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It's The Weekend: Watch Pumpkins Get Catapulted Into The Air
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 30, 2015
Modified Oct 30, 2015
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 30, 2015
Modified Oct 30, 2015
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Rotting pumpkins are prime for the catapult. (Shutterstock)
"A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of explosive devices," declares Wikipedia. [Emphasis added.] And that's a shame, because the New York Hall of Science's pumpkin catapult launch would be a whole lot cooler with explosives. Or at least lit up jack-o-lanterns. But still, they'll have a catapult and they'll have pumpkins, and you can just sit back and watch them get hurled into the air all day. Pumpkin catapulting is the new apple picking.
Their listing simply states: "Watch our catapult, 'Chuck,' toss pumpkins in the air." Understated but elegant. And here is what that looks like—be sure to listen for the loud, gratifying thud as the pumpkin makes contact with the grass.
It is actually pretty shocking that there haven't been more reported pumpkin catapult injuries in America, where every year hobbyists construct their own pumpkin chuckers without the education of an entire science museum behind them. It's like Autumn's version of Fireworks Season out there with these amateurs:
New York Hall of Science is located at 47-01 111th Street, in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Catapulting takes place Friday from 4 to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m.
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catapult
hall of science
pumpkin
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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