Do they launch anything?

Model rockets, yes, with the flight predicted on paper before it leaves the pad.

Is there a telescope night?

Where the camp site allows it. Otherwise the observation work is done with real archived imagery.

What ages get the most out of it?

Nine and up, though seven-year-olds do fine with the building half.

Space & Astronomy Summer Camp in Merced County, CA

Merced County is one of 58 counties in California. Space & Astronomy Summer Camp works the same way here as anywhere: give a child a problem too hard to guess at, then refuse to hand them the answer.

Ages 7-14 · For families · California · West

Space & Astronomy Summer Camp — Ellis Abel Learns STEM summer camp materials used in Merced County, CA

What the week actually is

Space is the best bait in STEM and the easiest to waste. This week uses it properly: orbital mechanics as ratio problems, rocket stability as a physics argument, distance to Mars as an exercise in numbers too big to feel.

Day by day

Scale: how far is far
Build the rocket, predict the flight
Launch and measure the error
Orbits as ratio problems
Showcase: present the flight data

Merced County, CA — what applies locally

Merced County is one of 58 counties in California.
Every public school district inside Merced County is eligible for the district licensing terms.
State: California · Region: West

Questions we get from Merced County, CA

Do they launch anything?: Model rockets, yes, with the flight predicted on paper before it leaves the pad.
Is there a telescope night?: Where the camp site allows it. Otherwise the observation work is done with real archived imagery.
What ages get the most out of it?: Nine and up, though seven-year-olds do fine with the building half.

Other camp themes in Merced County

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Space Camp elsewhere in California

Alameda County, CACounty Alpine County, CACounty Amador County, CACounty Butte County, CACounty Calaveras County, CACounty Colusa County, CACounty Contra Costa County, CACounty Del Norte County, CACounty

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