Speaker
Description
Astronomy outreach activities often depend on weather conditions and clear skies. On cloudy or rainy nights, or before the sky becomes dark enough, telescope observations cannot be carried out as planned. Therefore, one of the main challenges in astronomy outreach is not only organizing stargazing activities, but also creating meaningful learning experiences that can continue even when the sky cannot be observed. This idea led to the development of the Learning Space at the Regional Observatory for the Public, Khon Kaen.
The Regional Observatory for the Public, Khon Kaen, under the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), organizes NARIT Public Night every Saturday throughout the year from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The program allows visitors to explore astronomy through telescope observations. To address this challenge, the observatory developed the Learning Space, an indoor area where visitors can continue learning while waiting for darkness or when sky observations are not possible. The Learning Space follows an interactive learning approach and includes three main areas: the Kids Zone, which offers simple activities for children; the Toy Zone, where visitors can enjoy educational toys and learning materials; and the Workshop Zone, where visitors take part in simple hands-on activities. Workshop topics change every week to provide new learning experiences and encourage visitors to return.
The Learning Space was designed to support continuous astronomy learning alongside telescope observations. It offers hands-on activities for visitors of all ages and provides greater flexibility for public outreach programs at the observatory. This case study shows that a well-designed learning space can enhance visitors' learning experiences and provide an effective approach to astronomy outreach when weather conditions limit telescope observations.
