Press Room

This document and all Chabot Space & Science Center news releases and photos may be found online at www.chabotspace.org under Press room.

**PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN HOURS**

Academic Year Hours -- beginning September 3, 2002

Full complex:

Tuesday – Thursday, 10 am – 3 pm
Friday & Saturday, 10 am – 7:30 pm
Sunday, 12 noon – 5 pm
Closed Mondays; also closed Thanksgiving & Christmas

Evening Planetarium & Theater Hours: Fri & Sat, 7:30 – 9 pm
Free Telescope Viewing: Friday & Saturday, 7 – 10 pm

Closed September 16–20 for installation and maintenance
Chabot's facilities will be closed September 16–20 for maintenance on the Planetarium's Zeiss Starball projector, and installation of the exhibit Spaceflight: Journey to the Stars, which opens on September 28.

Following is a sample calendar listing for Chabot Space & Science Center —
under "Museums," "Nature," "Things To Do," or "Attractions." Please also list Chabot events under "Kids," "Films" and "Lectures."

The Lost Spacecraft: Liberty Bell 7 Recovered -- on view through September 15, 2002
See the actual spacecraft that sank to the bottom of the ocean in 1961 and learn about its recovery 38 years later. Climb inside a capsule, watch rocket launches, experience centrifuge-training, pilot a remote-controlled vehicle, and learn about the history and technology of space flight. This interactive exhibit takes visitors on a virtual ride 118 miles into space and three miles below the ocean surface as it recounts the story of the ill-fated 1961 Mercury space mission. The centerpiece of the exhibit is the actual Liberty Bell 7 capsule, which sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in July 1961, where it lay for the next 38 years. Recovered in 1999 during a Discovery Channel expedition, the newly restored capsule is now on national tour in this exhibit developed and presented by Discovery Channel and produced by Clear Channel Entertainment-Exhibitions (formerly BBH, Inc.).

The Human Body Exhibit in the Tien MegaDome Theater lobby -- ongoing through June 2003
The Human Body is a 500-square-foot exhibit that offers a variety of hands-on activities. You'll find displays on thermography, x-ray and hearing as well as a computer fly-through of detailed 3D representations of human anatomy. The exhibit accompanies The Human Body film, which opens in the Theater on August 30.

Spaceflight: Journey to the Stars -- new and improved! Opens September 28, 2002
Explore the past, present and future of spaceflight in Spaceflight: Journey to the Stars, organized by Chabot Space & Science Center and NASA. Climb into a space capsule, land a lunar module on the Moon, and take a tour of the Solar System. See real spacesuits and NASA models of rockets and spacecraft, feel what it's like to wear astronaut gloves and dig for "moon" rocks.

The Moon Rock Exhibit -- Opens November 28, 2002
Ever seen a 3-billion-year-old rock from another world? Your opportunity is coming this fall, when a small piece of Earth's Moon arrives at Chabot! From 1969 through 1972, six Apollo missions returned 842 pounds of rocks from the Moon's surface. The specimens offer us a glimpse of time early in the formation of our solar system. Earth's geological activity and its erosive atmosphere and hydrosphere have practically erased any geologic record of the early times of our Earth-Moon system. The Moon, geologically dead and without an atmosphere, is a time capsule of information, its rocks largely unchanged for more than 3 billion years. The composition of lunar rocks has been found to be consistent with a recent theory that the Moon was formed when a Mars-sized planetary body collided with Earth over 4.5 billion years ago. The moon rock will be on loan from NASA's Johnson Space Center. During the exhibit, Weekend Spotlight will feature hands-on activities focusing on the Moon.

Our Place in the Universe -- This feast for the senses uses 3-D technologies to give visitors a walking tour of the universe. The exhibit includes the fascinating Hologlobe, a dynamic holographic projection of the Earth's changing atmosphere, oceans, and continents, on permanent loan from the Smithsonian Institution. Chabot visitors may now do more than gaze at the heavens from a mountaintop telescope; they can gaze back at the Earth from a satellite in space! The EarthViewer 3D computer kiosk at the entrance to the exhibit gives visitors an opportunity to truly explore the Earth at the beginning of their tour through the Universe. The computer kiosk is connected to an Internet database of highly detailed satellite and aerial images of the Earth--you decide where and how close up you want to look!

Planetary Landscapes: Sculpting the Solar System -- Fourteen interactive sculptures, created by renowned artist Ned Kahn, suggest the natural processes that form the landscapes of our Solar System.

Astronomy In California 1850-1950: Telescope Makers, Telescopes, and Artifacts -- Explore California's rich astronomical history and Chabot Observatory's own 117-year history through a display of telescopes, artifacts, and the histories of their makers, on loan from the Smithsonian Institution.

The Origin and Meaning of Meteorites -- This stunning mural by artists Joy Day and B. E. Johnson is accompanied by a case of meteorite samples, where visitors can view these ancient remnants of the birth of the solar system.

Shadow Dance: Make An Eclipse -- Partner up to create different types of solar and lunar eclipses. Activate sensors on the exhibit floor, discover the science behind an eclipse, and learn about eclipse myths, rituals and celebration found in many world cultures. This multimedia experience changes each time you visit.

Touch the Sun -- Watch solar movies, explore the nature of light, learn about sun mythology of ancient cultures, and find out about real-time solar energy usage from the Science Center's solar panels.

Zeiss exhibit -- A display by the noted German manufacturer of telescopes, and other stargazing equipment, including Chabot’s Zeiss Universarium Starball in the Planetarium.

Chabot’s Ask Jeeves Planetarium brings the night sky to life! More than 9,000 stars are projected overhead by our fiber-optic Zeiss Universarium Mark VIII star-ball, one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. Additional special effects simulate eclipses, supernovae, black holes, and other celestial events, and a laser system brings constellations and other objects to life, augmented by a 15,000-watt, 6-channel surround-sound system. The Ask Jeeves Planetarium seats 240 people under a 70-foot diameter dome, and features live and pre-recorded shows. Led by professional astronomers and accompanied by music, planetarium shows at Chabot Space & Science Center are both entertaining and educational.

NEW -- Where in the Universe is Carmen San Diego™? -- (through September 2; also November 28 - December 1, and December 21 - January 5)
This extraordinary show combines astronomy, live theater, a quiz show and music by Rockepella in an exciting, interactive experience. That infamous villainess, Carmen Sandiego, has escaped from prison on Jail House Rock, developed warp drive, and gone after the giant black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy! The audience must follow clues, answer questions and solve puzzles in order to locate Carmen's whereabouts. So get on board for an exciting journey through the stars, nebulae, supernovae, black holes and more! (60 min)

Legends of the Night Sky -- (September 3 - December 31) Join Aesop, the 3000-year-old owl, as he tells the story of Perseus and Andromeda. These two famous constellations are part of a thrilling tale of a brave hero, a beautiful maiden, and mystical creatures. This kid-based, cartoon-like planetarium show tells the mythology of the star patterns we find above our heads. (40 min)

Starbound: A Sky for All Seasons -- (through November 23) A journey through the jewels of the night – the stars – as we follow the earth’s motion around the Sun. Featured in the show are prominent constellations of the four seasons and the cosmic treasures they contain. (40 min.)

NEW -- Planet Trek -- (November 23 - June 2003) A trek through our Solar System, featuring the planets and their moons; produced by Chabot. (40 min)

Destiny of the Stars -- (December 1 - March 30) The lives of the stars unfold before us in the winter sky, from star birth to star death, including a final look at the fate of our own sun. (40 min.)

The Sky Tonight -- (Ongoing, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm) Presented live by Chabot’s Director of Astronomy, the show is a current look at the stars, constellations, and planets from our perspective here in Oakland. The content of this show changes monthly. (40 min.)

Wonders of the Milky Way -- (Ongoing) is a tour of our Milky Way Galaxy, from its formation billions of years ago to magnificent views of its contents as seen from Earth, all accompanied by beautiful music. (40 min.)

NEW -- Count Astro’s Haunted Heavens -- (October 1-31) A free Halloween-themed show, Tuesdays through Thursdays at 1 pm; Fridays at 1 pm and 3 pm. Count Astro takes you on a journey in the planetscarium to visit various creepy critters in our skies. (20 min.)

The Star -- (December 1-31) After viewing the stars and constellations visible during December, planetarium audiences will explore astronomical phenomena that could have been interpreted as the “Star of Bethlehem.” (40 min.)

NEW -- The Human Body -- (opens August 30)
Peek inside the human body to see what keeps you going every day. The incredible story of human life is revealed in astonishing detail in this giant-screen film, which looks at the daily biological processes that go on without our control and often without our notice. Explore the science and mystery of the world hidden inside The Human Body, a presentation by The Learning Channel (TLC) and BBC Worldwide of a Discovery Pictures/BBC co-production done in association with the Maryland Science Center and the Science Museum, London, with major funding provided by the National Science Foundation and distributed by nWave Pictures Distribution. Screening times are: Tuesday – Thursday at 11:30 am & 2:30 pm; Fridays at 11:30 am, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm & 8:30 pm; Saturdays at 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm & 8:30 pm; and Sundays at 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm.

The Living Sea -- (continuing) Take an action-packed journey to the depths of the oceans. Swim with jellyfish and whales, and meet strange creatures living on the bottom of the sea. The underwater wonders of our planet are explored in this film produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films, in association with Nauticus - The National Maritime Center, the Ocean Film Network, White Oak Associates, Inc., and Dr. Robert Ballard.

Mysteries of Egypt -- (continuing) Experience the magic and majesty of Egypt as never before. Soar over the great pyramids of Giza, cross the deathly quiet Valley of the Kings, and descend into the shadowy chambers of the sacred tomb of King Tutankhamun. (38 min.)

To Be An Astronaut -- (continuing) Follow the rigors of astronaut training, the frantic countdown of missions, and the heart-stopping launch into space. Shot entirely on location at NASA. (approx. 35 min.)

Chabot Space & Science Center continues its screenings of space-related, sci-fi and adventure films on the huge dome of the theater. For tickets or information, call (510) 336-7300 or visit www.chabotspace.org

First weekend of every month, Fri & Sat evenings at 7:30 pm, Sunday matinees at 4 pm. Tickets: $5.00

August 30–September 2	*Raiders of the Lost Ark* (1981, rated PG)
October 4–6	*Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom* (1984, rated PG)
November 1–3	*Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade* (1989, rated PG)
December 6-8	*2001: A Space Odyssey* (1968, rated G)
January 3-5	*2010* (1984, rated PG)

Discover stars, planets, and colorful nebulae clearly visible in the night sky with Chabot's powerful refractor telescopes. The impressive 20" telescope, named Rachel, is the largest refractor in the western U.S. regularly open to the public. The 8" Alvan Clark refractor, named Leah, is the original 1883 instrument donated by founder Anthony Chabot.

Coming Soon -- Chabot's New 36" Telescope
Later this year, construction will be completed on Chabot's new 36" telescope, which will be one of the largest reflector telescopes available on a regular basis to the public in the United States. The telescope's rolling roof observatory allows the telescope open access to 360 degrees of sky. Designed as a classical Cassegrain telescope, the f/8 (288-inch) optical path incorporates several mirrors which bring starlight to a focus at a height much more usable than most telescopes its size. With a tube only seven feet long, the average height above the floor for the viewing eyepiece will be around five to six feet.

The telescope will be fully computer-controlled and equipped with a digital CCD camera will capture photographs of distant galaxies in a matter of minutes. These will then be accessible through Chabot's website. The telescope and observatory, funded in part through a generous donation from Merrill and Lillian Martin of Oakland, will be named "Nellie" after Mr. Martin’s grandmother and youngest daughter.

"Once in a Boo Moon" Halloween
Thursday, October 31, 6 – 9 pm
Tickets: $10 / $8 for Chabot Members
A safe and educational Halloween party for children. The evening includes a short planetarium show, cartoons, hands-on spooky science activities, Discovery Lab activities for younger children, access to all of the exhibits, and a treat bag. All children must be accompanied by an adult, and adults must be accompanied by a child. Advance tickets are recommended, and may be purchased at ticketweb.com or at the Chabot Box Office, 510-336-7373.

Leonids Meteor Viewing
Monday/Tuesday, November 18–19, 9 pm – dawn
Tickets: $10
The Leonid Meteor Shower is an annual November event. The shower of 2002 may produce meteors upward of 5000/hour, due to the position of the Earth sweeping through debris left in 1699, 1767 and 1866 by periodic Comet Temple-Tuttle. Visitors will be treated to a planetarium show, telescope viewing and a sky full of comets. Bring camp chairs, blankets and binoculars. For tickets, call (510) 336-7373.

New Year's Balloon Drop
Tuesday, December 31, 3:45 pm
Free with General Admission
Mark the dawn of the actual New Year, at midnight Greenwich time (0 hours Universal time; 4 p.m. PST), with musical fanfare and a balloon drop from the second floor of the Rotunda. The countdown takes place to the thundering drama of Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra -- a score now forever linked to Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Time zones begin at Greenwich, England -- with 0 meridian of longitude -- and proceed westward, with Oakland 8 hours "behind" the start of the true astronomical day.

Choirs in the Rotunda
Saturdays at 12 noon in December in the Rotunda
Free with General Admission
Enjoy the singing of local choirs as their voices soar in the grand acoustics of the Rotunda. Choir groups from the Bay Area will serenade visitors as they enter the Science Center.

Frosty the Snowman with Dimitri Matheny
December 12, 2002 at 7:30 pm — Ask Jeeves Planetarium
Tickets: $12 / $8 Chabot Members
Dimitri Matheny Group featuring Clairdee provides the music as storyteller Gavin Payne tells the story of Frosty the Snowman, with images of Frosty's story projected onto the dome of the planetarium. Part of the “Music Under the Stars” series. Tickets available at 510-336-7373.

Knee Bone Connected to the Eye Bone: The Human Body
September 7 – November 24, 2002
Weekends: 12:30 pm – 2 pm, 2:30 pm – 4 pm
Hands-on activities in the Chem/Phys Lab & Teacher Resource Center
Free with General Admission

Just how does the eye see? What holds us up? How does the brain communicate with the body? Discover you inner universe in these hands-on family workshops where you will make a model of your own skeleton, create optical illusions, and learn how the brains send signals that make you walk and talk.

To the Moon and Back
November 30 – February 23, 2003
Weekends: 12:30 pm – 2 pm, 2:30 pm – 4 pm
Hands-on activities in the Chem/Phys Lab & Teacher Resource Center
Free with General Admission

Is there a man in the Moon? What is the Moon made of? How much would you weigh on the Moon? How easy is it to walk on the Moon? Find out the answers to these questions and more in these series of hands-on workshops where you will make maps of the Moon, hear stories and Moon lore and view a real Moon rock.

Adult Astronomy Class
Tuesday evenings October 15 – November 18 (last class on Leonid Meteor Shower night, Monday, Nov. 18)
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 pm
Fees: $55 members, $65 non-members

This Fall Chabot Space & Science Center offers a six-week astronomy course designed especially for adults who are curious about the universe surrounding them and want to learn more! This non-mathematical class will cover constellations, the Solar System stars, galaxies and the Universe. Historical concepts and modern research will also be discussed. This course will utilize the Ask Jeeves Planetarium and Observatories.

Registration begins the week of September 10, 2002. First come, first served. Space is limited! To register, contact Denni Medlock (510) 336-7368 or dmedlock@chabotspace.org.

Training Sessions in Starry Night Pro Astronomy Software
Saturdays & Sundays , 12 noon – 4 pm
Computer Lab, Ages 8 & Up
Free with General Admission

Do you want to explore the variety of objects in the night sky? Starry Night Pro software training will get you started as a desktop astronomer. Chabot Space & Science Center is pleased to offer 30-minute introductory workshops in our Computer Lab every Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 pm. Completion of the training entitles you to a substantial discount on Starry Night software in our gift shop. Sign up for your training session at least one hour in advance in the Computer Lab.

Telescope Makers’ Workshop
Fridays, 7 pm – 10 pm (major holidays excluded)
Founded in 1967, the Telescope Makers’ Workshop is an all-volunteer group committed to helping people build their own telescopes. Bring your interest and curiosity — they provide the knowledge, enthusiasm and advice to help you complete your telescope-making projects. No experience necessary. For information: 510-336-7368 or www.chabotspace.org

Discovery Club
Discover the wonders of the universe in this parent/child after school activity class. Children 4 to 8 years of age and their parents are welcome. The Club is free, although pre-registration is necessary, as space is limited. Club meetings are scheduled on the following dates, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. For more information and registration, please call (510) 336-7362 or email dlaffon@chabotspace.org.

Chabot Space & Science Center is proud to bring you some of the finest speakers in science to address topics in the forefront of humankind’s search for knowledge. Each lecture will be preceded by an overture of classical music chosen by that evening's lecturer. A reception with refreshments follows each event.

Lectures are on Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm in the Tien MegaDome Theater. Tickets are $5.00, available through the Chabot box office, (510) 336-7373 or through ticketweb.com. Seating is limited and advance purchase is recommended.

September 19
Dr. Douglas Vakoch, Interstellar Message Group, SETI Institute
The Art & Science of Interstellar Message Making
Dr. Douglas Vakoch is the Interstellar Message Group Leader at the SETI Institute, which conducts the world’s most sensitive Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Dr. Vakoch researches ways that different civilizations might create messages that could be transmitted across interstellar space, allowing communication between humans and extraterrestrials even without face-to-face contact. He is particularly interested in how we might compose reply messages that would begin to express what it's like to be human. His current project in interstellar message composition focuses on communicating concepts about the evolution of altruism, as seen from sociobiological, evolutionary psychological, and philosophical perspectives.

October 17
Phil Plait, Sonoma State University; Author of BadAstronomy.com & "Bad Astronomy"
Bad Astronomy
"As much fun as the movies are to review and the news is to analyze misconceptions to me are the heart and soul of Bad Astronomy. We learn a lot from school and our parents, but a lot of what fills our brain is 'common knowledge', things we seem to accumulate out of thin air. Everyone knows that you can stand an egg on end on the first day of spring... or can you? Of course toilets flush the other way in the southern hemisphere... don't they?

"It's these types of concepts that got the now-famous Bad Astronomy website & popular Moon Hoax debunking started in the first place. A lot of what we “know'' about astronomy really just isn't right. This lecture is my humble attempt to set the record-- and your brain-- straight about the world's real oldest profession."

November 21
Robert Garfinkle, F.R.A.S.
The Mimbres Plate: the Moon and the Supernova of 1054
Local amateur astronomer, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society of London, and internationally renowned author, Mr. Robert A. Garfinkle, will talk about the famous Mimbres pottery that appears to depict the Moon as a stylized rabbit along with the Supernova explosion of July 1054 (now known as the Crab Nebula). He will also discuss additional samples of Mimbres pottery that appears to depict the phases of the Moon. The Mimbres Indians were a pueblo-dwelling tribe in the area of modern day New Mexico. The lecture is presented in recognition of November as Native American History Month.

December 12
Dr. Mike Carlowicz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Storms from the Sun: How Weather on the Sun Affects Life Down Here
We live within the atmosphere of a variable star, and that atmosphere is home to some of the most bizarre and unpredictable cosmic weather. Space weather is a strange of disturbances that are born on the Sun, rush across space, and disturb Earth’s environment and the various technologies we have come to depend upon. If you like your electronic toys and tools – or if you work for or invest in the companies that make them – you ought to learn something more about our nearest star…. the only one that will affect you in your lifetime.

January 16, 2003
Steven Stahler
How Stars Are Made
On a clear night, the sky is filled with countless stars. These objects must be the natural outcome of processes that occur all the time, throughout our Galaxy. Indeed, images taken with radio and infrared telescopes tell us that new stars are being formed relatively nearby. The progenitor objects are interstellar gas clouds. These clouds undergo gravitational collapse to form primitive stars, which then evolve to become mature objects like our Sun. A large body of research, mostly undertaken within the last few decades, has given us a good understanding of the basic evolutionary phases. Nevertheless, deep mysteries remain in this active and exciting field.

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