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First Friday: A GALAXY (NOT SO) FAR AWAY
May 2 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
All-ages, family-friendly
$10 adults, $5 kids and seniors, free for members.
This First Friday, join our team of cosmic rebels to celebrate “May the Fourth” early in our galaxy not so far away! Craft your own glowing sword, get a glimpse of distant planets through our historic 8” refractor telescope known as “Leah,” and discover the mechanics of robotics alongside a familiar sassy android. Then, don’t forget to snap a pic in our Galaxy Photobooth, enjoy a themed cocktail, and discover the fact behind the fiction in your favorite intergalactic fantasy movies. Perfect for fans of all ages, this is one sci-fi inspired adventure you won’t want to miss.
Activities & Presentations
6:00PM – Galaxy Photo Booth
Capture a memory against the backdrop of a glowing galaxy! Pose with props & snap a picture for your socials in Astrolight (Studio 2). Don’t forget to tag @chabotspace on Instagram!
6:30PM – ElectroLaze: Laser Pop
It ain’t no lie, baby, head over to the Theater for a full-dome laser show and party like it’s the release year of The Phantom Menace.
7:30PM – The Sky Tonight: Live Zeiss Show with East Bay Astronomical Society
Explore the cosmos as a Chabot Astronomer leads you through the galaxy using a Zeiss Universarium Mark VIII Star Projector in our Plantarium.
7:30PM – Telescope Makers Workshop
Open to all ages, the Telescope Makers’ Workshop is an all-volunteer group committed to helping people build their own telescopes. Drop in to in Lab 2 to see what they are up to.
7:30PM – Free Telescope Viewings
Head out to our Observation Deck to look through our telescopes to take a peek at our celestial neighborhood and maybe see some galaxies far, far away!
8:00PM – The Science of Star Wars
For almost 50 years Star Wars has shown us some amazing planets, aliens, and technology in a galaxy far, far away, but how much of this “space fantasy” is real science? Astrophysicist and scruffy-looking nerf herder Dr. Jeffrey Silverman, will take us from the Original Trilogy through the Sequel Trilogy and the current streaming shows, discussing some of the out of this world sci-fi ideas that have become reality, as well as plenty of “bad science” that was known to be wrong even in 1977. You definitely won’t have a bad feeling about the wide range of topics he’ll go into including hyperdrives, far off planets, droids, alien species, planetary destruction, and more!
Dr. Jeffrey Silverman is a Technical Data Science Lead subcontractor with PG&E and has been working with Big Data in the Tech Industry for more than 8 years. Before that Jeffrey was a National Science Foundation Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin and earned his PhD in Astrophysics at UC Berkeley working on observations of exploding stars and dark energy with Prof. Alex Filippenko. Jeffrey is also involved in various science communication and public outreach programs including volunteering at Chabot (inside the Museum and on the Observatory Deck), organizing Astronomy on Tap events around the world, and co-hosting Big Screen Science (formerly at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in San Francisco).
8:00PM – Star Stories
For centuries, people have told stories about our skies, and Star Wars is no exception! Join us on the Observation Deck as we gather under the starlight with storyteller Doug Olsen to explore star myths from around the world.
9:00PM – Star Wars Trivia
Think you know your Star Wars? Now’s your chance to join us in the Theater to prove your knowledge & win fun prizes in an exciting game of trivia! And remember – when it comes to ace-ing the game, it’s do or do not, there is no try.
Ongoing
Droid Depot | Mezzanine
Have you ever attended a meet & greet with a robot? Now’s your chance to come face to face with a droid, snap a photo, and chat with the builders of some familiar robo-faces!
From Tatooine to NASA: Meet CRATER | Mezzanine
Move over R2! Join UC Berkeley Engineering Ambassador and NASA Ames intern Jordy to discover NASA’s ARMADAS project’s newest autonomous robot-in-progress, CRATER! Designed to collect lunar regolith, CRATER represents the future of aerospace robotics. CRATER will be tested at the NASA Ames Research Center’s Roverscape — a robotics research, development and test facility. Come talk to Jordy to learn more!
Make-Your-Own Laser Sword! | Rotunda
Join Chabot educators to craft your own laser sword. As Master Luke says – Once you build it, your sword will become your constant companion, your tool, and a ready means of defense! Use it wisely.
Spaceship Gliders | Classroom 3
In this very moment, across our very own planet… engineers are working on new technologies that may allow humans to live on Mars, communicate more easily on earth, and unlock the secrets of the universe. Have you ever wondered how engineers prototype new ideas? Join the UC Berkeley Engineering Ambassador team as we have fun making paper “spaceship” gliders! The path to the stars awaits, and engineering will take us there!
Making Movie Magic! | Lab 1
Unleash your inner filmmaker through puppetry and stop motion as you explore the movie magic behind Star Wars’ most iconic creatures and scenes—then create your own!
Planet Match: Earth to Endor | Studio 3
Explore the galaxy and match real-life planets to their sci-fi counterparts! From lava worlds to desert planets, discover fascinating space facts and test your knowledge in this kid-friendly planetary adventure game!
