Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium's Blog | Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium

Astronomy Camp

Posted: February 2, 2021| Categories: Astronomy Camp, Programs and Events

A virtual camp with one day of socially distanced rocket launching! April 12-16, 2021 Ages 9 to 14 What does it take to get to the moon? Let the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium help prepare you to become a Citizen of the Cosmos! With some imagination and ingenuity, we’ll find… Read More

February Weather

Posted: February 1, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Weather, What's Happening

We are now entering the second half of winter, which has a very different character. There is still a tremendous capacity for snow and cold, so it is not surprising that February holds the record for the snowiest month in many places, as well as the coldest. Yet the sun… Read More

February Astronomy

Posted: February 1, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Orion dominates our February evenings, striding 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

Mars Rover Landing Watch Party

Posted: February 1, 2021| Categories: Learning, Programs and Events

Feb. 18, 3:00 – 4:30pm livestream event! Be part of the moment-to-moment excitement as we join NASA scientists and engineers and their team who guide a new rover to landing on Mars! After a cold, lonely, nearly eight-month-long trip through space, a robot named Perseverance is going land on Mars! Join the… Read More

Camp-in-a-Box

Posted: January 28, 2021| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Learning

Animals in Winter! Unpack an adventure each day during February Break. While in-person camp is not feasible, we gathered some of our favorite discovery gear to prepare a winter “camp-in-a-box” to keep your kiddos busy during February break! This box is packed with fun crafts and educational activities that focus… Read More

January Astronomy

Posted: December 31, 2020| Category: Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

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, Orion’s Belt leads to the rising star Sirius – the brightest star in the night skies. … Read More

January Weather

Posted: December 31, 2020| Category: Skywatch Almanac Weather

While the January Thaw may be thought of as a staple of our weather, January rarely fails to deliver the most consistently cold weather of the year. Following the shortest daylight of the year, the lengthening days are hardly enough to off-set the polar region’s continual loss of heat, helping… Read More

One Step Closer

Posted: December 23, 2020| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Museum News, What's Happening

Andrew McGregor in the Caledonian-Record: The Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium is one step closer to building the first major expansion on the historic building dedicated to natural sciences. The Museum Trustees voted earlier this month to move forward with the nearly $2.5 million addition that will create a 6,000… Read More

Holiday Cheer Kits – Free to You!

Posted: December 2, 2020| Category: Fairbanks Museum

This holiday season, the Fairbanks Museum and Planetariums wants to say a heartfelt thank you to our community for your support over the past year. Through all of the uncertainty, you have continued to make this museum a place for discovery and appreciation of the natural world. Even when our… Read More

December Weather

Posted: December 1, 2020| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Weather

The darkest days of the year are not helped by the fact that they are also the cloudiest. This darkness is complete across the arctic regions, and nearly so in the sub-arctic, providing an increasing source of cold air that causes the average temperatures to drop nearly 15 degrees, and… Read More