What a blast: bottle rocket contest part of science festival

Harrison Vick, 7, of Dunedin, watches his bottle rocket take flight at the University Oval during a bottle rocket competition on Saturday.

Harrison’s rocket landed on the opposite side of the Oval — he said his secret was getting the payload right.

The competition was part of the New Zealand International Science Festival.

Organiser and chairwoman of Engineering New Zealand’s Dunedin branch Natalie Storm said it was a great opportunity to get people excited about science.

More than 100 rockets were launched. The longest flight recorded was 100.3m.

A demonstration of a chemical rocket was put on by the Otago Rocketry Club.