Thanks!

A big thanks to all of you who helped make Saturday's Aviator Ball at TASM a success! I hope you all had a great time and enjoyed the screening of our upcoming planetarium show, Astronaut.

Thank you for all your hard work and effort.

Sky Watch: See Saturn's Moons

The diverse and interesting moons of Jupiter get a lot of attention from science enthusiasts, but this week you can get a view of a few of Saturn's moons as well. To find out where to look, click here.

Sky Watch: Star Clusters and a Meteor Shower

The last chance to see a few star clusters before they set is quickly approaching. Click here to read this week's Sky Watch.

Seeing (Sun) Spots

This is from the Associated Press:

"The peak of the next sunspot cycle is expected in late 2011 or mid-2012 -- potentially affecting airline flights, communications satellites and electrical transmissions....

During an active solar period, violent eruptions occur more often on the sun, the agency said. Solar flares and vast explosions, known as coronal mass ejections, shoot highly charged matter toward Earth."

To read more about it, click here.

Earth-like Planet Discovered

An Earth-like planet, possibly capable of sustaining life, has been discovered around the red dwarf star Gilese 581 C. The star is about 20.5 light years away from Earth. You can read more about it here.

NASA recently demonstrated a method of detecting Earth-like planets. You can find out more about that here.

Sky Watch: April 22 - 28

The planet Venus is increasing in brightness. Learn how to find this and other jewels in the sky by reading this week's Sky Watch in the Tulsa World.

Shuttle Launch Schedule

In what-we're-sending-into space news, NASA has updated the shuttle launch schedule. As of today, Atlantis is scheduled to launch no earlier than June 8.

Sky Watch: April 15 - 21

Stargazers are in for a treat this week: the Lyrid meteor shower. Read about this and find out what else you can see in the current night sky in The Tulsa World.

Sky Watch: April 8 - 14

With a pair of binoculars, you can spot a comet this week. Read about this and other amazing objects in the current night sky in The Tulsa World.

Sky Watch: April 1 - 7

Spot the International Space Station in the night sky this week. Read about this and other amazing objects in the current night sky in The Tulsa World.

Sky Watch: March 25 - 31

This week you can see the moons of Saturn. Read about this and other amazing objects in the current night sky in The Tulsa World.

Sky Watch: March 11 - 17

It is a historic week in the history of astronomy: the anniversary of the discovery of Uranus and Pluto. Read about this and other amazing objects in the current night sky in The Tulsa World.

Sky Watch: March 4 - 10

Have you ever seen the zodiac light? Read about this and other amazing objects in the current night sky in The Tulsa World.

Lunar Eclipse: Press Release

A total lunar eclipse will be visible across the entire U.S., Sat., March 3, and Tulsans can view the event with astronomers at “Dark Shadows,” presented by the Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium.
"This is a great opportunity to learn about our universe while witnessing an exciting event that has fascinated mankind for thousands of years," says Christopher Pagan, director of the Bertelsmeyer Planetarium at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun and passes into the earth’s shadow, Pagan said. The March 3 eclipse already will be in progress when the moon rises at 6:19 p.m. in Tulsa.
TASM will be joined by the Astronomy Club of Tulsa. Club members will assist planetarium visitors in viewing the eclipse from 6-9 p.m., Pagan said. They also will point out planets and other visible night sky features.
The James E. Bertelsmeyer Planetarium also will feature planetarium shows at 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the night of the eclipse. The show, “BIG,” will be presented at 7 and 8 p.m. The 7:30 show includes a live overview of what is visible in the current night’s sky.
Admission to the planetarium for this special event only is $2 for visitors age 5 and older. Younger children are admitted free, when sitting on an adult’s lap. The Sherman and Ellie Smith Hangar One Museum will be closed that evening.
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum is located at 3624 N. 74th E. Ave. Call 918-834-9900 or visit http://www.tulsaairandspacemuseum.com/ for more information.
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Sky Watch: February 25 - March 3

Look closely and you can find a quintuple star system. Read about this and other amazing objects in the current night sky in The Tulsa World.

Sky Watch: February 18 - 24

Which collection of stars helped lead escaped slaves to freedom? Find out in this week's Sky Watch in the Tulsa World.