MEDIA RELEASE

AstroDay returns to West Hawaiʻi in November, hosted by Kealakehe High School in conjunction with their 9th Annual Hawaii Island Robotics Expo and Showcase (HI-RES) on Sunday, November 3 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Observatories from Maunakea and Haleakala will be represented, as well as other technology, education, and cultural organizations. Highlights include Starlab–a portable planetarium provided by the Canada France Hawaii and Gemini Observatories, solar viewing with experienced astronomers, educational games and toys, and many hands-on activities. Colorful and informative material will be available as well as displays from diverse organizations and a live broadcast by KWXX/B93 Radio.

“It seemed like a natural fit for our school and the community of scientists and engineers to come together for the West Hawaiʻi community,” says Glenn Gray, principal of Kealakehe High School. “Having the islandʻs robotics teams showcasing their skills on the same day the Maunakea Observatories are sharing their science activities will be a win-win for everyone who attends this free and educational event.”

In addition to Kealakehe and the Maunakea Observatories, other AstroDay sponsors include Kona Commons, Kailua-Kona Public Library and the Friends of the Libraries in Kona.

AstroDay is an annual science and astronomy event sponsored by the Maunakea Astronomy Outreach Committee (MKAOC). MKAOC is a partnership of scientists, administrators and educators in astronomy throughout the state of HawaiÊ»i. The mission of MKAOC is to coordinate and organize the collective outreach efforts of the astronomy community and act as a forum for the astronomy community and related organizations to plan and coordinate outreach activities. 

See mkaoc.org or maunakeaobservatories.org for more information.