Astronomy Day 2015

Founded in 1973, Astronomy Day gives amateur and professional astronomers an opportunity to share their love of stargazing and its exciting discoveries with the public through displays, family-friendly activities and demonstrations, astronomy club information, and information about astronomical research and education at local colleges and universities.

The Academy will partner with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the Robert Ferguson Observatory, Ames Research Center, the University of California, and other local organizations whose representatives will staff display tables  in the Piazza from 10am-4pm and provide information about their programs and activities.

The Academy’s TASC Force (Teen Advocates for Science Education) will present the entertaining “Cosmic Quiz Show” on the Piazza stage at 12pm and 2pm. Astronomy videos will be shown throughout the day in the Naturalist Center, where members of the Morrison Planetarium staff will present a virtual tour of the solar system at 12:30pm and a sampler of astronomy smart-apps for night sky enthusiasts at 3:00pm.

Visitors will be able to touch a meteorite, learn about telescopes, and observe the 3D nature of constellations.  Weather permitting, Academy docents will be on hand to guide museum guests in safe solar viewing from the Living Roof.

This year, Astronomy Day activities are being combined with the kickoff of the PLUTO PALOOZA national tour and the Hubble Space Telescope's 25th anniversary, with special programming dedicated to each.