CATA joined the 2nd Curacaví Science Festival

The activity brought together 32 participating institutions, including exhibitors and schools of the commune, and was organized by PAR Explora RM Norte and the Municipality of Curacaví.

More than a thousand schoolchildren and neighbors enjoyed the 2nd Curacaví Science Festival, held on Wednesday, October 30. On this occasion, the Center for Astrophysics and Related Technologies (CATA) participated as a collaborator and installed a stand where visitors learned details about the Moon, the origin of its craters, the evolution of its surface, its cycles and its influence on the Earth. An activity where the astronomers associated with the Center Valentina Garrido (astronomer of the Catholic University) and Clemente Miranda (undergraduate student at the University of Chile) shared their knowledge with the attendees of this great meeting throughout the morning.

It was a day full of science, creativity and learning, with 32 entities involved. Among them several institutions linked to the study and dissemination of science and 18 schools and kindergartens of the commune of Curacaví, which also participated showing the experiments and projects carried out in the workshops of their respective educational centers.

“As CATA we are always eager to join this type of initiatives and contribute to the dissemination of astronomical knowledge among children and young people and thus awaken and channel an interest that in the long term could involve the formation of future researchers in the country. Due to Chile’s fundamental role in astronomical research, we are called to contribute with a large number of scientists in the future”, said José Utreras, in charge of Outreach Content at CATA.

Mario Chiong, director of PAR Explora RM Norte, an entity that was one of the organizers of this meeting, highlighted the realization of this type of actions and that they also have the support of institutions such as CATA.

“This type of activity is not only to get children interested in science, but also to allow them to experience it. Being part of their activity at school, working for a full year on their research project and then coming to a fair and communicating it to their classmates, allows an appropriation of knowledge that is not achieved with any other school method. The fact that some centers are joining in, such as CATA, for example, is also vital to achieve a wide range of science. Astronomy has always been a very attractive area, with a lot of curiosity for children to approach science and, therefore, the invitation to CATA is always very welcome, because it is also a way to approach areas that are very distant to them”.

The event featured thirty stands located in the center of Curacaví, in addition to a series of talks held in the Joaquín Blaya gym. Among these was a playful presentation called “It’s not magic, it’s science” and the exhibitions “Orion: the hunter with a leash of stars” and “The Lord of the Rings”.

In addition, the festival was an opportunity to incorporate environmental care issues, along with addressing different areas of science.