FINAL IYA Activities

Saturday, Dec. 5
11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

With 2009 coming to a close, we can’t believe it’s already time to bid farewell to the International Year of Astronomy! Join us for the last of our year-long exploration of astronomy as you look at the growing number of “exoplanets” that have been discovered which orbit distant stars. We've been using telescopes for 400 years, but the search for these distant worlds has only taken off in the last two decades. These exciting finds help us understand just how unusual and special our solar system might be.

Schedule

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Find out about some of the most exciting exoplanets discovered to date. Take home star maps showing where you can see stars with planets from your backyard. You'll even be able to try your hand at building a planetary system around another star. Located in the Kemper Creative Learning Studio, free with general museum admission, free for EP Members.

1:15 p.m.: Take a walk through the science of exoplanet hunting with unique live demonstrations during the CyberDome Theater’s Strange Planets. See some of the most unusual planets found so far, and the amazing tools astronomers will be using is the coming years to find more of these distant worlds. Free with general museum admission, free for EP Members.

2 p.m. - 4 p.m.: Exoplanet activities resume in Kemper Creative Learning Studio. Free with general museum admission, free for EP Members.

4:15 p.m.: Focus on one of the most famous and recognizable figures in the night sky - Orion - as you experience the final IYA 2009 Special Edition of Stars Over Kansas in the CyberDome Theater. Discover how this familiar constellation can be used to easily navigate the rest of the winter sky. And catch a glimpse of the magnificent nebula hidden amongst its stars.