Spacey Star Shows and Astonishing Asteroids
For Astronomy and Space Day
At the California Academy of Sciences Saturday, May 10, 2003
Activities take place from 10 am to 2 pm

SAN FRANCISCO (April 4, 2003) Celebrate the 30th annual of Astronomy and Space Day, created to share the joy and wonders of astronomy. Families are invited to see spacey star shows and astonishing asteroids at the California Academy of Sciences celebration of Astronomy and Space Day taking place Saturday, May 10, from 10 am-2 pm.

In addition to regular planetarium shows, Morrison Planetarium will be hosting hands-on astronomy activities for kids and families, and solar observing through special telescopes (weather permitting). Touch a 4 billion year old meteorite on display in the current 150th Anniversary exhibit, 150 Years of Science: Exploring Natures Wonders. The meteorite located in the Academy’s Hohfeld Hall is a small piece of an asteroid that struck the Earth 50,000 years ago and blasted out the famous Meteor Crater in Arizona.

Activities include:

• Get inside an inflatable planetarium provided by the Palomares 4-H Astronomy Project. These inflatable planetariums are small enough to fit almost anywhere, yet big enough to fit a classroom full of children or adults. This is a sample of what Morrison Planetarium will bring to Bay area classrooms throughout the four years the Academy is located at 875 Howard Street. On display from noon to 2 pm.
  
• See the sun through a telescope when San Francisco Amateur Astronomers host solar observing – weather permitting.
  
• Tim Tulley – will present his DVD The Universe with images from space including several from the Hubble telescope.
  
• Morrison Planetarium Star Shows will take place from noon to 4 pm on the hour $2.50 admission for adults/$1.25 admission for children.
• Visitors may view an Orrery – Orreries are miniature models of our solar system. Ancestors of modern-day projection planetariums, they use small balls mounted on geared mechanisms to represent the relative motions of the planets.
  
• Kids can bring home their own night sky by making Paper Cup Planetariums.
  
• Kids may learn about their birthday moon and make a moon ornament to take home.
  

All programs are free after museum admission unless otherwise noted. Co-sponsored by NASA's Solar System Ambassador Program.

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