Description
The Nakhon Ratchasima Regional Observatory provides services such as planetarium shows, astronomy exhibitions, and stargazing activities with telescopes for schools, organizations, and the general public. Due to the high number of visitors and the limited capacity for group visits to the planetarium and exhibitions, we have designed activities and produced astronomy media as alternatives. These activities aim to enhance astronomical learning skills, inspire interest, and develop skills in using astronomical equipment through a STEM approach. They align with existing astronomy curricula in schools, covering topics such as the occurrence of day and night, the changing seasons, Moon phases, the Sun's rotation, measuring star distances using parallax, calculating crater sizes on the Moon, the solar system model, zodiac constellations, celestial sphere rotation, H-R diagrams, stellar evolution, and telescope usage.
Schools can choose activities based on their available time. For the general public, family-oriented sessions are available twice a month on Saturdays. Feedback indicates that the observatory has been able to accommodate an increasing number of schools with over 150 students. Sometimes, smaller schools with fewer than 50 students also show interest in supplementary activities. According to satisfaction surveys, students have gained more knowledge, enjoyed the activities, and improved their skills in using astronomical equipment.
