GeminiFocus January 2017 | Page 24

Figure 2 . Gemini South Senior Electronic Technician Pedro Ojeda explains the function and features of astronomical telescopes to students at the
Colegio San Nicolás , in La Serena .
Figure 3 . Gemini South Public
Information Office team member Dalma
Valenzuela leads one of the Family Astro activities at the San Martin de Porres school , in Las
Compañías , La Serena .
and tours to the Gemini South telescope and its La Serena Base Facility . The idea was to give students , teachers , and parents more time than ever to attend these special activities , which are designed to help develop a long-term interest in astronomy .
Gemini ’ s Science Operations Specialist Erich Wenderoth kicked off Viaje al Universo 2016 with a public talk titled , “ A Walk through the Universe ,” which took the audience from the Solar System and beyond — from nebulae and clusters in our own Galaxy to other galaxies that reached the edge of the observable Universe . A near-capacity audience of more than 120 people of all ages attended this event , held at the Intendencia , the government house of the Region de Coquimbo in La Serena . At the end of the lecture , Wenderoth voiced his opinion on the importance of a prolonged Viaje event : “ Extending Viaje al Universo beyond the classic week of activities is a huge opportunity to reach a more diverse public interested in the development of science in Chile .”
During the week of October 24-28 , over 1,300 students were directly impacted with a variety of activities in different schools throughout La Serena . Over 30 classrooms
22 GeminiFocus January 2017