|
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
9 am - 4 pm |
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Beginning at 7 pm |
On May 30, 2009 the
Kalamazoo Astronomical Society (KAS) will hold its annual Astronomy
Day, a day-long
celebration featuring educational displays, hands-on activities, and
special
presentations to bring science alive for the entire community. This FREE event, aimed at
the general public,
including families with school age children, is intended to
widen knowledge and appreciation of science, particularly of astronomy.
In honor of the 400th anniversary of the first
use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei, 2009 has been
declared the International Year of Astronomy
(IYA), a global celebration of astronomy’s contributions
to society and
culture. The aim of the IYA is to
stimulate worldwide interest, especially among young people, in
astronomy and
science under the central theme “The Universe, Yours to
Discover." To help accomplish this goal, KAS has put
together its biggest Astronomy Day to date.
This year we are pleased to welcome several co-sponsors to this year's
Astronomy Day. The Kalamazoo Valley Museum will host our main
activities from 9am - 4pm. These include solar observing, educational
and informative displays, hands-on activities for children,
planetariums shows, and special
performances by Galileo himself!
 Evening
activities will be held at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. This year our
very special guest will be the noted astronomer and author Dr. Phil Plait.
Dr. Plait will debunk many astronomy-related urban legends and
myths in his knowledgeable, lighthearted presentation Bad Astronomy.
Astronomy Day concludes with observing under the night sky Galileo
first explored with a telescope 400 years ago.
The KAS would also like to thank the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation,
Western Michigan University Department of Physics, Michigan Space Grant
Consortium, and anonymous KAS members for their generous contributions.
Below is the schedule of events to take place on May 30th. More
detailed information on all of our activities can be found throughout
this special Astronomy Day web site. Please feel free to contact us
if you have any further comments or questions. Thank you and see you on
May 30th!
| MAIN
ACTIVITIES - Kalamazoo Valley Museum |
|
9:00
am |
Kalamazoo Valley Museum opens
Greeting
Table opens
Displays open
|
|
10:00
am |
Solar Observing begins (weather
permitting)
Hands-on
Activities begin
|
|
11:00
am |
Galileo: The
Starry Messenger
performed by Michael
Francis
Planetarium Shows begin
Live shows hourly from 11am-3pm
|
|
1:00 pm |
Book Signing by Dr. Phil Plait
Books
will be available for purchase.
Galileo: The
Starry Messenger
performed by Michael
Francis
|
|
3:00 pm |
Galileo: The
Starry Messenger
performed by Michael
Francis
|
|
4:00 pm |
All Astronomy Day activities at
museum end
|
|
|
- |
|
| EVENING
ACTIVITIES - Kalamazoo Nature Center |
|
-7:00 pm |
Keynote Speaker
Bad Astronomy
presented by Dr.
Phil Plait
Free tickets available at the
museum on May 30th only.
|
|
8:30
pm |
Gates Open for Public Observing
Session
(weather
permitting)
|
|
9:25
pm |
Sky Talk in Amphitheater
presented by Dr. Phil Plait
(weather permitting)
|
|
9:45 pm |
Observing
Begins
(weather permitting) |
|
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|
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