Space Camp Saturday: Particle Physics

Join us every last Saturday of the month for Space Camp Saturday, a hands-on boot camp into hot topics in space science. Each month brings a new theme—from space exploration to special relativity—led by special guests from the UBC Department of Physics and Astronomy. Families can enjoy interactive talks, demos, and activities designed to spark curiosity (recommended ages 10+).

Space Camp Saturday is FREE FOR MEMBERS! Register here: https://go.spacecentre.ca/vPM3io

Space Camp Saturday is back in May with an intriguing topic: Particle Physics! Join us on Saturday, May 30, from 12–3PM at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre for an afternoon of discovery.

Start with a scavenger hunt - Explore the Cosmic Courtyard while guided by the scavenger hunt. Complete it for a pin and certificate!
Next, watch our immersive planetarium show - Phatom of the Universe
Phantom of the Universe is an an exciting exploration of dark matter, from the Big Bang to its anticipated discovery at the Large Hadron Collider. The film will reveal the first hints of its existence, describing the astral choreography in the Andromeda galaxy, all while learning how scientists around the world are collaborating to track down the constituents of dark matter.

Then continue with our feature talk, Particle Physics at the LHC: Searching for Dark Photons with the ATLAS Detector, presented by Khurshid Usmanov from the UBC Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Dark matter remains one of the deepest mysteries in physics: invisible to us, yet essential to understanding the universe. One possibility is that dark matter may be connected to hidden particles such as dark photons, which could leave rare and unusual signatures in particle detectors.
This talk explores how physicists use muons, heavy relatives of the electron, in the ATLAS experiment at CERN to search for dark photons and other long-lived particles that could reveal new physics beyond the Standard Model. ATLAS records the aftermath of particle collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider, a 27-kilometre accelerator buried underground near Geneva. By tracing these unusual signals, scientists can use collider experiments to probe the fundamental building blocks of nature and search for phenomena that have never been seen before.

Speaker Bio:
Khurshid Usmanov is a MSc student in Physics at the University of British Columbia and TRIUMF, where he works on the ATLAS experiment at CERN. His research focuses on long-lived particles and dark sectors, with an emphasis on displaced-muon signatures and physics beyond the Standard Model. He holds a BSc in Mathematical Physics from the University of Waterloo, with minors in Pure Mathematics and Astrophysics. Beginning in September, he will join the TRIUMF Theory Group as an incoming PhD student. Passionate about science outreach, he enjoys sharing the excitement of particle physics with broader audiences. Originally from Uzbekistan, he values bringing his Uzbek cultural background into global scientific communities through both research and outreach.

Collect the pieces of your blown mind and dive into a scavenger hunt designed to spark curiosity and exploration. Complete the challenges in the activity guide and earn your certificate!

This is your chance to explore another one of the Universe’s most fascinating phenomena in a fun, family-friendly environment, perfect for budding astronomers and space enthusiasts (recommended ages 10+).

Space Camp Saturday is FREE FOR MEMBERS! Register here: https://go.spacecentre.ca/vPM3io

Info: Follow along and complete tasks from our activity guide specially curated for this event to take you on a journey of exploration and learning! Collect your certificate at the end of the adventure!

Info: Phantom of the Universe is an exciting exploration of dark matter, from the Big Bang to its anticipated discovery at the Large Hadron Collider. The film will reveal the first hints of its existence, describing the astral choreography in the Andromeda galaxy, all while learning how scientists around the world are collaborating to track down the constituents of dark matter.

Info: Dark matter remains one of the deepest mysteries in physics: invisible to us, yet essential to understanding the universe. One possibility is that dark matter may be connected to hidden particles such as dark photons, which could leave rare and unusual signatures in particle detectors.

This talk explores how physicists use muons, heavy relatives of the electron, in the ATLAS experiment at CERN to search for dark photons and other long-lived particles that could reveal new physics beyond the Standard Model. ATLAS records the aftermath of particle collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider, a 27-kilometre accelerator buried underground near Geneva. By tracing these unusual signals, scientists can use collider experiments to probe the fundamental building blocks of nature and search for phenomena that have never been seen before.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, Canada

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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