Stargazing Evening

 Jupiter and Jupiter’s Moon Io by Robert Altenburg (left)

After postponing the 2012 Winter Loreto stargazing evening on Wednesday, we crossed our fingers for the weather to help us having a look at the Universe tonight.

Unfortunately the clouds appeared while the telescopes were being assembled – but they were not enough to stop us from zooming in at the night sky.

Those who joined the Science Department last night were able to see what Galileo Galilee saw when he first pointed his telescope at Jupiter, the “king” of the planets, along with its 4  moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto .

Despite the cold, the brave Loreto girls and parents also learnt how to find Polaris (the North star), Betelgeuse and the Seven sisters.

The Loreto College stargazing evening was a success, and we hope we can count on more of you to come along next time.

Thanks to all those who came.

A big THANK YOU  to Setpoint Herts, Ms Ellis, Ms Hyslopp and Miss Vine for letting us borrow their binoculars and telescopes. Without them this would not have been possible.

The Sun Project

We sometimes take things for granted. Things like the food on our plate, the air we breathe, the water running from our taps. All of these would not be there if it wasn’t for our star, the Sun.
The Sun Project is an Astronomy and Engineering club.

The pupils involved have been developing solar panels to heat up water, investigating solar cells and how they can be used to build toys, or observing the surface of the Sun. Everyone is welcome to join at any time.

 

Solar storm, October 2003