Last weekend, the UAA Astronomy Club students accompanied by our Physics Teachers Betül Karagöz and Müge Bal, were in Bursa-GUHEM; one of the most important space and aviation centers in Turkey, as part of a program specially prepared for UAA students.
After starting the day with the basic aviation workshop and the history of aviation exhibition, our students practiced a realistic flight on the Cessna 172 simulator. Then, they created and competed their own model airplanes in the workshop. After receiving comprehensive information about aviation, they visited the F4 American aircraft that took part in the Vietnam War and the cockpit of the Turkish Airlines aircraft.
In the second half of the day, our students learned about the Solar System, the Big Bang and the evolution of the stars by experiencing many physics experiment sets. The most enjoyable moment of the day was the moon walk with the VR-1/6 Gravity Simulator and experiencing the space conditions with the Multi-axis Simulator.
Our students ended the day by participating in a workshop in the Astrobiology Laboratory that changed their perspectives on space and the universe. They learned about the possibility of life in space and examined microorganisms exposed to space conditions with a microscope.
Our students, who left GUHEM with unforgettable memories and brand new knowledge, will repeat this trip, which reinforced their love and curiosity for astronomy.