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Monday, November 1, 2021

Sensory-Friendly Shows Return to the Planetarium!

November 2021

 

 

 


 

Welcome Back!

 

We are delighted to welcome visitors back to the Planetarium!

Please make note of our health and safety guidelines.

 

·  All persons ages two and older are required to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.

·  Hand sanitizer stations are located in the Planetarium's lobby, as are the restrooms with soap and water for washing hands.

·  The Planetarium's HVAC system uses MERV 13 filters and brings in fresh air to the room.

Information about RVCC's COVID response and protocols can be found here.

 


 

Bridgewater Commons: Community Hub

 

Join us at the Community Hub at Bridgewater Commons (next to Verizon Wireless) for story time and hands-on activities for children ages 3-8.

 

Explore the Solar System, Thursday, November 4, 12:00 - 4:00 pm
Register

 

Explore the Constellations, Sunday, November 21, 12:00 - 4:00 pm
Register

 


 

Public Shows on Saturdays

 

We have a brand new show to share with you!

 

Accidental Astronauts

Saturdays, November 13 and 20, 3:00 pm

Robo-kids Cy, Annie, and their dog, Armstrong, get a lot more than they expected from their class field trip in an impromptu adventure. Travel along exploring the Sun, Earth and Moon, with a witty starship computer as navigator and guide. Race along on the surface of the Moon! Collect an asteroid sample in low gravity! Survive a solar storm! Find new appreciation for the unique beauty of Earth. Journey along with the Accidental Astronauts in this epic dome theater adventure. (Recommended for ages 4-10)

Best of Pink Floyd laser concert

Saturdays, November 6, 13, 20, 8:00 pm

Lasers dance across the dome while we listen to Pink Floyd songs including “Comfortably Numb,” “Another Brick in the Wall, part 2,” and “Money.” (Recommended for ages 10 to adult)

 

Shows for Younger Visitors

Rockin’ Rocket Ride

Saturday, November 6, 3:00 pm

Put on your space suit and blast-off into outer space to visit the Moon, Sun and planets. A lively experience for young people with selected music from "Journey Into Space" by Jane Murphy. (Recommended for ages 3-8)

 

SkyLights

Saturday, November 6, 4:00 pm

Our youngest audience members can sing along with songs by mr. RAY (Family Ride, Kalien the Alien) and Jane Murphy (Moon Rock Rock, The Planet Song) and more artists. Some songs are illustrated with lasers and other songs feature video images. (Recommended for ages 3-8)

 

Saturday, November 6

3:00 pm - Rockin' Rocket Ride

4:00 pm - SkyLights

5:00 pm - The Sky Above (sensory-friendly)

7:00 pm - Astronomy Tonight

8:00 pm - The Best of Pink Floyd laser concert

 

Saturday, November 13

3:00 pm - Accidental Astronauts

4:00 pm - Kids Jam laser concert

7:00 pm - Exploding Universe

8:00 pm - The Best of Pink Floyd laser concert

 

Saturday, November 20

3:00 pm - Accidental Astronauts

4:00 pm - Kids Jam laser concert

7:00 pm - Exploding Universe

8:00 pm - The Best of Pink Floyd laser concert

 

The Planetarium is closed Thanksgiving Weekend, November 25-28.

 

 

Good to Know...

Admission: $10 per person for one show

$18 per person for two shows on the same day

Reservations are recommended. Call 908-231-8805 or email the Planetarium.

Provide your name, phone number, email, which show you want to see, and how many tickets you'd like.

Please arrive 20-30 minutes before the show to pay for your tickets.

The closest parking lots are #9 and #1.

Late arrivals are NOT admitted to the Planetarium's theater once a show has started.

Masks are required indoors for everyone ages 2 and older regardless of vaccination status.

 

Sensory-Friendly Show

 

The Sky Above

Saturday, November 6, 5:00 p.m.

A special astronomy and music show designed for families with children on the Autism spectrum or those with developmental disabilities. These sensory-friendly shows, which are appropriate for audiences of all ages, will provide a comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming to all families. During the show, the doors will remain open so children may freely leave and return if they choose. Lights will be left dim (instead of dark) and the audio will be lowered and kept at a consistent level. “The Sky Above” show includes music, laser lights, stories, and information about the planets, the Moon and constellations. Content is presented on a kindergarten level.

Saturn on Puzzle

 

Private Shows / Field Trips

 

You can schedule a private show in the Planetarium for your group of 1-75 people.

Weekdays: 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm

Saturdays: 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 5:00 pm

Weekday evenings will be considered on an individual basis.

 

Choose an astronomy show or a laser concert!

 


·    Rockin' Rocket Ride

·    Magic Tree House: Space Mission

·    Accidental Astronauts

·    From Earth to the Universe

·    Black Holes

·    Exploding Universe

·    Tonight's Sky

and more!

·    The Best of Pink Floyd

·    The Beatles

·    Led Zeppelin

·    Grateful Dead

·    Queen

·    Rock of Ages (music from the movie/Broadway show)

·    Pop Rock (family-friendly)

·    Laser Magic (family-friendly)

and more!

 

 


 

What's Up?

 

A few weeks ago we showed you all the constellations that were a part of the Myth of Perseus. This week, join us as we take a tour of the same constellations, with binoculars! Find out what cool stuff you can see from your own backyard.

Check this week's Star Talk for more information.

New episodes are uploaded to our YouTube Channel each Sunday.

 


 

Explore the Universe with RVCC Planetarium

 

 

Watch our YouTube channel for weekly updates on what's visible in the sky as well as activities you can do at home.

Do you miss the Planetarium? Take a tour of the exhibits.

Join our Facebook Group for regular posts about astronomy news, activities, virtual tours, satellite passes that you can see in the real sky, and more!

Follow us on Instagram to see pictures we take at the 3M Observatory and other news.

 


 




Virtual Field Trips

 Teachers, Principals, Science Supervisors, Scout Leaders, Home School coordinators, Senior Center managers, and Parents!

 Schedule virtual field trips for your students and clients. Programs are led by a live Planetarium Educator and always include time for Q&A.

Scheduling is flexible. We can present during the school day, after school, or evenings.

 

Number of attendees: up to 30 per session

Fee: $75 for a 45-minute program

$100 for Magic Tree House: Space Mission

 

The Planetarium will provide a password-protected Zoom link before your date. We can also schedule programs on Google Meet or Microsoft Teams. You can also invite the Planetarium to join your preferred platform.

·   Rockin' Rocket Ride: Our popular show has an online version. Join us on an adventure into space to learn about the Sun, Moon, and planets. (Grades PreK-K)

·   To the Moon and Back: Begin with a story about the Moon, then watch the Moon change shape in our virtual sky, and pretend to be astronauts who can travel there. (for PreK-Grade 2)

·   Magic Tree House: Space Mission  Join Jack and Annie as they look for answers to questions about space. Together, we’ll explore some of those topics to see if we find similar answers.  (Grades K-4)

·   Our Solar System: go on a tour of the planets in our solar system (Grades K-12)

·  Tonight's Sky: identify stars and constellations we can see tonight and learn some constellation stories that go along with them. (Grades K-12)

·   Patterns in the Sky: The Sun observe the Sun's rising and setting positions through the year. (Grades 2-12)

·   Patterns in the Sky: Moon Phases Why and how does the Moon's shape change? (Grades 2-12)

·  True or False, Astronomy Version: Some statements seem obvious, but are they? We'll explore statements like "brighter stars are closer to us" and "the Moon is only visible at night." (Grades 5-12)

 

 


 

The Sky in November

 

Venus is low in the SW at dusk. It sets about two hours after sunset, around 8:20 pm. Venus is traveling around the Sun and moving closer to us. This changes its phase (illuminated amount of it that we see) and it decreases from a half-lit Venus to a crescent Venus. Interestingly, even though it's becoming a crescent, since the planet is getting closer to us, the apparent size of Venus grows and that increases its brightness. This will make Venus a brilliant magnitude -4.9 at the end of November and first two weeks of December. You can see these phases of Venus through a telescope.

Jupiter and Saturn are in the south after sunset. Jupiter is the brighter of the two.

If you've got an excellent view of the eastern horizon, look for Mercury just before sunrise during the first two weeks of November.

The Moon sweeps by planets early in November. The Waxing Crescent Moon is will be near Venus on the evening on November 7. Look SW about an hour after sunset. Then the Moon will slide past Saturn on November 9 and 10 and pass Jupiter on November 11.

 

Follow RVCC Planetarium on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for weekly updates about sky events.

 

 


 

Moon Phases & Lunar Eclipse

New Moon November 4

First Quarter November 11

Full Moon November 19 - lunar eclipse

Third Quarter November 27

 

Are you ready for an eclipse? There's a nearly total lunar eclipse in the early morning hours of November 19.

Partial eclipse begins at 2:18 a.m.

Maximum eclipse, when 97% of the Moon will be in the Earth's umbral shadow, is at 4:02 a.m.

Partial eclipse ends at 5:47 a.m.

 


 

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 RVCC 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 throughout the year help support new and exciting programs and help us maintain and upgrade our equipment.

 

 Thank you for your support!

 

 

To reach us, email planet@raritanval.edu.

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