HAVE A HAPPY ASTEROID DAY
Museum of Natural History & Science in Albuquerque will join worldwide celebration of asteroids on June 30.
Look to the sky and prepare to celebrate worldwide Asteroid Day June 30 at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science in Albuquerque.
Learn about asteroids, NASA’s mission to the asteroid belt, and what there is to know about asteroid impacts on Earth from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at the museum, 1801 Mountain NW.
The event includes live streaming in the ViewSpace Theater of a special broadcast of other Asteroid Day celebrations around the world.
Experts will discuss the nature of asteroids and how they influenced Earth’s history, organizers said in a news release. Videos will continue throughout the day during both the museum’s normal hours and also into the evening activities, but only while the broadcast is available. Find out more at: asteroidday. org/live.
The evening includes handson activities for the family starting at 5:30 p.m.
Dr. Thomas Prettyman, a principal investigator with NASA’s Dawn mission, will present a talk at 6:30 p.m. about what the spacecraft discovered on the dwarf planet Ceres, the major asteroid Vesta and other objects in the asteroid belt.
He also will preview the items that will be part of an upcoming exhibition at the museum about the Dawn mission.
The museum’s observatory will be open from 8:30 to 10 p.m., weather permitting.
Cost is $7 for adults; $6 for members; $4 for students. Buy tickets in advance at brownpapertickets.com or at the museum on the day of the events.
Asteroid Day occurs every year on June 30 and is designed to educate people worldwide about asteroids, the impact hazard they may pose, and what we can do to protect our planet, families, communities and future generations. Find out more at asteroidday.org.