What is the Sun and what is it made of? Just how big is it? How does it compare to the stars we see at night? How do scientists study the Sun? We’ll explore these questions and hitch a virtual ride on NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to find out what more we might learn about Read more...
Black holes aren’t just in science fiction. These mysterious objects really exist—including in our own Milky Way galaxy. We’ll learn what a black hole is, where they lurk in our night sky, and why it’d be a really terrible idea to visit one. *Please Note: Registration is not required. The Zoom link will not be Read more...
According to a Korean story, eclipses happen when a king’s fire dogs try to steal light from the Sun or Moon. We’ll tell that story, explain the science behind what causes solar and lunar eclipses, and simulate upcoming eclipses visible from North Carolina. *Please Note: Registration is not required. The Zoom link will not be Read more...
Do aliens exist? The Drake Equation provides a way to ponder the possibility of intelligent life in the universe. As a group, we’ll work together to use this equation to estimate the number of intelligent civilizations that we might be able to communicate with in our own galaxy. *Please Note: Registration is not required. The Read more...
We’ll tour the June sky as it appears from North Carolina and show you how to identify planets and stars you can see from outside your own home on the next clear night. Make sure you check out the star chart for this month. *Please Note: Registration is not required. The Zoom link will not Read more...
“Where’s Orion?”: the relationship between the seasons and the sky Why can’t you—or anyone else on our planet—see the constellation Orion the Hunter in the current night sky? According to Greek myth, it’s the fault of Orion’s enemy, the Scorpion. We’ll tell that story, then we’ll explore the science behind how Earth’s orbit around the Read more...
Massive stars end their lives with a bang! We’ll discuss what a supernova is, show you an easy demo you can do using materials in your own home, and teach you to identify stars that will eventually go supernova. *Please Note: Registration is not required. The Zoom link will not be live until 10:00 a.m. Read more...
Life and death of a star—in just half an hour Experience billions of years in the life of a star in just 30 minutes. From objects you can see with the unaided eye to dramatic Hubble Space Telescope imagery, you can see stellar evolution at work in the sky…if you know where to look. *Please Read more...
Using only your eyes and a clear sky, you can figure out what direction is what in your own neighborhood. We’ll explore two ways to find Polaris—the North Star—in tonight’s sky (as well as one way not to), and we’ll discuss why Polaris lies in the north all night long and all year long. We’ll Read more...
