Astronomy Camps for Teens
We are very pleased to be offering Beginning and Advanced Astronomy Camps for teenagers from around the world. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Beginning Camp! These camps provide a unique educational experience not available anywhere else in the United States. We encourage any student with a particular interest in math, science, optics, or astronomy to apply. We do plan leisure time for recreational activities, and the "hands-on" projects are challenging and fun, but first and foremost these camps are designed as academic adventures.
Astronomy Camp engages students in the concept of doing science and engineering. It therefore reinforces school subjects and provides glimpses into future career areas. Students will develop scientific skills of experimentation and data collection by using some of the many facilities which have given Tucson the title "Astronomy Capital of the World." Daily lectures on scientific topics of current interest are also presented. This program is combined with a number of other fun activities relating to the unique environment of the Southwestern Desert.
Steward Observatory astronomer Donald W. McCarthy is the Camp Director. Serving as camp counselors and teaching assistants are astronomy graduate and undergraduate students who guide the campers through the adventure that real "hands-on" science has to offer. The Director and counselors are with the students full time throughout the week. Guest lecturers include astronomers, engineers, and space artists from other universities, NASA facilities, and research groups from around the U.S.
Tuition ($900 for Beginning Camp; $950 for Advanced Camp) includes lodging, meals, transportation in Tucson, and all materials. Partial tuition scholarships are available based on financial need. These scholarships come from former adult campers, from NASA Space Grant programs at UA and NAU, the Planetary Science Institute, and from the Dudley Observatory in Schenectady, NY.
BEGINNING CAMP - Offered to 13-14 year olds, this camp is for students who have a strong interest in science, astronomy, and engineering. Upon arrival, students will travel to Mt. Lemmon Observatory about 1.5 hours drive north of Tucson. There they will immediately become astronomers, doing hands-on projects at the 12, 40, and 60-inch telescopes for seven nights. Observing projects include astronomical photography, spectroscopy, electronic photometry, CCD imaging, participation in basic physics experiments, computer simulations and developing skills in navigation by the sun and stars. On the last night the famous 61-inch Kuiper telescope on Mt. Bigelow is available.
During daytime hours, students undertake a variety of hands-on projects in science and engineering, measure solar activity, interact with professional astronomers on modern research topics, hike the Solar System to scale in the unique mountain environment, play volleyball in the gymnasium, and even eat ice cream cooled by liquid nitrogen.There are also hikes around the Mt. Lemmon area to introduce basic concepts of ecology, geology, and orienteering as well as a "behind-the-scenes" tour of Kitt Peak National Observatory.
Students sleep in the astronomers' dormitories along with the adult counselors and Director. Boys' and girls' dorms are separate. Students and adult leaders also work as a team to prepare meals and clean the facilities.
Here is a sample schedule from the 2005 Beginning Teen Camp. Download movies of two Camp activites: Solar observing (9 Mbytes) at the 12-inch telescope and Newton's Cars (18 Mbytes).
Descriptions of the Camp experience are found in this article written by Dr. Susan Kern: "A Day in the Life of an Astronomy Camper" and also on David Levy's "Let's Talk Stars". This radio program featured the 2004 Beginning Camp including many student interviews. You can download the audio version (August 10, 2004) of this program if your computer is equipped with Real Player.
Apply for the next Beginning Camp to be held June 6-13, 2008.
Beginning Campers from 2005 take in a scenic view on Lemmon Rock Lookout midway through hiking our Solar System to scale.
ADVANCED CAMP - Offered to 14-19 year olds, this camp is for students who have completed either Algebra II or Geometry and have an interest in astronomy. Students are housed on Mt. Lemmon for eight nights and seven days to allow maximum time on the telescopes. Each team completes one or more research projects to present to the group. Research activities include astronomical photography, spectroscopy, electronic photometry, and CCD imaging for studies involving variable stars, spectral classification, asteroid orbit determination, etc. A day trip to observatories on Kitt Peak, Mt. Hopkins, or Mt. Graham is also included.
Students sleep in the astronomers' dormitories along with the adult counselors and Director. Boys' and girls' dorms are separate. Students and adult leaders also work as a team to prepare meals and clean the facilities.
Here is a sample schedule from the 2005 Advanced Teen Camp. Also, check out the Mercury article for a more in-depth look at what goes on during an Advanced Teen Camp.
Descriptions of the Camp experience from former students are
found in "Astronomy Camp Adventures"
published in Universe Today by Ms. Yvette Cendes, in this poem
written by Ms. Lindsay Renick-Mayer who attended in
1999, and in this article
written by Ms. Kristina Nyland who attended in 2001 and 2002. Yvette is a junior physics major at Case Western Reserve University.
Lindsay was Wisconsin's Journalist of the Year and is now studying journalism
at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Kristina is now majoring in physics/astronomy at the University of Michigan.
Apply
for the next Advanced Camp to be held June 23 - July 1, 2008.
(Left) Advanced Campers obtaining radio wavelength spectra at the SubMillimeter Telescope under the guidance of counselor Dr. Craig Kulesa. (Right) In front of one 8.4 meter mirror at the Large Binocular Telescope.
Back to the
Astronomy Camp Home Page.
Last modified: Sunday Feb. 17, 2008