Spring is here at the RVCC Planetarium!

 

March 2023     RVCC Giving Day   Support the Planetarium and RVCC Giving Day is an exciting time! If the College raises $50,000, another $50,000 will be unlocked by a private donor! Last year we made that goal. Help us achieve it again. You can choose to support College Scholarships, or even the RVCC Planetarium!     March Shows   Reservations are recommended. Call 908-231-8805 x5 or email the Planetarium. Provide your name, phone number, email, which show you want to see, and how many tickets you'd like.   Full schedule is on our website   Perfect Little Planet Saturdays, March 11, 18, 3:00 p.m. A space alien family is looking for the perfect vacation spot. Where will they find it in our solar system? Travel with them to each of the planets. Would you choose the same place? (recommended for ages 6-12)   Laser Pop Rock Saturdays, March 11, 18, 4:00 p.m. Lasers dance across the dome while we listen to songs you can sing along with. Songs include "Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi, “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Jae Jepsen, and "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift to name just a few. (recommended for ages 6-12)   Black Holes Saturdays, March 11, 18, 25, 7:00 pm “Black Holes” takes audience members on a journey through one of the most mystifying, awe-inspiring phenomena in the universe: a black hole. Take a virtual tour through space and explore the science and mystery of black holes: Where do they come from? How do we find them? Is there one on Earth’s horizon? Weather permitting, the 3M Observatory will be open after the show. (Recommended for ages 8 to adult)     Laser Grateful Dead Saturday, March 11, 8:00 p.m. Sit back and relax, listening to some of the Grateful Dead’s greatest hits including “Truckin’,” “Touch of Grey,” “Sugar Magnolia,” and “One More Saturday Night.”   Laser Led Zeppelin Saturdays, March 18, 25, 8:00 p.m. Features Led Zeppelin’s hit songs “When the Levee Breaks,” “Stairway to Heaven,” and “Houses of the Holy.”   Relax at the Planetarium   Sunset Meditation Friday, March 24, 7:00 p.m. How do STEM workers, NASA professionals, athletes, and business executives cope with stress? Mindfulness. Meditation is a powerful tool for maintaining psychological health and resilience. Since the planetarium offers a dark and quiet space for relaxation, it is the perfect place for meditation. Enjoy a guided meditation experience in the comfortable, reclined seats in the RVCC Planetarium. Relax under a night sky filled with stars. (Recommended for ages 10-adult)   Especially for Young Visitors   Shows for Our Youngest Visitors ages 3-8 Rockin’ Rocket Ride Saturday, March 25, 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.   SkyLights Saturday, March 25, 4:00 p.m. Our youngest audience members can sing along with songs by a variety of artists. “Kalien the Alien” by mr RAY, “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon” from Sesame Street, “Everything is Awesome” from the LEGO Movie, and more. Most songs are illustrated with lasers and other songs feature video images.    Sensory-Friendly Program   The Sky Above Saturday, April 1 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.   March at a Glance   Saturday, March 11 3:00 pm  Perfect Little Planet (ages 6-12) 4:00 pm Laser Pop Rock laser concert (ages 6-12) 7:00 pm  Black Holes (ages 8-adult) 8:00 pm Laser Grateful Dead laser concert (ages 10-adult)   Saturday, March 18 3:00 pm  Perfect Little Planet (ages 6-12) 4:00 pm Laser Pop Rock laser concert (ages 6-12) 7:00 pm  Black Holes (ages 8-adult) 8:00 pm Laser Led Zeppelin laser concert (ages 10-adult)   Friday, March 24 7:00 pm Sunset Meditation   Saturday, March 25 3:00 pm  Rockin' Rocket Ride (ages 3-8) 4:00 pm SkyLights music concert (ages 3-8) 7:00 pm  Black Holes (ages 8-adult) 8:00 pm Laser Led Zeppelin laser concert (ages 10-adult)   Visit our website for Show Schedules and Descriptions   Good to Know... Admission: $10 per person for one show $18 per person for two shows on the same day Payments are taken at the Planetarium on the day of the show. 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. Here is a campus map. Late arrivals are NOT admitted to the Planetarium's theater once a show has started.   Masks are optional on campus.   Moon Phases   Full Moon March 7 Last Quarter March 14 New Moon March 21 First Quarter March 28     Daylight Savings Time It's that time of year again when we SPRING FORWARD! Daylight Savings Time starts on Sunday, March 12. Don't forget to move your clock ahead one hour.     Spring Equinox March 20 5:24 pm  On the Equinox, the Sun is directly over Earth's equator. The whole planet basically has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. Rumor has it you can stand an egg on its end on the equinox. It's true! It's also true every other day of the year. Give it a try!     Solar Eclipses on the way! It's never too early to start thinking about upcoming solar eclipses.  Saturday, October 14, 2023 New Jersey will see about 35% of the Sun get covered by the Moon. Monday, April 8, 2024 New Jersey will see 90% of the Sun get covered by the Moon! This is a total eclipse for some people. The path of totality will run from Mexico, through Dallas, up to Buffalo. I highly recommend going to see it. The RVCC Planetarium has eclipse glasses in stock already!   Student Resource Center and Food Pantry at RVCC   Did you know that 10% of RVCC students have experienced homelessness and 30% experience food insecurity? Please consider purchasing some of the listed items for donation. You can bring your donations to the Planetarium when you visit. Thank you! · Cup of Noodles (shrimp, chicken & beef) · Chef Boyardee · Jar Spaghetti Sauce · Pancake Mix · Syrup · Mac & Cheese Cups · Frozen Microwavable Meals · Laundry soap · Fruit cups (4 pack) · Individual & Regular sized snack foods · Shelf Stable Milk · Ready to eat tuna & chicken kits · Cereal · Juice (full size & individual) · Hot Pockets · Uncrustables   Explore the Universe with RVCC Planetarium   ‌ ‌ ‌   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!   Donate   To reach us, email planet@raritanval.edu.