Get Hands-On With Solar Tsunamis At Taupō Museum

Taupō Museum’s newest exhibition allows visitors to get hands-on with magnets, play with a plasma ball, generate electricity, make an aurora, and much more.

Solar Tsunamis – Parawhenua Kōmaru, an exhibition developed by Tūhura Otago Museum, will be at Taupō Museum from 14 December to 27 January. It explores the science of space weather and explains how a phenomenon that produces our awesome aurora could also cripple our electricity and communication systems.

Interesting, interactive, and educational, this exhibition will teach visitors why space weather poses these risks and how an international research collaboration led by the University of Otago is preparing Aotearoa New Zealand’s response to a hazard that is out of this world.

As they explore the science showcase, visitors can investigate the conductivity of New Zealand’s landscape and track Earth’s magnetic field in real-time. They can even work together to protect a simulated power grid from powerful solar storms.

The creators of the exhibition say it is designed to engage all age groups and visitors young and old will be amazed by what they can learn. It will especially benefit intermediate and secondary school students as they develop their understanding of physics, geology, and the interconnectedness of Earth and space science.

Solar Tsunamis – Parawhenua Kōmaru runs from Saturday 14 December to Monday 27 January in Taupō Museum’s Main Gallery. Taupō Museum is open from 10am to 4.30pm daily and entry is free for Taupō District residents with proof of address.

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