From Pinholes to Space Telescopes - November 4, 2025

Registration closes Sunday, October 26 at 11:59pm Pacific Time

Workshop takes place Tuesday, November 4, 2025 4 - 6pm PT / 7 - 9pm ET

While most people have a basic idea about how telescopes work, they frequently don't know how they use lenses and mirrors together to organize light to form images of distant objects. The behavior of light is examined with a pinhole viewer and lenses of different focal lengths. Scaffolded explorations of the properties of both light and lenses will help develop a more complete understanding, culminating in the construction of a simple telescope. Prior to the workshop, participants will receive a toolkit for use during the workshop. Participants will receive a certificate of completion for participating in 3 clock hours of professional development.

Participants will gain the following through participation in the workshop:

• Hands-on experience with investigations of light and optics
• An education toolkit with the materials needed for implementing workshop investigations (additional shipping charges may apply outside of the continental US*)
• A digital toolkit with the resources needed for conducting workshop investigations 
• Strategies we have found successful at engaging learners of all ages
• Access to astronomy experts who will facilitate the workshop
• A certificate of completion for participating in 3 clock hours of professional development.

* Registrants from Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and US Territories may be required to cover additional shipping charges.

Workshop participants must:

• Work or volunteer as an educator, preferably at a school or an afterschool program located in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, or Mexico.
• Attend one live two hour webinar
• Have access to a reliable high-speed internet connection.

Registration: $95 all inclusive of materials and shipping to locations within the continental U.S.

* Participants from Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and US Territories may be required to cover additional shipping charges.

Attendance/Refund Policy

Live attendance is strongly encouraged and expected in order to get the most out of the interactive session. Full refund is available for cancellations up to 14 days prior to the start of the workshop. If you need to cancel please email learn@astrosociety.org.