The May Sky

The moon appears a thin crescent in the evening sky on May 6. At sunset it will be only 20 degrees above the horizon — less than the span of an open hand. Look closely and you should see the rest of the moon’s face shining with ghostly light on its darkened side. The light that illuminates the night side of the moon — earthshine — comes from Earth. An optical illusion makes the earthshine-illuminated side of the moon appear smaller than the sunlit crescent, calling forth the poetic phrase “the old Moon in the new Moon’s arms.”

Beyond the Dome
Collaborative Art Project
In some ancient legends, the sky is a tapestry woven from the darkness and the light of the stars. Join us in the Museum galleries to make artwork to be displayed this month.

Southern Hemisphere Star Cluster

Ocean of Air, Ocean of Space
40 minutes
Ages 8 and up
It's a blanket that keeps us from freezing, a shield that keeps us from burning up, a carrier of water and energy that is constantly flowing like the sea. What is it? It's Earth's atmosphere, of course! Explore the “invisible miracle” of the air we breathe and the planet that sustains all known life.

The Sky Tonight
55 minutes
Ages 8 and up
Take a tour of the heavens as seen from our area – but without the city lights! A live planetarium lecturer introduces you to the night’s constellations, planets, and other spectacular features of the night sky.

The Friendly Stars
35 minutes
Ages 3-6
You can introduce your youngster to the heavens above with The Friendly Stars, a show made just for our youngest skywatchers. They’ll chat with our sun, Sol, sing along with the stars, and draw their own constellations right on the planetarium dome. For Pre-K to 1st grade.

Daughter of the Stars
35 minutes
Ages 6 and up
Sit around the fire on a clear, starry night and listen to Native American stories of creation and adventure in the legendary past. Follow the saga of Waupee, the White Hawk, learn the origin of Indian Summer, and tremble in the presence of the Great Bear.

Earth & Sky
35 minutes
Ages 8 and up
Join ancient skwatchers and scientists today as they investigate the phenomena of Earth and Sky. Learn about the weather, the seasons, and the greenhouse effect. We’ll fly up through Earth’s atmosphere, watch clouds form, and then compare Earth to Venus and Mars, and see just how special our home planet really is.

Fito, Gato en el Espacio
30 minutos
Grados K-3
Un dibujo animado de un gato curioso que viajó de polizón en un cohete a la luna. Fito compara el tiempo humano con el tiempo de gatos, aprende todo sobre las fases de la luna y observa las estrellas. Descubre la fuerza de gravedad de la luna mientras flota ingrávido en la astronave. Finalmente Fito, vestido en un traje espacial da un paso sobre la superficie lunar donde puede ver la Tierra que se parece a la Luna cuando la veíia del patio de su casa.
Padres y niños disfrutarán esta exposición y al mismo tiempo aprenderán cosas sobre la luna.

Lunar Odyssey
40 minutes
Ages 9 & up
From the Sudekum Planetarium, takes you on a flight around the moon. Experts in lunar mythology, history, science, and astronomy guide your tour of the moon, Earth’s nearest space neighbor, and show you its awesome beauty and mysteries.

Follow the Drinking Gourd
45 minutes
Ages 6 and up
Learn how escaping slaves used instructions hidden a song about the Big Dipper – or Drinking Gourd – to help them head north to freedom. A combined video/star show presentation. Offered during Black History Month and MLK Jr. Day

Holiday Rocket
40 minutes
Ages 6 and up
Join Mike, Tilda, and their spacefaring great-uncle Stan on a holiday journey like no other! In the future, human settlers scattered across the Solar System hold on to traditions while braving the new frontier. Offered during the holiday season.

‘Tis the Season
35 minutes
Ages 6 and up
National Public Radio’s Noah Adams narrates this look at world traditions surrounding the longest nights of the year. We’ll examine the story of the Star of Bethlehem and the practice of using light to dispel the darkness of winter. Offered during the holiday season.

Mars Quest
40 minutes
Ages 10 and up
Narrated by Patrick Stewart, Mars Quest takes you from the earliest observations to a possible future of human life on Mars’ surface.

River Through Time
35 minutes
Ages 8 and up
Where the Hudson now flows, mountains as high as the Himalaya rose and fell, volcanic eruptions split the Earth, immense glaciers bulldozed the land before them, and flat, swampy plains were host to gliding lizards. Explore the eras from the beginning of the Earth to the present day as we ride the river of time.

Larry, Cat in Space
30 minutes
K-3 and family audiences of all ages
Larry, a curious cat, takes a lunar trip! When Larry’s human, Diana, gets a job on the moon, Larry hides in her clothes trunk and is whisked to a new world. In the 30-minute, imaginative show, Larry, Cat In Space shows us space travel, the changing appearance of the moon, and explains gravity on Earth, on the moon, and in space. See the Spanish-language version Fito, Gato en el Espacio on the fourth Sunday of every month. Recommended for 5 to 8 years and family audiences of all ages.
© 2005, Loch Ness Productions

Our Place in Space
35 minutes
Ages 4-10
Children follow a curious macaw and her animal friends as they learn about the skies above and the planet Earth below.