Market Square welcomes SpaceBurgh for a day of experiments, education and fun
Jordan Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Four-year-old Domenico Shanefelt is obsessed with space. He can relate facts his parents didn’t even realize he knew, finding videos about eclipses and black holes on YouTube.
Asked to name his favorite planet, he has a quick answer, “Mars!” Domenico said from his stroller. He made sure to wear one of his many space-themed shirts, opting for one with a spaceship across the front.
Parents Michelle and Gregg, of Braddock, knew this was where they had to spend their Saturday afternoon – at Pittsburgh’s first “SpaceBurgh.”
Domenico had already picked up a “SpaceBurgh” embroidered patch, played with lightsabers and drove some space rovers.
“I think there's something for all ages here, really,” said Ms. Shanefelt. “It's a nice introduction to a lot of STEAM and STEM stuff related to space. He's so excited about it. He’s looking at everything.”
SpaceBurgh took over Market Square on Saturday to celebrate all things robotics, space science and science fiction, with the hopes of inspiring and educating the public about the wonders of space through interactive exhibits and demonstrations.
The festival concluded with a fireside chat with local astronaut Woody Hoburg.
Daniel Andre, who runs “Knights of the Classroom” in Western Pennsylvania, wanted to take visitors on an educational, interactive voyage through globes and models he’s handmade of mapped planets, moons and asteroids. He also uses beads and water bottles in an experiment to show people how much they would weigh on different planets.
“As an educator, I want everybody to understand practically what it would be like in a real life experience,” he said. “The more senses we involve, the more the learning is going to take root.”
Mr. Andre said he has presented his work since 1987 to more than 100,000 people of all ages. Whether it’s schools, libraries, universities or scout troops, the self-proclaimed “space nerd” shares his knowledge with anyone who wants to hear it. SpaceBurgh is yet another way to continue his mission of educating people about the wonders of space.
“It doesn't matter if you're 2 or whether you're 102, we can all learn,” he said.
For the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh, sponsoring the event was a way to get the word out about one of the largest and oldest such groups of its in the country. The association boasts about 400 members, and it looked like they would be adding a few more after the event. Patrick Rieger has been a member with his wife, Gayle, since 2011.
Passersby were eager to ask Mr. Rieger questions about the displayed photographs, some of which association members took with their own telescopes, or the 3-D models representing galaxies that would be difficult to see well in a picture. Getting the public interested in the hobby of astronomy has always been a focus of the AAAP.
The organization hosts public “Star Parties” at its Wagman Observatory in Deer Lakes Park and the Mingo Creek Park Observatory in Washington County to showcase celestial events, such as meteor showers.
“This gives us a chance to show people the universe,” Mr. Rieger said. “We're always trying to get people to come to our Star Parties. A few people today have already said, ‘I want to join. How do I join?’”
The event also kicked off Pittsburgh's first-ever "Space Week," officially designated by City Council and local space industry leaders in partnership with SpaceBurgh.
While honoring the city’s history and contributions to space science, the Saturday affair attracted one family all the way from Washington D.C., who were visiting Pittsburgh for the weekend.
Nikolai Joseph and his wife, Jessica Varet, brought along their two kids, Hatcher, 6 and Marcus, 3. Mr. Joseph worked for NASA for 10 years, so SpaceBurgh felt like an opportunity to get the kids engaged in learning about space. They decided to take a break from the educational activities when a Star Wars-inspired lightsaber demonstration caught their attention.
“It’s one of these things where everybody finds a different side of it that they like, like sci-fi,” Mr. Joseph said. “Or some people just think the exploration side is exciting. I think it's super cool.”