Go Stargazing At Home With Virtual Activities From Lowell Observatory In Arizona
We all look up at the same night sky to admire the cosmos – an activity that Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff holds near and dear to its heart. During this time of social distancing, the staff has put together a virtual astronomy program that features coffee chats and interviews with experts, special coverage of celestial events, and even educational activities for kids. You can catch all the fun on Lowell Observatory’s YouTube channel.
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Among the oldest observatories in the country, Lowell is best known for being the place where Pluto was discovered in 1930.
The staff has been planning video livestreams and other web events for some time, but has kickstarted its virtual learning program to entertain and educate people at home.
At 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, the "Meet an Astronomer" segment features a different expert each week.
Get an in-depth view of the universe, observe nearby galaxies, study massive stars known as "supergiants," and so much more. The image above is from the livestream with Dr. Michael West and you can check it out here.
Grab a cup of cosmic coffee at 9 a.m. on Thursday mornings as observatory director Dr. Jeff Hall sits down with astronomers, educators, and other professionals.
Previous sessions have covered the famous star Betelgeuse and the construction process of the Giovale Open Deck Observatory, among other topics. These talks also highlight a new local coffee roaster every time to support the community even further.
The Cosmic Coffee episode shown above features Dr. Jeff Hall and Dr. Phil Massey and can be watched here.
Deviating from the regularly-scheduled programming, celestial events such as full moons will be making appearances on the channel.
Once every eight years, Venus appears to pass through this renowned constellation due to the geometry of our solar system. Check out the fascinating "Venus Meets the Pleiades" feature here.
There are even weekly Science Challenges to keep the kiddos' brains sharp while they're out of school.
Learn how much the speed of light slows down when it passes through a cube of Jello and you can check it out here.
We can't wait until the Lowell Observatory can reopen, but for now, the wonderful staff are reminding us of one place everyone can find common ground while remaining socially distanced: the cosmos.
Visit Lowell Observatory’s website or Facebook page to learn more. All of the videos appear on the observatory’s YouTube channel, so be sure to check out past streams and prepare to watch the next ones live!
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing.
Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie.
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