permitting.

Day 3

Morning breakfast and start packing your equipment and personal item.

Van will pick us at 10.00am. Travel back to Singapore.

Interest , please email to me at  yenaw@pacific.net.sg

Closing date :15/10/09

Thank

Carole

Astronomers have predicted that the annual Leonids might put up the most dramatic light show not seen in recent years as the earth passes close to the centre of the comet’s debris trail laid down in 1466. The ideal locations for viewing are in Asia and North America.

On stage, there will be performances by Kenji Williams, an audio visual art performer, while offstage, visitors will be entertained by the Science Buskers. For astronomy buffs, an accompanying meteorite exhibition, a talk by TASOS, on-site telescope viewing of the planet Jupiter and inflatable planetarium tours for children will also be held.

Time: 8pm – 5am (*8pm – 2am: activities / 2am – 5am: free & easy)

Start Time:     Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 8:00pm
End Time:     Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 5:00am
Location:     Japanese Gardens

Our Universe and the Role of Life in It

Date: 24 August 2009 (Monday)

Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm

Venue: Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Auditorium, Level 2, 11 Kent Ridge Drive, Singapore 119244, National University of Singapore

Synopsis: Our concept of the cosmos has expanded hugely in recent decades. We now have strong evidence that everything began nearly 14 billion years ago in a mysterious ‘big bang’. As our cosmos expanded and cooled, atoms, stars, and galaxies formed. And on at least one planet (our Earth) life began, and Darwinian evolution led to the eventual emergence of creatures able to ponder their origins. This progress brings into focus a new set of questions: Is the cosmos even vaster than the region our telescopes can probe? Is there life beyond the Earth? What is the long-term future of the cosmos? And can we understand, at a deeper level, the physical laws that govern it?

The World in 2050

Date: 27 August 2009 (Thursday)

Time: 4:00pm – 5:30pm

Venue: Lecture Theatre 2A, North Academic Complex, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Nanyang Technological University

Synopsis: This century is the first in the Earth’s history when one species, ours, has the Earth’s future in its hands. In 2050, the world’s population may well have reached 9 billion. Unless we make wise choices about the direction of economic development and energy use, our collective impact on the planet’s resources, environment and climate could cause irreversible damage. Advanced technology will open up huge new opportunities, but it will open up new risks. We will all be living in an ever more interconnected world, increasingly vulnerable to breakdowns. Individuals, empowered by powerful technology and choosing to misuse it, will pose ever-greater threats. And the advance of science will pose ever more ethical challenges: there will be a widening gap between what we are capable of doing and what it is prudent or ethical actually to do. The lecture, raising questions rather than offering answers, will address some of these issues.

About the speaker

Martin Rees is Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics and Master of Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. He holds the honorary title of Astronomer Photo credited to Lucinda Douglas-Menzies Royal and also Visiting Professor at Imperial College London and at Leicester University. In 2005, he was appointed to the House of Lords and elected President of the Royal Society. He held post-doctoral positions in the UK and the USA, before becoming a professor at Sussex University. In 1973, he became Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at Cambridge and served for ten years as director of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy. From 1992 to 2003, he was a Royal Society Research Professor. He is a foreign associate of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Pontifical Academy, and several other foreign academies. His awards include the Balzan International Prize, the Bower Award for Science of the Franklin Institute, the Cosmology Prize of the Peter Gruber Foundation, the Einstein Award of the World Cultural Council and the Crafoord Prize (Royal Swedish Academy). He has been president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (1994-95) and the Royal Astronomical Society (1992-94) and a trustee of the British Museum, NESTA and the Kennedy Memorial Trust. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of the National Museum of Science and Industry, the Institute for Public Policy Research, and the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study, and has served on many bodies connected with education, space research, arms control and international collaboration in science. He is the author or co-author of more than 500 research papers, mainly on astrophysics and cosmology, as well as seven books (five for general readership), and numerous magazine and newspaper articles on scientific and general subjects. He has broadcast and lectured widely and held various visiting professorships.

MPASTRO aims to provide opportunities for the public to enjoy and learn about astronomy at the comfort of their neighbourhood (especially people in the east), as well as maximize night-sky observation experiences with their own next-door neighbours.

The stargazing session will acheive that objective and it consists of a lecture and a telescope viewing session at the CC’s roof top.

Time: 7:15pm – 9:00pm

Venue: Marine Parade Community Centre

Suitable for all ages.

Registration begin from 7:15pm at the registration booth beside MPCC Office.

Stargazing dates in 2009:
28th February
28th March
25th April
23rd May
27th June
25th July
29thd August
19th September
17th October
21st November
19th December

Venue: Science Centre Singapore

Duration of workshop: 01 Jun – 02 Jun 09, 0830 hrs – 1630 hrs

Open to student levels: Secondary 1 & 2

Science Explorama

Science Explorama is one of the key activities of SSYSF, drawing thousands of primary and secondary students to the Science Centre every year. Students will get to explore space science this year with activities that will bring about of enjoyment and edutainment to our students whilst stimulating their young minds. The activities that have been lined up are:

1. Garden of Inspiration: Ecogarden Trail with hands-on activity stations
2. Science Gallery Hunt: Activities to help students fulfill tasks on the “I am a Young Astronomer” activity card
3. Space Science Show: Destination Pluto
4. Science FilmFest: Sea Monsters & Post movie lecture; Space Station (Students will be given a $1 subsidy for each movie.)

The Science Explorama runs from 20 May – 22 May, and 25 May – 29 May 09, at the Science Centre.

Please click here for timing and availability.
Please click here for the booking form.

For more information, please contact:
Mrs Ong Me Lan (mlong@science.edu.sg)
Ms Pearly Ng (Pearly_NG@moe.gov.sg)

Public Seminar

The public seminar aims to provide the public with a unique opportunity to hear from and be excited by a scientist passionate about astronomy. It seeks to provide the public with insights into the developments and possibilities of science in the new frontier.

This public talk is held on 23 May 09 at the Maxwell Auditorium, Science Centre.

Students’ Seminar

The Students’ seminar aims to provide students with a unique opportunity to be inspired by scientists passionate about their fields of endeavour. This year students will have the pleasure of attending a seminar given by a scientist with a passion for astronomy. This seminar hopes to ignite their passion and fuel their imagination to explore new frontiers in space.

This students’ seminar is held on 25 May morning at the Science Centre Annexe Hall 1.

Teachers’ Seminar

A regular feature of SSYSF, the Teachers’ Seminar aims to connect teachers with a scientist passionate about astronomy. The hope is to inspire teachers by providing them with insights into the work of scientists and the possibilities of science in emerging fields

This teachers’ seminar is held on 25 May afternoon at the Science Centre Annexe Hall 1.

For more information about the 3 above-mentioned seminars, please contact:
Mr John Ow (John_OW@moe.gov.sg)
Ms Sharlene Anthony (s_anthony@science.edu.sg)