The 15th Annual AstroDay is coming to Hilo’s Prince Kuhio Plaza on Saturday, April 30, 2016. Dozens of science and cultural organizations from around Hawaiʻi Island will engage participants with fun, educational activities. Entertainment by local performers will run throughout the day. For updates on the event, go to http://www.mkaoc.org/programming/astroday or Instagram (@hawaiiastroday).

Highlights include Starlab–a portable planetarium provided by Gemini Observatory, solar viewing by experienced science guides, and many other hands-on activities. Colorful and informative material will be available as well as displays from diverse organizations.

AstroDay also sponsors the 2016 Maunakea Coin Contest, a design competition that is open to all Hawaiʻi Island students prior to the event. The purpose of the contest is to promote awareness of the relationships between the science of modern astronomy and Hawaiian culture. Several category winners are chosen for the coin contest, but the overall selection is awarded as the official design of AstroDay 2016. The 2016 Coin Contest winners will be announced at the opening ceremony of the AstroDay program starting at 10AM. The design is then minted into a collectorʻs coin, available at AstroDay, as well as becoming the event logo for the following yearʻs AstroDay branding. See http://mkaoc.org/coin/2016 for more information and entry forms.

AstroDay is an annual event sponsored by the Maunakea Astronomy Outreach Committee (MKAOC). MKAOC is a partnership of scientists, administrators and educators in astronomy throughout the state of Hawaiʻi. The mission of MKAOC is to coordinate and organize the collective outreach efforts of the astronomy community and act as a forum for the astronomy community and related organizations to plan and coordinate outreach activities.