ʻImiloa Astronomy Center launches online program for families

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
Contact:
Yu Yok Pearring, 8087472328
Marketing Director , ʻImiloa Astronomy Center
Moanikeʻala Nabarro , (808) 600-4084
Spokesperson, UH Office of Communications
Posted: Apr 5, 2020

 ʻImiloa created the program to educate everyone about Hawaiian culture and science. 
 ʻImiloa created the program to educate everyone about Hawaiian culture and science. 
A Hawaiʻi Island ʻohana works on putting together a Hawaiian moon phase dial.
A Hawaiʻi Island ʻohana works on putting together a Hawaiian moon phase dial.

LINK TO VIDEO AND SOUND (details below): https://bit.ly/3bSUZ5U

WHO - ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo 

 WHAT - ʻImiloa is offering free online educational resources for keiki and ʻohana. The new virtual program, ʻImiloa@Home features engaging activities and videos about native plants/species, Hawaiian navigation, constellations and astronomy. 

 WHY - In order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, ʻImiloa is closed to the public through April. 

 OTHER FACTS

  •  ʻImiloa is a 40,000-square-foot exhibition and planetarium complex above the UH Hilo campus that opened its doors in 2006. 
  • ʻImiloa attracts about 100,000 visitors each year to learn about Polynesian voyaging, Hawaiian culture and mythology, Maunakea observatories and the center’s planetarium. 

  • The center’s mission is to educate the public on parallels between Hawaiian culture and western science.

  • A Hua He Inoa, a project spearheaded by ʻImiloa that gives Hawaiian speaking students an opportunity to name astronomical discoveries has garnered international attention.

VIDEO BROLL (1 minute 50 seconds)

  • Shots of ʻImiloa@Home website

  • Family working on ʻImiloa@Home Hawaiian moon phase project  

  • Kamehameha butterfly project 

  • Backyard Constellation video lesson 

  • File: ʻImiloa exterior/interior shots 

 SOUNDBITES: 

Kaʻiu Kimura/ UH Hilo 'Imiloa Astronomy Center (10 seconds)

“I think it is really important for us to and even more so now than ever, perhaps connect with our natural and native environment that’s so unique here in Hawaiʻi.”

 Kimura (12 seconds)

“We hope that the ‘Imiloa educational resources that we are putting out there online is just yet another way to help keep our families active and learning about what it is that makes Hawaiʻi so unique and so special which ultimately is ʻImiloa’s mission.”