Messengers of Time & Space
2026-02-21 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-28 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-06 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-13 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)

Carolina Skies
2026-02-21 16:30 - 17:30, 2026-02-22 16:30 - 17:30, 2026-02-28 16:30 - 17:30, 2026-03-01 16:30 - 17:30, 2026-03-07 16:30 - 17:30, 2026-03-08 16:30 - 17:30

Skywatching at Little River Regional Park
2026-02-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Little River Regional Park, 301 Little River Park Way, Rougemont, North Carolina, 27572, United States
Nothing goes together like a space enthusiast and a telescope! On Saturday, February 21, join Morehead staff and volunteers from Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society (CHAOS) for awe-inspiring views of the night sky. With the help of our astronomy educators, you can catch close-up views of the waxing crescent moon and peeks of Jupiter.

This informal session is free and open to the public. You are welcome to arrive and leave at any time during the program. To make the most of your night, we suggest bringing along a cozy blanket or some chairs and your favorite snacks for a relaxing time.

For everyone’s safety and enjoyment, please leave your pets at home, even if they’re on a leash. The combination of darkness, crowds, expensive telescopes, and pets isn’t ideal, and pets won’t be allowed near the telescopes.

Please note that this event is weather-dependent. In the event of a cancellation, we will provide updates on our website and social media. We can’t wait to share the wonders of the night sky with you!

Have more questions about skywatching? Visit our FAQs page!

Skywatching FAQs

Solar System Odyssey
2026-02-22 13:30 - 14:30, 2026-03-01 13:30 - 14:30

The Longest Night: A Winter's Tale
2026-02-22 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-28 13:30 - 14:30, 2026-03-01 15:00 - 16:00

Yoga Under The Stars
2026-02-25 18:00 - 19:00

Supermassive Black Holes
2026-02-27 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-28 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-03-08 15:00 - 16:00

One Sky, Many Eyes
2026-02-27 16:30 - 17:30, 2026-03-06 16:30 - 17:30

Magic Tree House Space Mission
2026-02-28 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-03-07 10:30 - 11:30

Carolina Science Cafe: Songbirds
2026-03-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Access to mates biased by parental favoritism in songbirds

In songbirds, the morphology of the vocal tract predicts song performance, and song performance affects access to mates. This, in turn, raises the question as to what causes this vocal-tract morphological variation. In March’s Carolina Science Cafe, Dr. Keith Sockman will discuss the recent analyses from his laboratory’s 20-year dataset on wild, free-ranging Lincoln’s sparrows at our montane field site in Colorado, which have revealed developmental constraints on the vocal tract, driven in part by parental favoritism toward some nestlings over their sibling nestmates.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Dr. Keith Sockman earned a PhD in Zoology in 2000 at Washington State University, studying reproductive flexibility in American kestrels. His postdoctoral work at The Johns Hopkins University focused on the neurobiology of mate choice and reproductive timing in songbirds. His initial appointment in the Department of Biology at UNC Chapel Hill was in 2004, at which point he started a long-term study on the behavioral ecology and reproductive decisions of wild songbirds. He enjoys cycling, camping, and spending time with his two teenagers.

See Dr. Sockman’s work

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Astronomy Workshop - Advanced Training
2026-03-06 18:00 - 21:00

From Earth to the Universe
2026-03-07 12:00 - 13:00

Astronaut
2026-03-07 13:30 - 14:30

Mars: The Ultimate Voyage
2026-03-07 15:00 - 16:00

We Are Stars
2026-03-08 13:30 - 14:30
