Join us for an out-of-this-world day at the Museums! Enjoy activities and demonstrations on the Museums Grounds and in the Science Museum. Astronomy Day began in California in 1973 as a way to share the joy of astronomy with the public and has grown into a worldwide annual event.
Free with museum admission! Masking and social distancing requirements will be observed throughout the day in all locations.
Not able (or ready) to visit in person? That’s OK! We have at-home activities for kids and families available.
The Science of Spacesuits, 11:30 am, 1 pm & 2:30 pm
Museum Docent Joel Cummings guides visitors through the science behind the gear astronauts wear on spacewalks outside of the International Space Station. Visitors will also witness what happens to a marshmallow in the vacuum of space! (Tolman Hall)
Tour the Solar System, 12 pm, 1:30 pm & 3 pm
Planetarium educator Kevin Kopchynski gives computer-guided tours of Mars, the Moon, and the May night sky. (Tolman Hall)
Ongoing Activities on the Museums Grounds, 11 am-3 pm
Orbiting Objects
Experiment with different sized and weighted balls on a stretchy fabric gravity well. Investigate how changing conditions can cause phenomena like stellar wobble and planet formation.
Nebula Spin Art
Learn about how gigantic clouds of gas and dust in space, called nebulas, are formed. Create a colorful model nebula using paint and a spinner. Because of the unique quantities and locations of the materials and the forces that spread them out, each model nebula will be unique—just like each real nebula!
Filtered Light
Discover how scientists can use telescopes and other tools to capture and filter different energies of light to study the universe. Use colored filters to reveal more about an image and make and study colorful images of your own.
