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AstroNights LIVE: Home for the Holiday (Skies)

Friday, December 18, 7:00pm 

Recording will also be available on our youtube channel after the event.

Program Description:

There’s no place like home for Holiday Skies! Light the Yule Log, put on your favorite ugly sweater, and join us for a virtual version of Holiday Skies, the live, astronomical "variety show” inspired by the science and cultural traditions of the Winter Solstice. Holiday Skies has delighted audiences at the Framingham State University Planetarium for the past four years. This year, we hope to bring even more of you into this planetarium family tradition, from the warmth and comfort of our own homes.

About AstroNights:

AstroNights is a live, family-friendly exploration of your night sky that you can join from the comfort of your home. View live on YouTube or join the Zoom Webinar for extra interactive features! Our educators leave audiences with simple advice for observing your real night sky when the program is over. From the colorful characters in our own solar system to the weird and wonderful things far beyond, each program is sure to contain something of interest to armchair astronomers of all ages. Monthly each 3rd Friday. Click here for more information about past AstroNights events, including how to access recordings.

Resources

Solstices From Space - Observe the change in the Sun’s light falling on Earth, as seen by the European geosynchronous satellite EUMETSAT, presented by NASA Earth Observatory.

Seasons and Solstices - From the Lawrence Hall of Science’s Planetarium Activities for Successful Shows (PASS), a great explanation and diagram for Earth’s seasons. See also their extensive list of cultural solstice traditions, in pdf or Google Slides.

Perspectives of Earth - Aurora - There’s only one place better than the North Pole to view the Northern Lights, and that’s from space! Check out breathtaking images of aurora captured by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, then, click on Pathways to Exploration for additional readings, videos, activities and more.

NORAD Santa Tracker - A holiday tradition! Once a year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a bi-national organization responsible for monitoring North American airspace, waterways, and al man-made objects in space, sets its sights on that physics-defying magical sleigh, ensuring that Santa can safely make his way to all the good children of the world.

NASA Spinoffs - In 2011, the Smithsonian Channel produced a short video inspired the film Arthur Christmas, which re imagines Santa’s workshop as a high-tech facility run by tech-savvy elves. After watching the video, learn more about NASA Spinoffs at https://spinoff.nasa.gov/

The links below include resources mentioned during the program, suggested follow-up activities, and more!

Earlier Event: November 20
AstroNights LIVE: The Seven Sisters
Later Event: January 15
AstroNights LIVE: New Year, New Moon