Space Camp Saturday: Cosmic Lens

Explore gravity, gravitational lensing, and the mysteries of dark matter in this family-friendly Space Camp Saturday! Space Camp Saturday – Monthly Exploration for the Whole Family Join us for Space Camp Saturday, a monthly hands-on exploration of hot topics in space science, typically held on the last Saturday of the month. Each event features a new theme, from space exploration to special relativity, led by special guests from the UBC Department of Physics and Astronomy. Families can enjoy interactive talks, demos, and activities designed to spark curiosity (recommended ages 10+). Space Camp Saturday is FREE FOR MEMBERS! Register here: https://go.spacecentre.ca/cosmic-lens-oct October: Cosmic Lens! Space Camp Saturday is back in October with an exciting new topic: Cosmic Lens! Join us on Saturday, October 24 from 1:30–4:00 PM at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre for an afternoon of discovery. This month, we’re meeting one week earlier since the last Saturday of the month falls on Halloween. Our featured talk: Searching for Nature’s Magnifying Glass to Decode the Dark Universe, will explore the history of gravity and how massive objects can bend and magnify light through gravitational lensing. Learn how this fascinating phenomenon gives scientists a powerful way to study dark matter, one of the universe’s greatest mysteries. To wrap up the afternoon, take part in a scavenger hunt through the Cosmic Courtyard! Follow the clues, explore the space around you, and complete the hunt to receive a special pin and certificate. Join us for an afternoon of interactive activities, demonstrations, and space science exploration as we uncover the mysteries of the Cosmic Lens! Featured Speaker: Hrishabh Srivastava Hrishabh Srivastava is an upcoming PhD student in Astronomy and a member of the Euclid Strong Lensing Science Working Group. After beginning his academic journey in engineering and data science at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, he transitioned into astrophysics to pursue his long-standing interest in astronomy. His research focuses on identifying strong gravitational lenses in Euclid images to better understand the Universe. Outside of research, he enjoys hiking, reading historical philosophy, and communicating science to wider audiences. Space Camp Saturday is FREE FOR MEMBERS! Register here: https://go.spacecentre.ca/cosmic-lens-oct