Who Wants to be a Cosmic Explorer?
Join forces with international award-winning astronomer and former consultant to NASA, Kevin Manning, a man on no ordinary mission. Kevin founded Astronomy Boot Camp with a mission to generate interest and foster scientific literacy in space science through the delivery of awe-inspiring, educational and fun astronomy programs. Learn about stars and constellations, telescopes and how they work, our solar system, and the wonders of our universe. Many hands-on activities, including looking through a powerful hand-crafted telescope at sunspots during the day and distant galaxies each night the sky is clear, makes Astronomy Boot Camp an absolutely unforgettable experience. We will also visit a local observatory.
It took 3 weeks to complete building the 10" f/6 reflecting telescope. The great optics and extra care that went into its construction made its performance absolutely superb, and possibly one of the best telescopes in its size and class across Long Island and even New York State. Many of the students attending Hayground Camp contributed toward building the instrument, and a staff member chose its name, Celestia. It gathers nearly 1,000 times more light than the unaided eye, and reveals details on planets like you are going for a visit. To find out more about the Hayground Telescope, Celestia, and what went into its making, watch the following video.
Astronomy Boot Camp has teamed up with Hayground School & Camp in Bridgehampton, NY for 2018 as part of their 8-week Summer Camp.
Artist-in-Residence
Kevin will come to Hayground on their week 2 (July 9-13) to build a 10" telescope! All materials have been ordered. Kevin will work out of the Woodshop and will get the job done. We expect that kids will become curious about his work and begin to ask him what is happening. He will use that curiosity as a way to talk to kids about astronomy and telescopes and big ideas. Maybe some kids will help him!
Aftercamp
Kevin will come again on week 4 (July 23-27) to work with 1:00-3:00 kids. Every day, he will offer astronomy to the kids for two periods. He will design small sessions that last about 45 minutes and do two of those sessions per day. He will work with Hayground to figure out how many kids he can take at a time and how many counselors he needs.
Camp
Hayground's 9-1 program will have Astronomy on the schedule during week 6 (August 6-10). Kevin will run three 50-minute sessions with kids of all different ages to give them a taste of Astronomy. They have kids from ages 3-13. Kevin will work with Hayground to figure out whether his workshops are appropriate for all ages or just some and how many kids he can take at any given time.
Visiting Scientist
Week 9 (August 27-31) is Hayground's Intensives Week. In the process of registering for Week 9, kids have to select a morning concentration and an afternoon concentration. The kids who sign up for Astronomy will be committed to that course for all five days from either 9:00-11:45 or 12:15-3:00. Kevin will design a course that allows kids to really dig into Astronomy throughout that week.
Stargazing
For each of the weeks Kevin is at Hayground, he will be offering at least one Stargazing night where the community (Camp families but also non-camp families) are invited to join him in the evening to learn about and look at the stars through the new Hayground telescope and any other instruments that Kevin brings.
Artist-in-Residence
Kevin will come to Hayground on their week 2 (July 9-13) to build a 10" telescope! All materials have been ordered. Kevin will work out of the Woodshop and will get the job done. We expect that kids will become curious about his work and begin to ask him what is happening. He will use that curiosity as a way to talk to kids about astronomy and telescopes and big ideas. Maybe some kids will help him!
Aftercamp
Kevin will come again on week 4 (July 23-27) to work with 1:00-3:00 kids. Every day, he will offer astronomy to the kids for two periods. He will design small sessions that last about 45 minutes and do two of those sessions per day. He will work with Hayground to figure out how many kids he can take at a time and how many counselors he needs.
Camp
Hayground's 9-1 program will have Astronomy on the schedule during week 6 (August 6-10). Kevin will run three 50-minute sessions with kids of all different ages to give them a taste of Astronomy. They have kids from ages 3-13. Kevin will work with Hayground to figure out whether his workshops are appropriate for all ages or just some and how many kids he can take at any given time.
Visiting Scientist
Week 9 (August 27-31) is Hayground's Intensives Week. In the process of registering for Week 9, kids have to select a morning concentration and an afternoon concentration. The kids who sign up for Astronomy will be committed to that course for all five days from either 9:00-11:45 or 12:15-3:00. Kevin will design a course that allows kids to really dig into Astronomy throughout that week.
Stargazing
For each of the weeks Kevin is at Hayground, he will be offering at least one Stargazing night where the community (Camp families but also non-camp families) are invited to join him in the evening to learn about and look at the stars through the new Hayground telescope and any other instruments that Kevin brings.
