About Us

Press Room

MEDIA CONTACT: David Perry, (415) 693-0583
news@davidperry.com

Judyth Collin, (510) 336-7310
jcollin@chabotspace.org

Chabot Space & Science Center
"Your Place in the Universe"

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARCH — JUNE 2003
(Issued March 6, 2003)

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

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

CHABOT SPACE & SCIENCE CENTER — Indoor stargazing in Ask Jeeves Planetarium, outdoor viewing through telescopes, daily film screenings in Tien MegaDome Theater, interactive exhibits and learning center. Open Tues. – Sun. Observatory hours Fri. & Sat. from 7-10 pm. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300. www.chabotspace.org

Openings | Ongoing Shows/Exhibits | March 2003 | April 2003 | May 2003 | June 2003 | Sky Calendar

OPENINGS

Exhibits:

The World in Our Hands: Earth Images from River of Words (March 11 – June 1, 2003)
An unparalleled collection of children’s art and poetry that explores the theme of watersheds, the environment and Planet Earth. Over fifty works by California youth will be on display. The exhibition is organized by River of Words (ROW), a group founded in 1995 to promote literacy, the arts, and environmental awareness. The exhibit coincides with Chabot's spring Weekend Spotlight theme, Planet Earth, which offers hands-on earth and environmental science activities on Saturdays and Sundays from March 1 through June 15.

Films:

To Fly! (Opens March 15, 2003; ongoing until March, 2004)
A stunning overview of transportation and flight in America. To Fly! presents an emotional and visual experience as audiences float over the Vermont countryside and Niagara Falls in a balloon, thrill to the spirit of flying from wild barnstorming to the precision of the Blue Angels, and explore the beauties of flight with a cross-country cruise, hang-gliding in Hawaii and a rocket lift-off. Produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films. (27 min)

Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West (Opens June 7, 2003; ongoing until June, 2004)
Journey through buffalo-filled prairies, encounter rugged mountains and raging waters and experience the beauty of the American West as you travel with Lewis, Clark and their Corps of Discovery on their 8,000-mile trek to the Pacific Ocean. Narrated by Jeff Bridges. A National Geographic Film; distributed by Destination Cinema. (40 min)

Planetarium Shows:

Saturn: The True Lord of the Rings (March 8 – April 19)
During March and April, Saturn will present us with the best view of the south side of its rings for the next thirty years! Saturn: The True Lord of the Rings version of The Sky Tonight, shown Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, will focus in on the ringed planet, taking audiences into its cloud tops, landing them on one of its moons, and providing them with up to date information about NASA's Cassini mission.

Galaxies: To the Farthest Reaches of Time (Opens Mid-May)
As we look out at the galaxies that inhabit the space around us, we are actually looking back in time at stars whose light, traveling for billions of years to reach Earth, unveils to us both the beginnings of our Universe and its fate. This show takes a look at our Spring sky and some of the biggest objects in our Universe—Galaxies.

Public Opening:

Chabot’s New Telescope Opens — June 21, 2003
Time & Tickets TBA
Celebrate the opening of Chabot’s biggest and brightest star — the new 36-inch telescope named "Nellie." Enjoy an evening of stargazing, both inside in the Ask Jeeves Planetarium and outside on the Observatory Plaza.

Spotlight Activities:

Planet Earth — (March 1 – June 15)
Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm; Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm,
FREE with General Admission
Fun hands-on activities in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Spend time comparing planetary atmospheres to learn why Earth is so unique. Or build and race a solar car of your own design. Discover new and exciting creatures in a pond sample, or build your own project out of completely recycled materials.

Mars — (June 21 – September 28)
Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm; Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm,
FREE with General Admission
With all the telescopes pointed at Mars this summer, we will take a closer look at the Red Planet with hands-on activities, slide shows, rover races and more!

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ONGOING ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM SHOWS

Sky Quest — Come along with a young woman on her personal quest to find a special place in the night sky, from her childhood adventures on "Mars" (via a cardboard rocket), to the discovery of her "birthday star" that led her to become an astronomer and build a mountain observatory. Sky Quest is an entertaining and educational exploration of the night sky that appeals to family members of all ages. The show is narrated by Roxanna Dawson, who played B'Elanna Torres of TV's Star Trek: Voyager. Sky Quest was created by Loch Ness Productions for the Albert Einstein Planetarium, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and is distributed by Sky-Skan Inc. (25 min)

By the Light of the Sun: A Trek to the Planets — A sunrise on Pluto is very different from a sunrise on Mars. Follow the path of sunlight through the solar system and see how it touches and affects each planet. This show is designed and produced by Chabot with a grant from Lockheed Martin in conjunction with the Solar B project. (40 min)

Destiny of the Stars — (through 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 — (Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm) Presented live, 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 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.)

For showtimes, please visit www.chabotspace.org/visit/planetarium.asp.

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ONGOING IN THE TIEN MEGADOME THEATER

The Human Body — 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. (43 min)

The Living Sea —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. (40 min)

Mysteries of Egypt — 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— (through March 14) — Follow the rigors of astronaut training, the frantic countdown of missions, and the heart-stopping launch into space. Shot entirely on location at NASA. (35 min.)

For show times, please visit www.chabotspace.org/visit/theater.asp.

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ONGOING EXHIBITS

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

Spaceflight: Journey to the Stars — Explore the past, present and future of spaceflight in this exhibit 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.

Our Place in the Universe — 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. The EarthViewer 3D computer kiosk at the entrance to the exhibit lets visitors connect to highly detailed satellite and aerial images of the Earth—you decide where and how close up you want to look!

Astronomy In California 1850–1950: Telescope Makers, Telescopes, and Artifacts — Explore California's rich astronomical history and Chabot Observatory's own 120-year history through a display of telescopes, artifacts, and the histories of their makers, on loan from the Smithsonian Institution.

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

Moon Mystery —A 3-billion-year-old Moon rock, no bigger than a child’s palm, is the centerpiece of this exhibit, which explores various enigmas in lunar lore, including the “Big Whack” theory of the Moon’s formation and how the Moon affects life on Earth. The moon rock is on loan from NASA's Johnson Space Center

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.

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OBSERVATORY

Telescope Viewing, Friday & Saturday evenings
Fall/Winter hours, until April 5, 7 – 10 pm
Daylight Savings Hours, April 11- October 18, dusk – 11pm

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. "Nellie," Chabor's new 36" telescope, opens in June 2003.

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DAILY CALENDAR FOR MARCH 2003

• Wednesday, March 5 — First Wednesday of the month, FREE Admission to the Galleries.

• Friday, March 7, 7:30 pm; Saturday, March 8, 7:30 pm ; Sunday, March 9, 4 pm— Sci-fi Film Series
  X-Men: The Movie (2000, rated PG-13, 104 min.) A band of children, the X-Men, born with superhuman abilities strive for a world where humans and mutants can peacefully co-exist. Film adaptation of the classic Marvel comic book. Screens on the huge dome of the Tien MegaDome Theater. Tickets $5.00. For tickets or information, call (510) 336-7300 or visit www.chabotspace.org

• Saturday, March 8 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities: Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Saturday, March 8 — Family Science Workshop (ages 7 and up) – Introduction to Starry Night Pro Software
  7 pm – 8:30 pm; Tickets $20 per adult/ $10 per child.
  Learn to view the sky from any time in history or the future, anywhere on Earth or from anywhere in outer space. Examine the motions of the sky and explore the various objects that can be seen from Earth. Space is limited. To register, visit www.chabotspace.org/registration/family. Call 510-336-7319 for information.

• Sunday, March 9 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Tuesday, March 11 — NEW EXHIBITION OPENS
  The World in our Hands: Earth Images from River of Words
  An unparalleled exhibition of over fifty works of art and poems by California youth, organized by River of Words (ROW), a group founded in 1995 to promote literacy, the arts, and environmental awareness.

• Wednesday, March 12 — Discovery Club – Things That Fly
  3:30 – 5pm; Ages 4 – 8 and their parents; FREE, pre-registration necessary, 510-336-7362. Make some things that move in the wind.

• Friday, March 14—Last Day! To Be An Astronaut, Tien MegaDome Theater

• Saturday, March 15 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Saturday, March 15 — Environmental Science Activity Day
  12 noon – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission
  Join in fun hands-on activities and demonstrations in Chabot's EnviroGarden. Learn about air quality, gardening, composting, solar energy and more.

• Saturday, March 15 — NEW FILM OPENS — To Fly!

• Sunday, March 16 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Thursday, March 20 — Lecture
  Dr. Sten Odenwald, Patterns in the Void – Why It’s Good to be Afraid of the Dark
  7:30 pm, Tien MegaDome Theater. Tickets are $5.00. (510) 336-7373 or ticketweb.com.
  Dr. Sten Odenwald of the NASA IMAGE satellite program will speak about the primal mystery of darkness and space—what the Ancients called the “Void.” Are there parallel universes? What are those dark energies lurking in the cosmos? Here answers to these questions and more.

• Saturday, March 22 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Saturday, March 22 — SPECIAL EVENT – SUN-EARTH DAY
  10 am – 5 pm, FREE with General Admission
  Join us at Chabot Space & Science Center for the third annual, NASA-promoted Sun-Earth Day celebration! This year’s theme is the Aurora: the spectacular atmospheric light show typically seen in Earth’s polar regions and caused by the activity of our life-giving star, the Sun. Learn about the Aurora, the Sun, and the intimate and vital relationship our planet and star share. Activities will include:

  • Astronomer-facilitated telescope viewing of the Sun

  • Environmental and Solar "Spotlight" activities

  • Roving scientists

  • The spectacular film "Solarmax"

  • Discovery Lab activities for families

  • Computer Lab explorations of the Sun and the Aurora

• Sunday, March 23 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Tuesday, March 25 & Wednesday, March 26 — SCIENCE FAIR: Science Fair projects from the Oakland Unified School District will be on display 10am – 3pm.

• Thursday, March 27 — Discovery Club – Families, Coverings and Creature Features
  3:30 – 5pm; Ages 4 – 8 and their parents; FREE, pre-registration necessary, 510-336-7362. Learn about animal families, skin and other features. Pretend to be your favorite animal, insect or bird.

• Friday, March 28 — MUSIC UNDER THE STARS CANCELLED (Ask Jeeves Planetarium will show its regular weekend program, The Sky Tonight, see above)

• Friday, March 28 —Family Science Workshop
  7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Saturday, March 29 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Sunday, March 30 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Sunday, March 30 — LAST DAY! — Destiny of the Stars, Ask Jeeves Planetarium

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DAILY CALENDAR FOR APRIL 2003

• Wednesday, April 2 — First Wednesday of the month, FREE Admission to the Galleries.

• Friday, April 4, 7:30 pm; Saturday, April 5, 7:30 pm; Sunday, April 6, 4 pm — Sci-fi Film Series
  E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982, rated PG, 115 min.) A group of Earth children help a stranded alien botanist return home. Screens on the huge dome of the Tien MegaDome Theater. Tickets $5.00. For tickets or information, call (510) 336-7300 or visit www.chabotspace.org

• Saturday, April 5 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Sunday, April 6 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Thursday, April 10 — Discovery Club – Greens That Grow and Bloom
  3:30 – 5pm; Ages 4 – 8 and their parents; FREE, pre-registration necessary, 510-336-7362. Take a closer look at plants and flowers. Plant seeds and take them home to watch them grow. Make and eat a garden salad and visit the wonders in our Enviro-Garden

• Thursday, April 10 — SPECIAL EVENT—A King’s Dance: Jupiter Eclipse Event
  7 pm – 12 midnight, Tickets: $12 general, $10 Chabot members; (510) 336-7373 or at ticketweb.com
  Witness one of the rarer events in our Solar System – the eclipse of Jupiter by two of its moons, which, in turn, eclipse each other at the same time! This multiple eclipse event will allow viewers to see, in real time through Chabot’s large telescopes, this rare display of the orbital motion that controls all of the planets and their moons in our Solar System. The event will also feature planetarium shows illustrating this spectacular dance, access to exhibits and hands-on activities.

• Friday, April 11 — Family Science Workshop
  7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Saturday, April 12 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Saturday, April 12 — Book Signing – Fluvio Melia, Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy
  6:30 pm, Tien MegaDome Theater, FREE with General Admission
  A superbly illustrated, elegantly written, nontechnical account of the most enigmatic astronomical object yet observed. Fulvio Melia captures all the excitement of the growing realization that we are on the verge of actually seeing this exotic object within the next few years.

• Sunday, April 13 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Monday, April 14 – Friday, April 18 — Spring Break Activities
  Activities FREE with General Admission
  Build and race a solar car of your own design, launch a rocket, discover new and exciting creatures in a pond sample, or build your own project out of completely recycled materials.
  Please note our special Spring Break hours, as noted at top.

• Thursday, April 17 — SPECIAL EVENT — Universe Night: Space Verse and Songs for All Ages
  7:30 pm, Tien MegaDome Theater. Tickets are $5.00. (510) 336-7373 or ticketweb.com. In honor of National Poetry Month the Chabot staff and invited performers, along with our illustrious audience, will join together to read Mother Goose Rhymes riotously updated for the Space age, sing far out verse set to classic tunes and generally have a rollicking good time. Join us for an evening sure to entertain and amaze!

• Friday, April 18 — Family Science Workshop
  7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Wednesday, April 23 — Discovery Club – Make That Connection
  3:30 – 5pm; Ages 4 – 8 and their parents; FREE, pre-registration necessary. 510-336-7362
  Using magnets, look for things that attract and repel. Explore the mystery of the magnet. What will you attract?

• Friday, April 25 – ARBOR DAY CEREMONIES
  Time: TBA. FREE. Tree planting ceremonies that include planting a Columbia Grove.

• Saturday, April 26 — EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES
  10am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission
  Celebrate Earth Day with fun hands-on activities. Build and race a solar car of your own design, discover new and exciting creatures in a pond sample, or build your own project out of completely recycled materials

• Sunday, April 27 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

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DAILY CALENDAR FOR MAY 2003

• Thursday, May 1 — SPECIAL EVENT — SPACE DAY: Celebrating the Future of Flight
  10 am – 5 pm, FREE with general admission. Space Day activities for school groups and other visitors. Launch a rocket, see a film, climb into a Mercury capsule.

• Friday, May 2 — Family Science Workshop
  7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Friday, May 2, 7:30 pm; Saturday, May 3, 7:30 pm; Sunday, May 4, 4 pm — Sci-fi Film Series
  The Mummy (1993, rated PG-13, 127 min.) A French Foreign Legion soldier on an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Hamunaptra accidentally awakens the Mummy. Screens on the huge dome of the Tien MegaDome Theater. Tickets are $5.00. For tickets or information, call (510) 336-7300 or visit www.chabotspace.org

• Saturday, May 3 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Sunday, May 4 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Wednesday, May 7 — First Wednesday of the month, FREE Admission to the Galleries.

• Thursday, May 8 — Discovery Club – Wet and Wild Water Exploration, 3:30 – 5pm; Ages 4 – 8 and their parents; FREE, pre-registration necessary, 510-336-7362. Splash!!! It’s okay to get a little wet in this lab. Explore absorption, volume, sink and float, and more. Play water soccer on the table. Make a beach in a bottle!

• Friday, May 9 — Family Science Workshop
  7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Saturday, May 10 — SPECIAL DAY — ASTRONOMY DAY
  Free with general admission. Astronomy activities throughout the day include the use of solar telescopes, seeing the sun, finding your birthday star, telescope making with jello lenses, and learning how telescopes work.

• Saturday, May 10 — Nature Hike
  5 – 9:30 pm, Ages 7 and up, FREE. Explore nature by day and the stars by night on a moderately strenuous 5 mile hike. Bring warm jacket, flashlight and a snack to share. Meet at the entrance to the Science Center and end with optional telescope viewing.

• Sunday, May 11 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission.

• Thursday, May 15 — Lecture
  Dr. Mike Reynolds – The History & Lore of Lunar Eclipses
  6:30 pm, Ask Jeeves Planetarium. Tickets are $5.00. (510) 336-7373 or ticketweb.com. Join Chabot’s resident eclipse expert to learn about the history of lunar eclipse lore and culture, and hear modern-day tales of eclipse observing. Afterwards, come outside to view a beautiful total eclipse of the moon as it rises over the eastern treeline at Chabot. Telescopes will be at hand for additional observing.

• Saturday, May 17 — Earth and Environmental Science Activities Day, 12 noon – 4 pm, FREE with general admission. Join in fun hands-on activities and demonstrations in Chabot's EnviroGarden. Learn about air quality, gardening, composting, solar energy and more.

• Sunday, May 18 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Wednesday, May 21 — Discovery Club – Light, Sun, Action! 3:30 – 5pm; Ages 4 – 8 and their parents; FREE, pre-registration necessary, 510-336-7362. The sun’s light is wonderful. Without it, we would not be here! See what light is all about. View the sun through special glasses. Find bent light with prisms and more.

• Friday, May 23 — Family Science Workshop
  7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Saturday, May 24 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission.

• Sunday, May 25 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission.

• Saturday, May 31 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission.

• Saturday, May 31 — Book Signing – Chet Raymo 7 pm, Tien MegaDome Theater, FREE with General Admission. Chet Raymo, professor of physics at Stonehill College, will read from his new book, The Path: A One-Mile Walk Through the Universe. “Follow him down his neighborhood path, and you’ll be reminded that every moment of this life, every spot of this earth, is miraculous.”

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DAILY CALENDAR FOR JUNE 2003

• Sunday, June 1 — Last day to view exhibition: The World in our Hands: Earth Images from River of Words.

• Sunday, June 1 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Wednesday, June 4 — First Wednesday of the month, FREE Admission to the Galleries.

• Friday, June 6 — Family Science Workshop, 7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Friday, June 6, 7:30 pm; Saturday, June 7, 7:30 pm; Sunday, June 8, 4 pm — Sci-fi Film Series
  The Mummy Returns (2000, rated PG-13, 113 min.) The mummified body of Imhotep is shipped to a museum in London, where he once again wakes. Screens on the huge dome of the Tien MegaDome Theater. Tickets are $5.00. For tickets or information, call (510) 336-7300 or visit www.chabotspace.org

• Saturday, June 7 — NEW FILM OPENS — Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West

• Saturday, June 7 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Sunday, June 8 — Spotlight — Planet Earth, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Saturday, June 14 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Sunday, June 15 — Spotlight — Planet Earth – Last day!
  Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Thursday, June 19 — Lecture
  Erik S. Bailey, The History and Future of Mars Exploration
  7:30 pm, Tien MegaDome Theater. Tickets are $5.00. (510) 336-7373 or ticketweb.com.With Mars approaching its best view from Earth in over 200 years, Erik Bailey, an aerospace systems engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, will take us on a journey from the very first American probes to Mars to the bold plans for future vehicles of exploration.

• Friday, June 20 — Family Science Workshop, 7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Saturday, June 21 — CHABOT'S NEW 36" TELESCOPE OPENS. Time & tickets TBA. Celebrate the opening of Chabot’s biggest and brightest star — the new 36-inch telescope named "Nellie." Enjoy an evening of stargazing, both inside in the Ask Jeeves Planetarium and outside on the Observatory Plaza. Chabot's new 36" telescope is one of the largest reflector telescopes available on a regular basis to the public in the U.S.

• Saturday, June 21 — Spotlight — Mars – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Saturday, June 21 — Earth and Environmental Science Activities Day, 12 noon – 4 pm, FREE with general admission. Join in fun hands-on activities and demonstrations in Chabot's EnviroGarden. Learn about air quality, gardening, composting, solar energy and more.

• Sunday, June 22 — Spotlight — Mars – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Friday, June 27— Family Science Workshop, 7:00 – 8:30 pm; $20 Adult/$15 Youth; For information, call 510-336-7363. A variety of hands-on, fun activities and demonstrations for the whole family.

• Saturday, June 28 — Spotlight — Mars – Hands-on Science Activities, Saturdays 11:30 am – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

• Sunday, June 29 — Spotlight — Mars – Hands-on Science Activities, Sundays 12:30 pm – 4 pm, FREE with General Admission

SKY CALENDAR

March

March 11 – March 15: The Moon once again passes just 2.8 degrees by Saturn on the 11th, and by Jupiter, 3.9 degrees on the 15th. These planets become easy targets for early evening viewers.

March 20: The Vernal Equinox occurs at 5:02 pm.

Mercury crosses over into the evening sky and will start to become visible after sunset near the last days of the month.

April

As the month begins Mercury is putting on a fine evening appearance, setting a full hour after the sun, though low in the sky. By April 16, Mercury reaches greatest elongation and is visible almost 20 degrees up from the horizon. Try looking West for a brilliant, but tiny, stellar object an hour after sunset.

Also on April 16th the Full Moon, also known as the Pink Moon, rises in the East at sunset. It will look a bit bigger this night because it is at Perigee, the point in its orbit when it is closest to the Earth.

Other planets will be quite visible throughout the month. Saturn is prominent at nightfall in the west. Its rings will reach their most open position, at 26.99 degrees from edge-on, on April 26.

Jupiter, like Saturn, can be viewed high in the sky soon after sunset. On April 3 it appears stopped in its orbit only 1.1 degree southeast of M44, the Beehive Cluster in Cancer, an open star cluster which can easily be seen with modest binoculars from the city.

May

The Moon is the celebrity of the month, rising in total eclipse on the evening dusk of May 15. Viewers in Oakland must find a high site with a good view of a low eastern horizon to catch the Moonrise one hour after sunset. The eclipse will last over an hour. Look for the “moldy orange” effect as the Moonlight appears reddish from sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere.

While Saturn and Jupiter continue their brilliant mid-evening show, Mars begins to excite watchers of the red planet. Though still rising well after midnight, Mars is beginning to rapidly brighten. Spring begins on Mars May 5, allowing telescope observers a view of its southern polar ice cap as a tiny splotch of white.

June

This month Saturn says its goodbye, setting with the sun after mid-month. Look for the ringed planet just below a thin crescent Moon in the evening dusk of June 1.

It is now time for Mars to take center stage – in this summer of its closest approach to Earth in over 5,000 years. Rising near midnight by the end of the month the red planet grows considerably in appearance. Grey and green surface markings should become visible in medium-sized telescopes.

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