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18 September 2008
HEAVENS ABOVE
Have you got a telescope languishing in your attic? A forgotten pair of binoculars at the back of the wardrobe? Then make the most of the dark winter nights by getting out and taking a look at the beautiful night skies. Find out how by coming to INTECH's Telescope Amnesty event on Wednesday 22nd October (for ages 8+).
This evening event is divided into two parts. Firstly, a FREE drop-in advice session (6:00pm - 7:45pm), then a very special planetarium show (8:00pm).
Bring your kit to INTECH for free advice on how to get the best from it. Volunteers from local astronomy societies and universities join members of the BBC Sky at Night team to help you use your equipment for an early evening observation on the INTECH terrace. While you're there, try out other equipment, get advice on what to buy (or not to buy!), and find out about local astronomical societies. INTECH's associates, the online astronomy group HantsAstro, are co-hosting this event. Ask them about their own free observing nights at the INTECH site. There are no tickets for this session - just drop in anytime from 6:00pm to 7:45pm.
After the advice session, there will be the live planetarium show ‘A Guide to the Splendours of the Winter Night Sky’, presented by Pete Lawrence and Ninian Boyle from the BBC’s Sky at Night team. Tickets for this show are £6/£5 and can be booked on (01962) 863791. Advance booking strongly recommended.
The INTECH Planetarium has been phenomenally successful since it opened at Easter. Visits to the Science Centre and Planetarium are currently 82% above last year. Other special events include monthly Space Lectures with visiting speakers, and on Saturday 4th October a day of activities brought to INTECH by Astrium (Europe’s leading space company) for World Space Week. Find out more at http://www.intech-uk.com.
21/03/08
UKs Largest Planetarium opens at
Intech Science Centre
On the 25th February we were invited to go to the press launch of Intech’s Science Centres new Planetarium, which just happens to be the largest in the UK and within easy reach of us.
As we had not been to Intech before we were surprised at the size of the Centre inside, giving it a feel of the Tardis.
We gathered in the planetarium and were treated to a range of screenings including a schools presentation, music / art presentation and a part of the Black Hole presentation which will be shown to visitors. We only saw a small part of this so are looking forward to seeing the rest soon, as we were both very impressed. The sound and visual effects are great, giving that feeling of being taken to other worlds and beyond.
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A visit to the Planetarium is an optional extra in addition to visiting the Science Centre but is well worth the additional £2 each.
I was able to take a quick look around the Science Centre while I was their and it’s a great place for Children and Adults alike to learn about science while enjoying all the interactive exhibits'. So as the Planetarium is now open (21st March) bring the family down to take a look, or just come without them and enjoy it yourself.
The Planetarium can be used for business presentations and training sessions and would give a professional feel to a new product launch.
The UK’s largest Planetarium will open at INTECH Science Centre , Winchester, this coming Easter. This huge domed cinema places you right in the action, giving the illusion of floating through space and time. Look out for the review in Community Times Alton, Alresford & villages magazine in April.
For more details go to www.intech-uk.com/folders/planetarium
CLEAR SIGNALS FROM INTECH
Mobile phones may be an essential part of our modern lives but they are only as good as the signal reception will allow. A new exhibit at the INTECH Science Centre, Winchester explains the science behind the mobile phone and provides an insight into the reasons for strong and weak signals. In true INTECH style the exhibit is fully interactive, fun to use and you learn something at the same time.
The exhibit has four themes and activities. By stepping on floor pads you can light up pictures of various appliances such as TV and radio and discover the frequency at which they operate. Then you can compare them to the mobile phone. The second activity challenges you to plan a mobile phone network, positioning phone masts among trees, buildings, hills and a tunnel in such a way as to achieve good signal coverage. Your results will be revealed as a mobile phone travels around the model. To illustrate facts about the cellular structure of a phone network a diagram of the country is divided up into cells and you learn fascinating facts as a model takes a tour around a landscape. Finally on a fun interactive TV monitor you see and hear how people experience poor and good phone reception depending on their location.
The exhibit, sponsored by the Mobile Operators Association, aims to make INTECH visitors aware that there is a lot more to making a call than they may realise and now they understand why the signal varies next time they are travelling around the country. Phil Winfield, INTECH’s director said ‘We strive to demonstrate the science behind everyday life and what could be more reflective of modern life than a mobile phone. We are grateful that the industry, through its Association, supported this interactive exhibit.’
Mike Dolan, Executive Director at the Mobile Operators Association said; “Mobile phones are an important part of our lives, there are 70 million mobile phones in use in the UK. This exhibit gives an insight into an everyday
INTECH is a unique, exciting interactive centre, with a stimulating and fun exhibition consists of 100 hands-on interactive exhibits.
Intech is administered by the educational charity, The Hampshire Technology Centre Trust Ltd, with the specific purpose of promoting the knowledge and understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
In 2002 INTECH was re-housed into a new 3,500 square metre purpose-built, award winning building at Morn Hill, near Winchester. The multi-million pound project was funded partly through the Millennium Commission, NTL, IBM, the DfES and DTI, SEEDA and HCC.
Aims of the Hampshire Technology Centre Trust Limited
To advance the education, knowledge and understanding of the public, in particular the young, in basic technological and scientific principles and processes, particularly through the improvement of links between industrial, commercial and educational bodies and institutions.
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