The Day the Universe Changed
By Cosmic Strings In Cosmic Strings, observing, planetarium, planets, sky information, star partyWell, this is different.
We’ve got a new website here at the Virginia Living Museum, and with that, a new way of hosting our blogs. So welcome to the new version of Cosmic Strings!
As usual things are crazy busy here at the museum as we roll headlong into summer. So I’m going to keep this one brief as I get used to the new format for blogging.
Remember all the planets I talked about last time? Well, your opportunity to see them is fading fast. In fact, you’ll want to make plans to come out to the museum next Saturday, June 14, because it will likely be your absolutely last shot at seeing Jupiter and Mars.
Jupiter with two moons. Courtesy JPL and NASA
Jupiter is now getting quite low in the western sky at sunset. While still bright and as beautiful as always, trees and other Earth-bound obstructions may make it tough for you to find this impressive planet. Mars is receding into the distance, getting further and further away with each passing day. So while it is still high in the South in the early evening, it is no longer as bright as it was, making it easy to miss.
June 14 is Flag Day, as well as a regular second Saturday star party and laser night, so there is a whole lot to do at the museum that evening! Dinosaurs are our featured attraction this summer, and our indoor exhibit, Dinos LIVE! will be open until 8pm (please note that the rest of the museum exhibits will be closed). Members are free, non-members are $6. The museum’s Wild Things Museum Store and Wild Side Cafe will also be open for your shopping and dining pleasure. The Abbitt Observatory will be viewing the Sun until our closest star gets too low for viewing, at which time we’ll switch over to evening stargazing as other objects become visible. Telescope viewing is FREE for all guests, weather permitting. Also free for all guests (weather permitting) are all the wonderful things in our Conservation Gardens, including our Fossil Find exhibit (dig for and take home real fossils!) and a concert by the United States Air Force rock band FULL SPECTRUM (6 – 8pm).
The United States Air Force rock band FULL SPECTRUM. Image courtesy the UASF.
And as always, there are many shows to choose from in the Abbitt Planetarium:
- 5:30pm Dinosaur Prophecy
- 6:30pm Laser Spirit
- 7:30pm Virginia Skies
- 8:30pm Laser Vinyl
- 10:00pm Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon
- 11:30pm Pink Floyd’s The Wall
Planetarium programs are $6 each, or see any 2 for $10. Members are always half-price!
So there’s a whole lot to keep the family busy here at the VLM on the evening on June 14. Don’t miss out on the fun!
Until next time…carpe noctem!
Kelly
John Thomas
These sound like great events and not a bad price for the Planetarium programs either! Everything looks great too, looks like you are getting used to the new site.
Cosmic Strings
Slowly but surely! Now if only the schedule here would slow down and let me spend a little time writing a post! 😀 Thanks for reading!