We miss you, too!
Our galleries are dark and our planetarium is quiet. But we're still here for you virtually.
The Planetarium and Observatory will be closed temporarily.
We look forward to continuing to be your field trip destination and astronomy experts in New Jersey. Please join our Facebook group for astronomy and planetarium news.
For information and guidance about coronavirus as it relates to RVCC, click here.
Keep looking up at those lovely skies!
Your friends at RVCC Planetarium
Explore the Universe
While you are at home and looking for something to help with homeschooling or to entertain yourself or the family, we've put together a list of some of our favorite websites. This is by no means a complete list of what's out there, just some of the ones that we go to regularly.
Join our Facebook Group for regular posts
Happy Birthday Hubble Space Telescope!
The HST just celebrated the 30th Anniversary of its launch with the release of a new image. Cosmic Reef is a large nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Fast Facts:
· this is a star-forming region
· It is in another GALAXY, not in the Milky Way Galaxy
· It is about 163,000 light years away from us
· The red nebula is about 415 light years across.
Read more about this beautiful nebula.
Watch the unveiling of this image by scientists at the Space Telescope Science Institute. The video starts with a history of the HST. The information about this image begins at about 15:10
The Sky in May
May 1st is a Cross-Quarter Day, halfway between the Vernal Equinox and the Summer Solstice.
In the evening sky, Venus is at its peak magnitude, -4.7! It is very easy to spot in the western sky just after sunset. Over the course of the month, Venus and the Sun are moving closer together. On May 1st, Venus sets more than three hours after sunset. On May 16, that's down to 2.4 hours, and by the end of May, it sets just 40 minutes after the Sun. Good bye, Venus. We'll see you later.
In the morning sky, look for Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars in the east about an hour and a half before sunrise. Watch the Moon slide by them from May 12-15.
Star map courtesy of Abrams Planetarium, abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar/
Moon Phases in May |
Full Moon May 7 Last Quarter May 14 New Moon May 22 First Quarter May 29 Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the planetarium Support from the community has repeatedly played a key role in our success at the planetarium. We are proud to offer affordable, educational field trips and engaging public events for our community. Your continued support helps us to provide innovative, educational experiences for our diverse audiences. Donations made to the planetarium help support new and exciting programs and help us maintain and upgrade our equipment. Thank you for your support! Donate |
