The kit focuses on activities involving refraction, lenses, image formation, and telescopes. The kit contains a laser, a variety of lenses, velum screens, and several build-your-own telescope kits.

The workshop will impart the skills necessary for participants to lead activities as part of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). Our workshop will give participants a series of activities they can use at their home institution to lead activities for the public and students where they can learn how a telescope works and build their own small telescopes. The activities we present are suitable for use in a variety of settings including museums, planetariums, schools, university outreach efforts, and astronomy club events.

We will also have a variety of small telescopes on hand for participants to test. Workshop participants will evaluate the design and image quality of a variety of telescopes and compare the image quality of different eyepieces.

Participants in this workshop will have an opportunity to lead further IYA activities and to receive additional kits and materials. The goal of IYA is to sites around the country to lead optics activities where people learn about light and build their own telescopes.