2019 NC Science Festival at UNC Asheville

UNC Asheville will be part of a statewide star viewing party and host a solar observing event, a science pub, and a “Mini Maker Faire” as part of the North Carolina Science Festival in April. The events are free and open to the public, presented jointly by the UNC Asheville Department of Physics, UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio, and the Astronomy Club of Asheville. The inaugural Asheville Mini Maker Fair comes to campus from the Asheville Makers.

The solar observing event is scheduled to take place on UNC Asheville’s Quad from noon-2 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, and will include safely observing the sun through telescopes with a variety of filters to see sunspots, prominences and more. Participants can also make sun prints and experience solar energy and solar-sensitive beads. In the case of inclement weather, the solar observing event will take place on April 11. Visit lookoutobservatory.unca.edu for updates.

The Asheville Mini Maker Faire will take place from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 on UNC Asheville’s Quad. The event is a family-friendly gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students and commercial exhibitors, and will feature hands-on and interactive exhibits. For more information, visit asheville.makerfaire.com.

The North Carolina Statewide Star Party will begin at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12 at UNC Asheville’s Lookout Observatory. Participants will use telescopes to view a variety of celestial objects, and participate in moon-related activities. Parking will be available in the Reuter Center lot (P10).  Shuttles will run at regular intervals to transport people to and from UNC Asheville’s Lookout Observatory. Preregistration, opening April 1, is required at lookoutobservatory.unca.edu. In the case of overcast skies or inclement weather, the event will take place on April 13. 

UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio will present at the Asheville Museum of Science’s “Science Pub” from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 19 at The Collider, 1 Haywood St. in downtown Asheville. This presentation will follow the concept, timeline, execution, 84-hour installation and build team of Wake, a 60-foot mechatronic sculpture in the form of a shipwreck, and the largest public sculpture to ever be installed in Times Square.

The events are part of the North Carolina Science Festival, a statewide series of events showcasing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

For more information about the North Carolina Science Festival, visit ncsciencefestival.org. For information on the events at UNC Asheville, visit unca.edu/events. Detailed information about the observatory events including the latest updates regarding cloudy weather and possible cancellations, is available at lookoutobservatory.unca.edu, or by contacting Brian Hart at 828.250.3958.