Unbeatable Weather

Set at 5,400 feet elevation (that’s a mile high!), the climate here can’t be beat—you get all four seasons with the additional bonus of a Southern California backdrop. The seasons are picturesque with the scent of lilacs in the air in spring, warm summers, vibrant autumn colors, and snowy winters. This incredible weather paves the way for this area’s most iconic attraction, its alpine forest abounding with wildlife.

Beautiful Forests & Adventure-full Hikes

The town is nestled within the San Jacinto Mountains and there’s no shortage of hiking trails. Plus, the trail system across the San Jacinto Mountains is shared between both Mount San Jacinto State Park and the San Bernardino National Forest—so any avid hiker is sure to find a path that suits them. 

There are easier shorter hikes, like the Panorama Point Trail that’s a one-mile loop with minimal elevation gain, perfect for kids and grandparents alike! If you’re looking for more of a challenge, there are a lot of options due to the significant elevation gain from most Idyllwild trailheads. For example, the Deer Springs Trail to San Jacinto Peak is an 18.4-mile out-and-back with a 5,300-foot elevation gain. 

Sweet, Eclectic Downtown

Another magical moment of this pine tree-dotted town is its artsy downtown. Home to a premier arts school Idyllwild Arts Academy and a destination for creatives The Art Alliance of Idyllwild, art and craftsmanship oozes into the streets creating a lively place to shop and eat. There’s a vintage candy shop, a record store with retro concert tees, and a purple cottage that sells loose-leaf tea. There are also lots of tasty local eateries that’ll fuel you up before or after one of those challenging (and rewarding) hikes.

Meet Max, The Golden Retriever Mayor

Yep, you read that right! Idyllwild’s mayor is an extremely pettable golden retriever named Max. He’s downtown nearly every day so you can hopefully grab a glance or a pet after shopping around or enjoying yummy local food. If you want to ensure a visit, you can email his office, at max@mayormax.com, and Chief of Staff Phyllis will let you know the Mayor’s downtown visiting schedule or can arrange a private visit for special events at the location where you are staying or at the Mayor’s home.

Join AstroCamp: An Idyllwild Summer Camp

As you can see, there are many reasons to love this town, but we love it because we get to call it home. AstroCamp’s campus is located in a beautiful, wooded area in the San Jacinto Mountains, providing 80 acres of mountain meadow that’s surrounded by pine, oak, and manzanita trees. Our facilities and labs offer state-of-the-art equipment for exploring physical and earth sciences and the natural world. 
If your child is looking for an unforgettable summer full of science, look no further than AstroCamp. (P.S. After dropping them off, might we recommend grabbing some doughnuts for the drive home.)

The post Discover the Magic of Idyllwild: Join Our Camp appeared first on AstroCamp.

Say Hello

First impressions are so important for making summer camp friends. Instead of waiting for other kids to approach first, encourage your child to be brave and make the first step. Remember, it’s probably just as scary for the other kids as it is for your child! But a big smile and laugh with a friendly “hello!” can easily erase their fears.  

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Asking honest and interesting questions is one of the best ways to make someone feel special, liked, and comfortable. After your child introduces themselves to another camper, they should ask about where they’re from, how old they are, where their bunk is at camp, or what activities they’re excited about. Not only will the other camper feel like your child genuinely cares about them, but this is a quick way to find similarities between the two kids. Maybe they’re in the same program, or come from the same state! 

Invite Others To Do Things Together

Camps are a great place to try out new experiences—but they’re so much more fun with a friend. After your child talks to someone, they should invite them to do something together. It can be as simple as walking from the bunk house to their first program, or trying a new activity that they’re both interested in! If it goes well, ask them to do something else. This will keep the connection going and form the foundation of a wonderful new friendship. 

Roleplay Conversations

Rehearse these kinds of conversations with your child so they feel prepared when they go off to camp. Practice saying hello, asking questions, and inviting them to do something together later. This is a great way to help kids overcome fears of conversation or rejection. Slip in some wildcards or interesting comments to make the roleplay a fun game!

Be Yourself

Kids can feel pressure to act differently in order to fit in, especially in a new place. But tell your child that they should never be ashamed of who they are. Pretending to be someone else is exhausting and will keep them from having fun at summer camp. It’s much easier and better to be genuine about who you are! Tell your child they don’t need to be friends with everyone, just the people who will like them for who they are. These are the friendships that can last a lifetime and help us become better people as we grow.

Learn How to Make Friends at Summer Camp at AstroCamp

Camp is the perfect place for any child to make new friends and develop important, lifelong social skills. At AstroCamp, we train our staff of friendly, passionate people to help every camper form a sense of independence, try new things, and develop their own individual character. AstroCamp is inclusive of all individuals, making our diverse community of students, campers, and staff a safe place for everyone to grow and develop. Here, your child can become the best version of themselves while having a blast learning about science!

Check out our summer camp’s dates and rates, and enroll today to help your child make friendships for a lifetime.

The post How to Make Friends and Have Fun at Summer Camp appeared first on AstroCamp.

We encourage you this Giving Tuesday to donate to STEM nonprofits. These organizations make it possible for kids of all ages to explore the wacky world of science and indulge in their sense of wonder. Here are six nonprofits we recommend donating to, where your dollar can make a real impact.

AstroCamp

More than just donating, you can support STEM by encouraging your child’s interest in science and adventure. At AstroCamp we do exactly that. Our labs and other activities immerse children in science and allow them to explore the subject safely and in their own way. We believe this is the most meaningful way to learn about science, and feel it generates a greater sense of understanding. 

While AstroCamp began as an educational experience, we’ve always recognized the power of the camp. It provides a safe and supportive environment for children to step out of their comfort zones and become the best version of themselves.

Guided Discoveries

AstroCamp is operated by Guided Discoveries, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make a difference in the lives of children through unique opportunities for discovery. With a contribution, you will join this mission. It’s a meaningful way to assist the program and make a real difference in a child’s life.

Guided Discoveries also has an opportunity to give to their financial aid fund. It’s a tax-deductible charitable gift to Guided Discoveries, Inc. to help support families who, without your support, might not be able to provide the magic of summer camp to their child.

California Association of Science Educators (CASE)

AstroCamp was founded as an educational experience, so we understand the importance of science educators. The California Association of Science Educators (CASE) is an advocacy group that offers a clear, unified voice for all science educators when it comes to state standards, instructional materials, and other issues affecting the quality of classroom instruction.

CASE recently published a paper outlining the challenges of bringing equitable access to high-quality science education to all classrooms across California, and how CASE and California residents can help. This ties into one of Guided Discoveries’ initiatives to bring science to all through our financial aid fund where you can sponsor a camper. 

Ocean Science Trust

California STEM nonprofits are near and dear to our hearts because both AstroCamp and Catalina Sea Camp (also operated by Guided Discoveries) are located in the golden state. That’s why we love the Ocean Science Trust, an independent non-profit created by a California statute. The trust is dedicated to accelerating progress towards a healthy and productive California ocean and coastline. 

The trust’s initiatives span a wide range of issues. One that we’re passionate about is its focus on shaping the science-policy workforce. Since the Ocean Science Trust’s founding, it has recognized the importance of broadening the link between science and policy by supporting graduate education in ocean sciences. This is accomplished by providing inclusive graduate education opportunities that strengthen the links between ocean science, educational institutions, and decision-making.

Technovation

By empowering girls to become leaders, creators, and problem solvers through technology education, Technovation encourages young women to work in teams to code mobile apps that address real-world problems. Since 2010, more than 39,000 girls from 100+ countries have created the tech needed to solve community problems. 

If you’re looking for inspiration or need an instant injection of hope for the future, we highly recommend checking out Technovation Girls 2022 Winners. Here’s a sneak peek: the grand prize winners of the 8 to 12-year-old division created an app that helps young people navigate puberty. They even developed an AI chatbot! 

Learning Undefeated

Learning Undefeated works hard to bring STEM programs to under-resourced communities in order to resolve some of the race and gender inequities in STEM. They provide equitable access to education and inspire students to imagine their own success through innovative and experiential education programs.

Donations to Learning Undefeated help fund their transformative STEM experiences. Keeping science education free for kids makes it possible to bring the life-changing power of STEM to students no matter what their background or circumstance. And through their hard work, they’ve hit the milestone of helping one million kids. 

Remember to Donate This GivingTuesday!

Be sure to commit an act of good this GivingTuesday—no matter if you give money to the nonprofits mentioned in this article, volunteer at your local soup kitchen, or donate to your favorite charity.

The post 6 Science Nonprofits to Donate to This Giving Tuesday appeared first on AstroCamp.

Get Outside

It’s summertime and the sun is shining, so why not go outside and play in the fresh air? Camp is the perfect opportunity to explore the great outdoors with friends and discover fun summer camp activities. Plus, playing outside invites you to explore the natural world and promotes physical health.

AstroCamp is located in the San Jacinto Mountains just two hours east of Los Angeles, California. Our beautiful 80-acre campus is on the edge of a mountain meadow surrounded by pine, oak, and manzanita trees. The warm, sunny weather of Southern California and our beautiful facilities make it easy for our campers to explore science and nature.

Get to Know Your Cabin Mates

What we love about summer camp is the endless possibilities of new friendships. When you get to know your cabin mates, you have the opportunity to make new friends. And through shared stories told from bunk to bunk, campers learn about others who come from different places, families, and unique cultures. You can learn a lot about the world by sharing experiences with new campers. 

The perfect way to end a day full of AstroCamp fun is by chatting with cabin mates about all the cool things you got to do and learn. Each cabin has six to 10 kids who eat meals and participate in group activities together. We encourage campers to think of camp as an opportunity to make as many new friends as possible. 

Get Involved in Summer Camp Activities

Summer camp is a great opportunity to try lots of different activities that you couldn’t normally do at home. Chances are, you don’t have welding equipment lying around, or a stage in your house. From archery and rock climbing to talent shows and welding, take advantage of all the things camp has to offer that you might not have access to back home. And the more activities you try the more you get to learn about yourself and what you’re capable of!

Campers will learn, grow, and have fun participating in AstroCamp’s most popular hands-on science labs and outdoor adventure activities in our sessions. We let campers choose their adventure from our unique, staff-created electives, so they’ll get excited about their epic summer camp experience in sunny California.

Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone

When you go to summer camp you get endless opportunities to safely step out of your comfort zone with trained counselors by your side. Now’s the time to zipline, build bottle rockets, learn metalsmithing, and practice archery—even if you’re a little nervous!

AstroCamp has so many unique activities for campers to try to push beyond their boundaries. If you tend to struggle with subjects like math and science at school, STEM-based hands-on activities might be better to help you learn. After challenging themselves in Robotics, campers can experience the thrill of our SkyCoaster and take their adrenaline for a spin. Or start your day with live-action role-playing and end with axe throwing practice. 

Be Sure to Pack the Essentials 

When planning to have the most fun at summer camp, you want to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything at home. You’d hate to sign up to hike only to realize you forgot boots! Printing out a packing list and checking items off can help ensure you have all the essentials in your bag.

Summer camp in California means there are specific items campers should pack to be prepared for the weather and outdoor activities. We offer summer camp packing lists for our one-week and two-week sessions so parents and campers won’t miss a thing. Here are a few clothing and items we recommend:

• Sunscreen
• A goofy costume
• Sleeping bag
• Closed-toe shoes

Ready to Make the Most of Your Summer Camp Experience?

It’s easy! Simply do the five ideas above, be open to new experiences, be a team player and you’ll have the best summer ever. We at AstroCamp are excited to help you make the most of your summer and are happy to answer any questions you have. 

If you’re excited about the endless opportunities this summer we’ve got good news! There are still openings in our 2022 camp sessions. Check out the dates and rates for both our one-week and two-week sessions—be sure to enroll fast, we already have a few waitlists! 

The post 5 Ways to Have the Most Fun at Summer Camp  appeared first on AstroCamp.

Earth’s Gravitational Pull

On Earth, we are pulled down towards the Earth at 9.81 meters per second squared, meaning that if we weren’t pressed up against the ground, our speed would increase by 9.81 meters per second every second! This is known as free fall. This is something that can be experienced during the initial phase of a skydive, during turbulence in an airplane, or while going down a steep part on a roller coaster. It is often accompanied by a weird queasy feeling in the stomach.
By taking a water bottle and drilling some holes in it, we can see why the astronauts are weightless. Both the bottle and the water are being subjected to Earth’s gravity. When the bottle is held still, the water falls out through the holes because gravity is pulling it down. Then, when the bottle is released, they are both pulled down at the same rate. With no difference in acceleration between them, the water floats happily inside the bottle and doesn’t go out the holes at all. This is actually what is happening to those astronauts.

Why Does the ISS Not Plummet Back to Earth?

When something is in orbit around the Earth, it is being pulled down by the force of gravity. For the ISS, this is about 9 meters per second squared! If the ISS wasn’t moving above the Earth, it would fall to the surface in less than an hour. However, Astronaut Scott Kelly was just on board for a year and didn’t plummet to his fiery doom. This is because the ISS is not staying still. Not even a little bit.
The ISS goes at about 17,000mph, which is over 10 times the velocity of a speeding bullet. This is entirely necessary, because as gravity yanks the ISS down towards the surface, the space station has moved far enough to miss the surface. This balance is very precarious. If the ISS were going faster, it would instead get farther away from the Earth each time and escape into space. If it were going slower, it would constantly get closer to the Earth, which is not what we want².
How do astronauts train to get used to this? Let’s go back to the water bottle demonstration again. Take a second to think: What would happen if instead of just dropping the water bottle, we threw it up in the air? Let’s take a look!

While you might think that the water will come out on the way up and stay in on the way down, it instead turns out that the water stays inside the bottle from the moment it is free of the hand. This means it is also in freefall while it is going up, which seems strange, but both the water and the bottle are subjected to the same gravity with no other outside forces for the same time. To train the astronauts, they do the same thing, but with an airplane. This plane, cleverly and unpleasantly known as the Vomit Comet, flies up and then coasts through the air, allowing it to continue up in a similar trajectory to the bottle. Then, before it hits the ground, the pilots pull up and go skyward for a bit before repeating the process again. As you can imagine, it’s enough to make anyone a little queasy³.

To learn more about gravity, astronauts, and space, sign up for AstroCamp today. Dates and rates are now live for next summer, and we hope to see you there for all of our space camp activities!

¹Image: Satoshi Furukawa floats aboard the ISS. Photo credit: NASA
²This is a real issue. The ISS slows down slightly due to the outer reaches of the Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, they use thrusters to get back up to speed about once a month!
³Image: Trajectory for the Vomit Comet. Courtesy of NASA

Written By: Scott Alton

The post Why do Astronauts Float in Space? appeared first on AstroCamp.

NASA’s first launch of Orion draws closer!
The new spacecraft is fascinating, and models of it were difficult to find, so we designed our own! This is the result!
For those of you who don’t know, Orion is NASA’s new spacecraft, filling the role of the retired space shuttle program. It is designed with versatility in mind, so if you go searching for pictures of it, you are likely to find lots of different things. In the video, the red piece that snaps on top is the Orion capsule, and is included in any of the pictures you will find, but the other modular parts change drastically.
One of the lesser known features is the Launch Abort System, which attaches to the top of the capsule during its ride into space on a Delta Heavy Rocket. Future launches will instead use the Space Launch System (SLS) which is still in development. The Launch Abort System is an added safety mechanism designed to pull the capsule–and crew inside–away should anything go wrong with the rocket behind them! This is the gray piece on the top.
The bottom gray pieces are the propulsion system. This is probably the most widely varied part of the Orion Spacecraft in pictures that you will see. The solar panels fold out–a feature that didn’t quite make it into the 3D printed version (although they do fold on a single hinge!) and that portion can also separate from the larger propulsion system sitting below.
Perhaps if there is interest, we’ll put together another video showing how each of the components work!
NASA’s Orion Spacecraft will make its first foray into space on December 4th, from Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex!

The post NASA’s Orion Spacecraft AstroCamp Style appeared first on AstroCamp.

The post Liquid Nitrogen Pool Exploration appeared first on AstroCamp.