Summer Activity 2009 - At Caithness Horizons

8th July 2009

The weather might have turned cooler this week, but there's plenty to do at Caithness Horizons during the summer months. Whether it's watching the sky, painting a picture or treading the boards, the message at the new Thurso museum is: Heritage is definitely huge fun.

Already brightening the walls of the Caithness Horizons café is an exhibition of 'Astro-Art'. The Caithness Astronomy Group has developed a year-long programme of activities to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy 2009. As part of this programme, they held a competition amongst Caithness schools, and the resulting art work is on show in Caithness Horizons until 19th July, along with some incredible astrophotography by local amateur photographers, Stewart Watt, and Bill and Christine Eaves.

To highlight the astronomy theme, and in the month that sees the 40th anniversary of the first Moon landing, the café is also showing a slideshow of selected images from the Hubble Telescope and the NASA space programme. Meanwhile, showing at 2pm daily in the 28-seater Caithness Horizons AV Room, is a full-length [60 minute] film called 'Eyes on the Skies' made by the European Southern Observatory to celebrate 400 years of the Telescope.

A more hands-on approach to the lofty subject of the sky will be taken during two afternoons of family Astronomy Fun. On the afternoons of 15th and 17th July, the whole family can drop into Caithness Horizons to experiment with making paper rockets, painting a planet, - even figuring out the scale of the Solar System using toilet roll.

Every Thursday afternoon during the school holidays will offer a different themed activity, including exploring fossils, Viking runes, natural history, art and weaving.

Lyth Arts Centre and Eden Court Theatre will work with Caithness Horizons during the last week in July. As part of Lyth's community arts project, '2009: Sinclair Odyssey', Iain Macdonald will run free drama workshops for young people aged 9+. The idea is to look at some of the stories associated with the Sinclair clan, and dramatise them. Participants then have the chance to show off their performances if they take part in 'The Gathering', another 'Odyssey' event at Sinclair Girnigoe Castle on Saturday 1st August.

1st-19th July
Astro-Art Exhibition,
Astronomy slideshow
'Eyes on the Skies' - film screened daily 2-3pm
FREE

Wed. 15th and Fri.17th July, 2-4pm
Astronomy Fun - Drop-in session for all the family
FREE

Thursday's 9th July - 13th August, 2-4pm
Activity Workshops for ages 9+ (- a different theme each week): Fossils, Vikings, Natural History, 'A Sinclair Odyssey', Art Project - 'Old Thurso', Weaving
BOOKING ESSENTIAL - £2 per session

Mon 27th - Fri. 31st July, 10.30am-12.30pm
Drama Workshops - '2009: A Sinclair Odyssey'
BOOKING DESIRABLE - FREE


FOR INFORMATION OR TO BOOK FOR ALL THE ABOVE:
Tel. 01847 896508 info[AT]caithnesshorizons.co.uk