MSEC Space Saturdays | GMU College of Science

Opportunities for Adventure and Learning at the Mason Space Exploration Center

A university student in a green shirt explains the instruments of the telescope to several middle schoolers.

Join us for Solar Saturdays, a two-hour workshop designed to ignite your child’s passion for space and science. Each session offers a unique, hands-on experience that includes:

Explore one of the largest on-campus observatories on the East Coast, where your child will get a close-up look at cutting-edge space research.
Observing the Sun (with proper safety measures, of course) and its fascinating features using a state-of-the-art solar telescope.
Creating a scale model of the Solar System. Engage in an interactive activity where your child will create their very own scale model of the Solar System, learning about the vast distances and sizes of planets.

New activities are on the horizon, making Solar Saturday a must-attend event for young space enthusiasts. Don’t miss this opportunity to combine education with excitement—register now for Solar Saturday and watch your child’s curiosity about the cosmos take flight.

Many students are gathered the Geller Telscope. Here they are below the eyepiece, but as it is daytime, not looking through it.

Registration for Solar Saturday is now open!

Spend your weekend with MSEC

Registration:

Registrations for Solar Saturday cost $50 per camper per block (price subject to change). Each Solar Saturday will be comprised of two Blocks, one AM Block from 10:00 AM to noon for grades 4 & 5, and one PM block from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM for grades 6-8. It is advised to not sign up for both blocks in one day, as activities will be the same between both sessions. Additionally, the content between dates will be equivalent for all sessions in the fall. However, new activities will be present in the spring.

The program will return in February 2025 under a new name. All other logistical details, such as cost or location, remains the same. Registration for Space Saturdays is open on the TouchNet Portal. Select "Space Saturdays" to register early for the spring.

Location:

Pickup and Dropoff, along with parking, for both will be held at Exploratory Hall. We will send specific instructions two weeks before your scheduled date.

Grade Levels:

The recommended grade levels for this activity are 4-8. Registrants currently enrolled grades 4 & 5 will be included within the "Junior Group" and registrants currently enrolled within grades 6 - 8 will be included within the "Senior Group". For alternative placements or registrations outside of the demographic, please contact camp administration.