On October 1, 12:15pm to 1:15pm, the Sonoma County Library will connect local students via amateur radio with astronaut, Nick Hague, aboard the International Space Station (ISS), a unique and inspirational event following a month of educational space activities held at library branches throughout the county.

“The library encourages everyone to pursue interests in science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to talk to an astronaut on the International Space Station and experience radio science technology,” said Sonoma County Library Events Specialist Megan Backus.

The ISS contact will occur on October 1, from 12:15pm to 1:15pm. The Central Library will host an event where 8th grade students from Santa Rosa Middle School will pose questions to astronaut Nick Hague through a Telebridge radio link.

The library collaborated with Sonoma County Radio Amateurs to pursue the ISS opportunity and is partnering with the Robert Ferguson Observatory to provide a variety of space-related educational STEAM programs at branches across the county in September through early October.

The library is also sponsoring a countywide Out Of This World Art Contest, asking youth in grades K-9 to submit original artwork depicting what they imagine they would see through the window of the ISS. The contest ends on September 21.

Participation in the art contest and attendance at any of the space events will earn children in grades K-9 raffle tickets to win an Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Telescope, donated by the Robert Ferguson Observatory and Active 20-30 Club of Santa Rosa.

Visit sonomalibrary.org/space to learn more about the space events happening at various Sonoma County Library branches and the ISS contact.

The amateur radio contact is made possible by the ARISS project. Sonoma County Library was selected as one of 13 organizations across the country to host amateur radio contact with the ISS.