Astronomical delights await all at open house

The sky’s the limit for keiki and families to get to know more about astronomy at this year’s free open house at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy in Manoa.

Popular keiki activities returning are face-painting; making "comets" out of shave ice, dirt and liquid nitrogen; launching water pressure-powered bottle rockets; and making solar clocks.

New this year will be a robot-building station using Lego Mind­storms materials. If Lego is your passion, the Lego Enthusiasts of Hawaii will build a replica of a moon base.

Attendees can view the sun and its sunspots through special telescopes (weather permitting) and see how a giant Fresnel lens can harness the power of the sun to do things like pop popcorn and melt pennies.

Even though it’ll be daytime in Hawaii, it’s dark on the other side of the world, and staffers will remotely control a telescope in Africa and take photos of the night sky there.

A variety of talks throughout the day will round out the open house, touching on topics including solar eclipses and fun facts about the universe. — Gary Chun

Expo touts environment

Commemorate Earth Day local style at the Mauka to Makai Expo from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 13 at the Waikiki Aquarium.

The free expo will feature exhibits and games that focus on how to protect and preserve our environment. Kids can participate in crafts or participate in a fish-feeding activity.

Complete an activity and receive one of 500 Native Hawaiian plants or watch sea urchins that were raised at the aquarium be released on the beach at 11:30 a.m.

There will be free admission to the aquarium, and parking will be available at Waikiki Elementary School with a trolley providing free shuttle service from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For information: www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com. — Star-Advertiser staff