Come to the Space Foundation Discovery Center for Star Days, Jan. 30 and Feb. 1

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 15, 2014) – Starting Thursday, Jan. 30, the Space Foundation Discovery Center in Colorado Springs will remain open one evening each month, for a Star Days Thursday leading into a special theme Star Days Saturday. The monthly Star Days will feature extra attractions and activities, included in the price of regular Discovery Center admission.

Discovery Center hours on Jan. 30 will be 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a special new Science On a Sphere® presentation of the NASA short film Water Falls that evening. The evening activities will be held between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., and will include an exploration of satellites and a telescope project, plus the unveiling of a new exhibit — an SES-1 satellite model.

Thursday Star Days Activities, Jan. 30, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

• Cool Science® hands-on demonstrations, ongoing 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
• Create-a-telescope activity — and other science crafts, while supplies last
• Science On a Sphere theatre presentation, Water Falls, 6:45 and 7:20 p.m.
• Unveiling of the SES-1 satellite model exhibit
• Meet KRDO Chief Meteorologist Matt Meister

On Saturday, Feb. 1, join a celebration at the Discovery Center commemorating the February birthdays of noted astronomers Galileo Galilei and Nicolaus Copernicus. The Discovery Center will celebrate with a create-a-telescope activity, while supplies last, and a full day of Cool Science® demonstrations.

Saturday Star Days Activities, Feb. 1, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – RESCHEDULED TO FEB. 8

• Cool Science® hands-on demonstrations, ongoing
• Create-a-telescope activity — and other science crafts, while supplies last
• Science On a Sphere theatre presentation, Water Falls, all day

The Discovery Center will feature the premiere viewing of the NASA short film Water Falls west of the Mississippi River. See Water Falls at the Discovery Center beginning at 6:45 p.m. on Jan. 30, and then shown daily, Tuesday — Saturday, during regular Discovery Center hours, 10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

This 9-minute film, created by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) specifically for Science On a Sphere, details the GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) mission, which will monitor and measure precipitation around the globe.

The film introduces viewers to the water cycle, and shows how water in the atmosphere regulates climate, the global and local consequences of too much or too little rain, water’s effect on society from food production to urban sustainability and the role of water in storms and hurricanes.

Developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Science On a Sphere is a unique projection system that uses special software, satellite imagery and four projectors to render images onto the global surface that provide dramatic, full-motion views of the Earth, Sun, Moon and planets in space.

About the Space Foundation Discovery Center
The Space Foundation Discovery Center is the region’s only space, science and technology attraction, and is located at 4425 Arrowswest Drive in Colorado Springs, just off of Garden of the Gods Road.

The Discovery Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. the last Thursday of every month.

Discovery Center daily admission fees are $9 for adults, $7 for seniors (age 65+), $7 for college students with I.D., $3 for children ages 4-17. Military fees are $4.50 for adults with I.D., and $1.50 for children ages 4-17. Children age three years and younger are admitted free.

Learn more about the Discovery Center by visiting www.spacefoundation.org/museum.

Read about the Water Falls film at http://pmm.nasa.gov/waterfalls/science/trmm-gpm-missions.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is the foremost advocate for all sectors of space, and is a global, nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs and major industry events, including the annual Space Symposium, all in support of its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.” Space Foundation world headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., features a public Discovery Center including the El Pomar Space Gallery and the Northrop Grumman Science Center featuring Science On a Sphere®, and is a member of the American Alliance of Museums. The Space Foundation has a field office in Houston, and from its Washington, D.C., office, conducts government affairs, publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity and provides three indexes that track daily U.S. stock market performance of the space industry. Through its Space Certification™ and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, the Space Foundation recognizes space-based technologies and innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Visit www.SpaceFoundation.org, follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and read our e-newsletter Space Watch.