Learning is Fun at Gemini’s Viaje al Universo!

Gemini South scientist Pascale Hibon (left) chats with students from the San Joaquín school following the Career Panel event.

A week of fun, learning, and even humor highlighted Gemini Observatory’s 5th annual Viaje al Universo program in late October. This year nearly 4,000 local Chilean students, teachers, and the public joined Gemini and other local observatory staff in the program’s hands- and minds-on activities in classrooms and around town. The program’s annual Career Panel attracted over 100 students and teachers from the La Serena area, introducing them to the variety of staffing roles that observatories need to operate. Three guests from Spain brought the “Big Van: Scientists on Wheels” program to the community and amped up the excitement to astronomical levels! Finally, later this month, five students and one teacher from each of the participating Viaje al Universo schools will visit the Gemini South telescope for a glimpse into our mountaintop facility. We send special thanks to all of the staff from Gemini and other observatories and organizations who made this year’s program such a huge success.