It’s not a B-grade movie, but our most family-friendly show!

Tonight (May 4) marks the return presentation of

Oasis in Space

All life on Earth requires liquid water to exist.  That water can be subjected to extreme temperatures and pressures, but as long as it can stay liquid, life can hold on.  Beneath arctic ice, deep underground, near undersea volcanic vents—life finds a way.  So, when astronomers look for life elsewhere in our Solar System, liquid water is frequently sought out.

Oasis In Space takes us on a journey through our Solar System and beyond, in search of places in the universe where liquid water can exist. Where liquid water exists, life has a chance of survival, even if the place doesn’t resemble Earth at all! This new offering is an exciting program that is very family-friendly.  Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more. Lambuth students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with their ID.

Posted by Matthew R. Francis under Public Events | No Comments »

The M. D. Anderson Planetarium was mentioned in today’s Jackson Sun as a good, inexpensive option for family entertainment:
http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090421/LIFESTYLE/904210301/1024

As mentioned in the article, we have two more public nights for this season:

• May 4, 2009 at 7:30 PM:  Oasis in Space
• May 18, 2009 at 7:30 PM:  “Black Holes:  The Other Side of Infinity”

Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more. Lambuth students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with their ID.  For school, church, scout, or other groups, please see our school/group page.

I am also still gathering names for a Jackson Astronomy Club.  (For those of you who have sent me messages already, I will be getting back to you soon!)  If you are interested, please send me an e-mail at francis@lambuth.edu.  For more information, see my earlier post.

Also, if you’re on Facebook, we have a page and a group. Please feel free to join and/or drop me a line through that medium if you’d like.

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On Monday, April 20, we present….

Astronaut

Narrated by Ewan McGregor

What does it take to become an astronaut? Going into space is simultaneously one of the most exciting things a human being can do, and one of the most dangerous. The human body is adapted to life on Earth, with its steady supply of breathable air, ground beneath our feet to give our skeletons support, and the atmosphere to shield us from much of the radiation the Sun produces. In this program, an astronaut by the name of Chad prepares to launch into orbit, and we witness the rigors of the training he needs to survive in space.

The show begins at 7:30 PM. Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more. Lambuth students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with their ID.

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Tonight (April 6) marks the return presentation of

Oasis in Space

All life on Earth requires liquid water to exist.  That water can be subjected to extreme temperatures and pressures, but as long as it can stay liquid, life can hold on.  Beneath arctic ice, deep underground, near undersea volcanic vents—life finds a way.  So, when astronomers look for life elsewhere in our Solar System, liquid water is frequently sought out.

Oasis In Space takes us on a journey through our Solar System and beyond, in search of places in the universe where liquid water can exist. Where liquid water exists, life has a chance of survival, even if the place doesn’t resemble Earth at all! This new offering is an exciting program that is very family-friendly.  Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more. Lambuth students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with their ID.

Posted by Matthew R. Francis under Public Events | No Comments »

This weekend commemorates the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first use of a telescope in astronomy.  Galileo didn’t invent the telescope, and of course astronomy predates Galileo by centuries, but combining the two established the modern view of the Solar System proposed by Copernicus and Kepler.

To commemorate this event, the world is celebrating 100 Hours of Astronomy:  http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/. The event began on Thursday (local time here) and will end tomorrow, with many events going on worldwide. We will be a trifle late, since our regular program is on Monday night, but rest assured: we will talk about Galileo, what made his discoveries so important, and hopefully weather will permit us to go outside and see Saturn’s “ears” (as Galileo called the rings when he discovered them).

Our main show on Monday, April 6 is Oasis in Space, the search for liquid water in the Solar System and beyond. After the main program, we will celebrate Galileo, and hopefully go outside to use our telescopes. The program begins at 7:30 PM, and costs $5 for adults, $3 for children under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more. Lambuth students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with their ID.

Posted by Matthew R. Francis under History & Public Events | No Comments »

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, so today marks his 130th birthday.  Justifiably one of the most famous scientists of the 20th century, Einstein left his mark on several branches of physics, and his theoretical discoveries opened up possibilities that he himself did not dream of.  His famous formula, E = m c², played a major role in establishing how stars (including our own Sun) shine, and his theory of general relativity led to our modern understanding of the history and evolution of the universe, the field we know as cosmology.

On Monday, March 16 after the regular presentation, we will pay a brief homage to Albert Einstein. Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more. Lambuth students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with their ID.

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On Monday, March 16, we present….

Astronaut

Narrated by Ewan McGregor

What does it take to become an astronaut? Going into space is simultaneously one of the most exciting things a human being can do, and one of the most dangerous. The human body is adapted to life on Earth, with its steady supply of breathable air, ground beneath our feet to give our skeletons support, and the atmosphere to shield us from much of the radiation the Sun produces. In this program, an astronaut by the name of Chad prepares to launch into orbit, and we witness the rigors of the training he needs to survive in space.

The show begins at 7:30 PM. Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more. Lambuth students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with their ID.

Posted by Matthew R. Francis under Planetarium News & Public Events | 1 Comment »

These are exciting days at the M.D. Anderson Planetarium:

• We have expanded our web presence by adding a page on Facebook.  We will post all our events there, host discussions, and talk about what you as the public would like to see at our planetarium.  Become a fan today!
• On March 2 and April 6, we debut the new program Oasis in Space.  This program explores our Solar System and beyond, in search of water and habitable Earth-like planets.
  
• On March 16 and April 20, we will debut Astronaut, narrated by Ewan MacGregor. What does it take to become an astronaut? This program will tell you!
  

All programs begin at 7:30 PM. Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more. Lambuth students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with their ID.

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Please join Dr. Nick Ashbaugh (Lambuth Biology Department) and Dr. Matthew Francis (Planetarium Director) tonight at 7:30 in the planetarium, as we talk about the diversity of life on Earth and the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.  Among the topics we will cover:

• How do scientists define life?  What distinguishes a living thing from a nonliving thing?
• What do all living things on Earth have in common, despite their diversity?
• How much variety is there on Earth?  How do we categorize organisms?
• What does the study of life on Earth reveal about the chances and characteristics of life on other worlds?
• And, will we be able to recognize life on other worlds if we find it?

Admission is  $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more.  Lambuth students, staff, and faculty are admitted free with ID.

P.S.  The Planetarium is now on Facebook!

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On February 9, 2008, the M. D. Anderson Planetarium reopened after a major upgrade.  Our grand reopening celebration was shared by over 300 people, who watched a special planetarium presentation, a chemistry magic show, various programs in the library, and the keynote address by Lawrence Krauss, well-known author and professor of physics and astronomy at Case Western Reserve University.  In the year that followed, we have had more than 1,000 people coming to our programs, through school, church, and family groups, as well as individuals.  Thank you all for helping make this such a successful year!

In honor of our anniversary, we are announcing two new programs and a special event:

• Special Presentation:  What is Life? In honor of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, the Lambuth Biology Department and Planetarium team up to explore life in all its forms on Earth, and what they can tell us about the possibility of life on other worlds.  (This one-time presentation will happen Monday, February 16.)
• Oasis in Space: Life on Earth, throughout its variety, depends on liquid water for existence.  This program takes a tour through our Solar System and beyond, to search for places where liquid water can exist.  (Shows on March 2, April 6, and May 4.)
  
• Astronaut:  What does it take to get a person into space?  What demands are required for a person to become an astronaut?  Narrated by Ewan MacGregor, this program demonstrates the challenges someone must overcome to travel beyond the shelter of Earth’s atmosphere.  (Shows on March 16 and April 20.)

All programs begin at 7:30 PM.  Admission is  $5 per adult, $3 per child under 18, and $10 for a family of 3 or more.  Lambuth students, staff, and faculty are admitted free with ID.

Posted by Matthew R. Francis under Director's Notes & Planetarium News & Public Events | No Comments »