Category: Planetarium News | Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium's Blog

July Astronomy

Posted: July 10, 2019| Category: Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Evenings arrive late, though the days do get a little shorter. The southern skies are busy this month, with the red star Antares marking the “heart” of the Scorpion, with claws stretching to the west, and its tail right along the horizon. To its left is Jupiter, while farther left,… Read More

Astronomy Extravaganza!

Posted: July 10, 2019| Categories: Planetarium News, StarGazing, What's Happening

Join us on July 20th to celebrate the anniversary of the lunar landing, when Apollo 11 astronauts first stepped foot on the moon! Our Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium will feature special shows throughout the day that highlight the extraordinary accomplishments of the astronauts, engineers, and dreamers who worked together to… Read More

June Astronomy

Posted: June 3, 2019| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Our shortest nights still feature some great star gazing, starting with the Summer Triangle rising in the east – Vega, highest and brightest in the northeast, Deneb nearer the horizon, and Altair to their right, all three wading within the returning Milky Way, climbing higher above the eastern horizon, stretching… Read More

May Astronomy

Posted: May 1, 2019| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

May welcomes the return of some of the brighter summer stars, including Vega in the northeast, and Antares in the southeast. High in the south, Leo the Lion prowls toward the southwest through the month, identified by the “backwards question mark” that forms his head, mane, and shoulders. High above,… Read More

Skywatch Astronomy

Posted: March 28, 2019| Category: Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

This April starts with Orion and his companions the Big Dog and Taurus, the Bull, standing on the western horizon to start, but will be sinking through the month. The spring stars may not dazzle in comparison, yet the Big Dipper is placed high in the northeast, Leo, the Lion… Read More

Skywatch Astronomy

Posted: March 4, 2019| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

In March, Orion settles into the southwest for some great evening views. The evenings also feature the Big Dipper rising in the northeast, looking like a giant question mark. Follow the “handle” toward the horizon, where the star Arcturus rises by 9 o’clock. Venus sits quite low in the east… Read More

CNB Stories from Space

Posted: February 1, 2019| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Planetarium News, Programs and Events

Sunday mornings are a blast in our planetarium! Community National Bank Stories from Space is for budding space explorers, infants to 5 years old and their families. Science educator Mike Ressler zooms kids through the solar system as he reads space stories. This family-friendly event in our Lyman Spitzer Jr. Read More

February Astronomy

Posted: January 30, 2019| Categories: Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

February evenings feature the great Orion, mid-way up from the southern horizon by 8 o’clock, accompanied by the brightest star in our night skies, Sirius, below and left of Orion, marking the nose of the Great Dog. High in the south, Taurus, the Bull charges at Orion, as the Big… Read More

January Astronomy

Posted: January 8, 2019| Categories: Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, StarGazing

This month’s highlight, a total Lunar Eclipse on the night of the 21st into the 22nd. Orion becomes the center of attention in January, with his three belt stars drawing a line to the right, pointing to the red star Aldebaran, the “eye” of Taurus, the Bull. To the left,… Read More

Stellar Seating

Posted: December 4, 2018| Category: Planetarium News

How would you like to see your name on plush, new seating in our Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium? Your gift of $200 or more now through February 28 gives you a chance to place your name — or the name of someone you want to honor — on a fabulous… Read More