5th Annual Globe at Night Campaign

Globe at Night, the annual 2-week campaign that helps to address the issue of light pollution is returning in less than a week! The loss of dark skies, caused by "light pollution," is a concern on many fronts: safety, energy conservation, cost, health and effects on wildlife, as well as our ability to view the stars. How can you help?

From March 3 - 16, you can join people all over the world and record the brightness of your night sky. You simply match the appearance of the sky (toward the constellation Orion) with star maps of progressively fainter stars found online. Submit your measurements online with your date, time and location. A few weeks later, organizers release a map of light-pollution levels worldwide.
 
Over the last four Globe at Night campaigns, volunteers from more than 100 nations have contributed 35,000 measurements. To learn more about participating, head over to the Globe at Night website. For children's activities, check out http://www.darkskiesawareness.org/DarkSkiesRangers.

With half of the world’s population now living in cities, many urban dwellers have never experienced the wonder of pristinely dark skies ...and maybe never will. Your measurements can make a world of difference!

Once In a Blue Moon Tonight!

Watch for Schuele Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds on WKYC-Channel 3, explaining tonight's "blue moon"... the first time a blue moon has fallen on New Year's Eve in nearly 20 years! NASA also has a nice post explaining our New Year's Eve blue moon.

In a nutshell, the moon won't actually appear blue in color! Instead, it's a calendar thing... 2nd full moon of the month is considered a "blue moon." (By the way, Jay says the moon can appear blue when volcanic ash changes the light, but that's not in play tonight, in spite of the pretty photo we posted here!) And, there is another seasonal definition of blue moon as well.

Happy New Year and be careful out there!

Labor Day Weekend Schedule

It will be a busy weekend in Bay Village with soccer players from all over the region in town for a tournament. Lake Erie Nature & Science Center will welcome visitors on our usual schedule, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, but please note that we will be closed Monday, September 7 for the Labor Day holiday.

We have a full day of slate of public star shows in the Walter R. Schuele Planetarium on Saturday, including a new topic for our Monthly Skyquest,"There's a Lot to See in September!" The planetarium staff will answer a ton of questions about the late summer night sky over Northeast Ohio: Why can't we see Saturn anymore? Where are its rings? Is that Jupiter? Can you really see Neptune? What does all of this have to do with a triangle of summer?

This is a time of transition in the night sky, with a great deal to see with our eyes, binoculars and telescope. If the weather cooperates, we'll have telescopes out in meadow for free, guided viewing after the 7 p.m. Skyquest Show. Please note that this marks the first night that the evening Skyquest shows will return to the 7 p.m. start time after moving to 8 p.m. for the summer.

Stop by and see us and enjoy the long weekend!

Shooting Star Show Tonight

The weather forecast looks decent, so head on over to the Perseids party tonight at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. Bring the entire family to learn about the annual Perseids Meteor Shower at an 8 p.m. planetarium program. Then, walk across the street, spread out a blanket, look through a telescope and enjoy nature's show in the sky! Tickets for the program in the Walter R. Schuele planetarium are $3/person and the gathering to watch the shooting stars is free!
Speaking of sky shows, did you get a chance to see the great orange moonrise several days last week? This photo was snapped Saturday west of Sandusky.

Get the Inside Scoop on Orion-Ares I

If you enjoy keeping up with NASA's plans for future space exploration, you'll want to join us for a very special night in the Schuele Planetarium. The 8 p.m. Saturday, July 18 Monthly Skyquest program will feature Deputy Director Joe Baumeister of NASA Glenn who will provide the latest information about NASA’s replacement for the Space Shuttle, Orion – Ares I, including the test flight set for later this year.

Free tickets for this event are on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the presentation at 8 p.m. Although we love welcoming the little ones to planetarium programs like Twinkle Tots and Stellar Stars, this program is not suitable for small children. There will also be free telescope viewing at 9 p.m., weather permitting.

NASA Explorer School

Representatives from schools across the country who’ve been chosen as NASA Explorer schools paid a visit to Lake Erie Nature & Science Center’s Schuele Planetarium this month as part of their enrichment activities.
NASA Explorer Schools program is designed to bring engaging mathematics, science and technology learning to a select group of educators each year. Teams of teachers and education administrators from diverse communities across the country work with education specialists from NASA centers, including NASA Glenn, in an effort to encourage innovative science and mathematics instruction for 4th - 9th graders.








Here at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, two-dozen Explorer School participants enjoyed an interactive star show and heard first-hand how hands-on, informal science education can make a difference in bringing complex concepts to life. Schuele Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds, Planetarium Specialist Jessica Mazzola and three NASA representatives led the workshop.
For more on how you can enjoy a planetarium program, visit the Schuele Planetarium online. For more information about the Explorer Schools program visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov/.

See Space Station Tonight Over NE Ohio

As long as the cloud layer doesn't thicken up much more, The International Space Station should be visible tonight. We have even better passes later this week, but the weather looks poor for those.

This week will be the LAST of the EVENING passes until EARLY JULY.

This is a time correction for ISS tonight - Please forgive the incorrect hours listed in earlier post and email:

Correct times for tonights pass are:

10:04 From the North West

10:07 ISS passes nearly directly over North Eastern Ohio 71 degrees (nearly as high as our Sun is on a hot Summer day)

10:08 Moving towards the South East

- Schuele Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds

Night Sky Alert! Double Feature Tonight

Skywatchers! Schuele Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds says there will be a man-made double feature in the night sky tonight! Here are his viewing instructions:
Space Shuttle (STS-119) will be visible at 9:03 p.m. tonight looking WEST, at 9:05 p.m., moving towards North North West (NNW) 25 degress off of the horizon.

Wait 9 minutes later, at 9:14 p.m. the Space Station will emerge from the WEST heading North North West (NNW) at 9:17 p.m., 25 degrees

Space Shuttle (STS-119)
9:03 p.m. WEST,
9:05 p.m., North North West (NNW) 25 degress off of the horizon.

Space Station
9:14 p.m. WEST
9:17 p.m. North North West (NNW) 25 degrees up from the horizon

Happy viewing!

Mars Lander Declared Dead

Schuele Planetarium Director and NASA Speaker's Bureau Representative Jay Reynolds reports that it's official! After 5 1/2 months of operation, Mars Phoenix Lander has stopped communicating with controllers on Earth.
Landing May 25th, on the edge of the Mars Northern Polar Ice Cap (the equivalent of Northern Alaska), this lander not only sent photos, but had a weather station and geology labs. Final results will be long coming, but safe to say, this area of Mars once was wetter, currently has water ice and the local soil has favorable chemistry for life to grab a foot hold. Here's the AP report.

Jay always shares the latest, cutting edge space science news and photos at all of our planetarium programs, so check out the schedule of public star shows and stop by.

See the Space Station Tonight!

Schuele Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds says tonight (October 9, 2008) offers your last chance until Thanksgiving to see the space station moving through the night sky! Jay says you can expect to see a bright light moving in a straight line. It will not flash, make sounds or change course. The station is carrying 3 astronauts at 17,500 miles per hour (5 miles per second!)

Here are Jay's viewing instructions:

At 7:16 p.m. look West North West (to the right where the sun sets) Don't confuse the bright star in the West, that is Acturus.
At 7:21 p.m. the space station will be 2/3 high in the sky
At 7:24 p.m. the space station will be heading towards the South East

Happy viewing!

Star Gazing At NASA Glenn

We hope you've marked your calendar for a special astronomy event coming up in September. The NASA Glenn Visitor Center, in collaboration with the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center and the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association, is hosting the fifth annual Star Gazing event on Saturday, September 20. Learn about the stars and identify the constellations in the StarLab Dome. Look through solar and night telescopes, weather permitting. View pieces of the Moon and meteorites, plus kids' crafts, "Picture Yourself in Space" digital photographs and plenty of handouts -- all free!

Please note that because Lake Erie Nature & Science Center planetarium staff will be helping to lead Star Gazing Day activities at NASA, the regularly scheduled (and previously published) planetarium shows in the Walter R. Schuele Planetarium for September 20 are cancelled for the entire day.

Q:Best Place To View Perseids in 2008?

A: Inside the Walter R. Schuele Planetarium.
The peak of the annual Perseids Meteor Shower coincides with a full moon this year, making the "shooting stars" more difficult to see. The Schuele Planetarium will host its annual Perseids Night Viewing Party Tuesday night (August 12) at the height of the shower, but Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds says the best views may be inside during a special 7 p.m. star show. Reynolds discussed the Perseids today on WTAM-Radio. Check the Planetarium Public Shows listings on Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's website for information on Perseids-themed planetarum programming.

Phoenix Remembered On the Radio

WCPN radio calls him their "resident space ambassador." To us, Jay Reynolds, is Director of the Schuele Planetarium. Yesterday, Jay took time out of his busy schedule to look back at the Phoenix Mars landing and to highlight other astronomy and space news on WCPN's Around Noon program. Jay specializes in bringing complex space science topics "down to earth" for all of us to understand and enjoy. If you missed the original broadcast yesterday on Around Noon, head on over the the WCPN 90.3 website and listen to a replay for insight into life on Mars, the space station and more.

Full Dome Lasers To Light Up Planetarium

We're hearing a lot of good buzz about our all free Astronomy Day coming up this Saturday, May 10. Download a pdf schedule or check out details online and make plans to join us if you can.

Later in the month, we have a dazzling, new planetarium experience for our visitors! Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is excited to bring a limited run of award-winning, full-dome laser light shows to our Bay Village location in late May and June. The programs will feature Skylase laser technology, which combines animated lights, music and/or storytelling to create an experience that appeals to all ages.

Our public schedule of laser shows begins Saturday, May 24. You can visit the website page devoted to the Laser Lights for complete dates, times and details. You’ll note that our tickets will be priced very affordably compared to similar laser experiences available around the country.

One more FYI: if you're considering enrolling your K - 6 child in our June 17 - 20 Summer Space Camp, you're child will be happy to know that Skylase Lights will be on the roster of fun for that camp as well!

Schuele Planetarium Hosts Astronomy Day

Come watch as space “chefs” mix together ingredients to whip up a comet on Astronomy Day, Saturday, May 10. You'll also enjoy free star shows in the Schuele Planetarium (first-come, first-served), take-home space crafts, a morning appearance by EVA the Inflatable Astronaut and afternoon insight from NASA on future Project Orion space missions. You can also peak through solar telescopes during the daytime or get nighttime telescope views, both weather permitting. If your own telescope is stuck in the back of the garage because you need some help figuring it out, the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association will host an interactive workshop with tips on using or buying a telescope. Head over to Special Events page at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's website for the complete schedule of free events. See you May 10th!

Lunar Eclipse With or Without Clouds Tonight

There's still a chance, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that the clouds will part tonight to allow a clear view of the last total lunar eclipse until late 2010! If the weather fails to cooperate, you can still check out the eclipse at our special 7 p.m. planetarium program, where the skies are always clear and it's toasty warm to boot!
Schuele Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds previewed tonight's celestial event this morning on WTAM-1100 radio with Bill Wills, while Planetarium Specialist Suzie Dills talked with WTAM newswoman Mary Schuermann . You can hear Jay's interview and read an online article about the eclipse on the station's website. The page also includes a NASA graphic showing the phases of tonight's eclipse.
If the weather cooperates, tonight's planetarium show will be followed by a free, guided viewing party, that will include telescope viewing of other objects in the night sky. If you plan on coming, bundle up for the weather and bring binoculars if you have them. You're welcome to come to the planetarium program and then take your knowledge home to watch the eclipse from your own backyard, too.

UPDATE 2/25: Check out our gathering of moon watchers and Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds explaining the lunar eclipse (with props) on WKYC-TV. It's all in Reporter Lydia Esparra's report "Everything you need to know about last night's total lunar eclipse."

Globe At Night

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center will join thousands of families, citizen-scientists and students on a hunt for stars from February 25 through March 8, 2008. You too can take part in this international event called Globe at Night to observe the nighttime sky and learn more about light pollution around the world. For more information and hands-on learning activities for families & citizen scientists, visit Globe at Night. We'll also have printed information and activity sheets available at the Center.

The Great Outdoors Calls Even In Winter

It's easy to use the cold weather as an excuse to hibernate this time of year... and there are definitely days that are meant to be spent exclusively in front of the fireplace with a good book. Winter also offers seasonal magic beyond your doorstep, if you bundle up and venture out. For a fun way to get your kids off the couch this winter, try printing the Winter Nature Detective Challenge posted in the Games and Activities on our Kids Corner page or head over to the Planetarium main page to download January's Scoping Out the Night Sky guide, that includes starry trail maps of the current Northeast Ohio night sky. Even on a wintry day, you can help yourself to a dose of the great outdoors and a heapin' helpin' of the wonder that nature always inspires!

No Stellar Stars Tomorrow!

The Schuele Planetarium's Stellar Stars program for Wednesday, January 9 has been cancelled. The planetarium staff hopes to see you next Wednesday, at the regularly scheduled day and time!
Head on over to our Planetarium page and download Suzie's Starry Trails Map to guide your own backyard night sky hike during the month of January! Scroll down below the word "discover."

Quadrantid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight

You'll need to bundle up and take along some hot cocoa to stay warm in the wee hours tonight... but our Schuele Planetarium staff says the Quadrantid meteor shower could provide an interesting sky show for intrepid astronomy buffs. The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks at 1:40 a.m. January 4. Planetarium Specialist Suzie Dills says the shower is brief but intense... 100 meteors per hour under ideal conditions! Keep your fingers crossed for good visibility and look northeast after dark.