The Sky Tonight
Monthly Astronomer-Led Planetarium Show
Join us for a tour of the solar system narrated by the Fleet’s resident astronomer. Journey through the cosmos with us as we explore a new topic each month. Presentations begin with the latest news in the fields of Space Science and Astronomy, followed by an exploration of the night sky as it looks on the day of the event and closing with the topic of the month.
Before or after the show, join members of the San Diego Astronomy Association on the Prado by the Bea Evenson Fountain, and take a look at the stars in the actual night sky (weather permitting) through different telescopes!
Please use the ticket link under each event to secure your participation. Please note there is no late seating or refunds for late arrivals.SCHEDULE
July 6, 2022
7 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.
Live planetarium shows in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater
Worlds of Wonder
Could Arrakis exist? What about Hoth or Endor? Could a world have twin suns like Tatooine or a red sun like Krypton? Join us as we search for real counterparts to our favorite fictional worlds in the cosmos as we patiently wait for Comic-Con.
July 10, 2022
Special event in partnership with the Simons Observatory and UC San Diego's Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences.
6:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Cosmology panel discussion with cosmologists from the Simons Observatory moderated by the Fleet Science Center
7:30 to 9 p.m.: Mix and mingle with a small group or one-on-one conversations with 30 of the top cosmologists from all over the United States
Location: Amplified East Village, 1429 Island Ave., San Diego, CA 92101
Cost: $8 per person, includes light appetizers
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We Are Cosmologists, Ask Us Anything
Curious about astrophysics and cosmology? Wonder about the origin and evolution of the universe? Big bang, big crunch, big bounce? Black holes, wormholes, dark matter? Theories of everything? The origin of life? At this event, come ask some of the best experimental and theoretical cosmologists in the universe anything! We will start the event with a panel discussion moderated by the Fleet Science Center, followed by an opportunity to mix with over 30 cosmologists from all over the United States and ask them anything! Panelists are:
Dr. Brian Keating - Distinguished Professor of Physics at University of California, San Diego and the Director of the Simons Observatory Project Office. Research interest: on observations of the cosmic microwave background, co-leading the BICEP, POLARBEAR2 and Simons Array experiments. He is the author of Losing the Nobel Prize, Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner and Galileo’s Dialogue on Two World Systems.
Dr. Nicholas Galitzki - Faculty, University of Texas. Research interest: working with the Simons Observatory on a new class of telescopes that will start observations soon in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile
Dr. Katie Harrington - Postdoctoral scholar at the University of Chicago. Research interest: Building instrumentation and software for microwave telescopes studying the contents and evolution of the universe through observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). She designed and built Variable-delay polarization modulators (VPMs) that are used to significantly increase instrument stability and enable large angular scale observations with ground-based telescopes.
Karen Perez Sarmiento - Third year PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Research interest: Building instruments to observe and study the Cosmic Microwave Background. She has worked on building and testing the camera for the Simons Observatory Large Aperture Telescope.
August 3, 2022
7 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.
Live planetarium shows in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater
Mapping the Sky
Constellations tell stories. We visualize them with art and stick figures. But how are constellations determined? Have they changed with time? Do all stars belong to constellations? What about the spaces between stars? Let’s map the sky together.
September 7, 2022
7 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.
Live planetarium shows in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater
Collision in the Cosmos
We can see many craters on the Moon, Mercury, and Mars, but has the Earth ever been impacted? Did impacts occur only in the past, or can they still happen? Have we ever observed collisions on a larger scale? Join us to learn about what happens when collisions occur in the cosmos.
October 5, 2022
7 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.
Live planetarium shows in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater
Eclipses
What causes eclipses? What determines the date and type, lunar versus solar? Do other planets see them? Let’s learn all about eclipses before the total lunar eclipse of November 2022.
November 2, 2022
7 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.
Live planetarium shows in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater
A Tour of the Solar System
Several planets can be seen in the night sky this month. Where are they located? Do they all have moons? How do the planets look up close? We will use the planetarium to explore the planets of our solar system.
December 7, 2022
7 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.
Live planetarium shows in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater
A Year Since Launch: JWST Update
JWST has long been described as the “successor” to the Hubble Space Telescope. It was launched on December 25, 2021. How is it performing? What has it observed so far? Join us for an update on the science of JWST.
January 4, 2023
7 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.
Live planetarium shows in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater
Nabulae
What is a nebula? Why are some red and others blue? Are there different types? Join us to explore the incredible beauty of nebulae in the cosmos.
