Space, the Final Frontier

Interactive Exhibits: Captions Log and Talkback Space
Studio 3
6:00 -10:00 PM

Come make your mark at our interactive exhibits in Studio 3, specially curated for tonight’s theme! 

Interstellar Deception: A Star Trek Magic Show with Rez Graham
Studio 3 (Space is limited)
6:30 PM

Join our Chief of Security, Lieutenant Commander Rez Graham, as he reveals the clandestine ways different alien species cheat at games of chance. From Vulcan mind tricks to Ferengi sleight of hand, prepare to be amazed and entertained as the secrets of interstellar deception unfold in this Star Trek-themed magic show at the Chabot Space & Science Center. Live long and witness the magic! 

Rez Graham is a magician, actor, and improviser with over a decade of performing experience.  He has a knack for spinning captivating stories and connecting with his audience. From parlor to strolling to stage, his magic has mesmerized audiences across the Bay Area. Learn more at https://www.rezgraham.com/.

Universal
Planetarium
6:30 PM

Fly through the heart of a cluster of ancient stars and take a swing around the luminous remains of a dying star. Cruise by alien planets that orbit a star not very far away, and surf past the brilliant rings of Saturn—and more. “Universal” is a ten-minute, un-narrated musical voyage through the universe that carries the viewer from the vast realm of intergalactic space to several stellar wonders of the Milky Way Galaxy, though an intriguing and nearby extraterrestrial planetary system, and onward home, to Earth. 

Author Discussion: To Boldly Go with Angela Dalton
Theater
7:00 PM

Dive into the world of sci-fi as we unravel the mysteries behind “To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights.” 

About To Boldy Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights – Perfect for fans of Hidden Figures and Mae Among the Stars! To Boldly Go tells the true story of Nichelle Nichols and how she used her platform on Star Trek to inspire and recruit a new generation of diverse astronauts and many others in the space and STEM fields. As Lieutenant Uhura on the iconic prime-time television show Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols played the first Black female astronaut anyone had ever seen on screen, opening the door for the real-life pioneering astronauts Sally Ride, Dr. Mae Jemison, and more. This empowering tribute to the trailblazing pop culture icon reminds us of the importance of perseverance and the power of representation in storytelling.  

Angela Dalton was once a producer of online kids’ games and other cool, nerdy things. She grew up reading lots of books, watching Star Trek on repeat, and guzzling red Kool-Aid. Now an adult, two of these three things have inspired her to write her own stories, and the third is a once-a-year treat (can you guess which one?). Author of books for young minds and the young at heart, she has three written three traditionally published picture books: Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner (2021), Show the World! (2022), and To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Civil Rights (2023). 

Forward to the Moon
Planetarium
7:30 PM

Kari Byron from Crash Test World and MythBusters launches us on a journey beyond the Earth towards a sustainable future in space. NASA’s 21st century Artemis program, named after the Greek moon Goddess and twin of Apollo, is the next step in our mission to explore the universe and land the first woman and person of color on the surface of the Moon. 

Guest Speaker: The Science of Star Trek
Studio 3
8:00 PM

For almost 60 years Star Trek has previewed a technologically advanced, harmonious (some of the time), spacefaring future, but how much of that is science and how much is fiction? Astrophysicist Dr. Jeffrey Silverman will take us from the Original Series through the reboot movies 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 1966. He’ll boldly go into a wide range of topics including warp drives, stellar navigation, the physics of nebulas, alien planets, and more! 

Dr. Jeffrey Silverman is a Senior Staff Data Scientist at Mozilla and has been working with Big Data in the Tech Industry for the past 7 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).

Asteroid Mission Extreme
Planetarium
9:15 PM

Asteroid: Mission Extreme takes audiences on a journey 65 million years in the making to discover how asteroids are both a danger and an opportunity for those of us on planet Earth. The danger of course lies in the possibility of a cataclysmic collision; the opportunity is the crazy idea that asteroids could be stepping stones to other worlds — veritable way stations in space — allowing us to penetrate the deepest realms of the universe. The challenges are enormous, but the idea could ultimately save humankind. Explore with us the possibilities in Asteroid: Mission Extreme, narrated by Sigourney Weaver.