For Immediate Release: March 14, 2011
Contact:
Sue Simek, Public Relations
Morris Museum
973.971.3714
publicrelations@morrismuseum.org
Morris Museum Reaches for the Stars with
Astronomy Day
Saturday March 19, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(Morristown, NJ)— On Saturday, March 19, 2011, the Morris Museum and The Morris
Museum Astronomical Society will host a fun-filled family event that is out of this world!
Astronomy programs, children’s activities, and interactive displays will be scheduled
throughout the day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with night sky observing of the moon, planets
and other celestial objects (weather permitting) from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. All Astronomy
Day activities are free with museum admission.
Experts from the Morris Museum Astronomical Society will be on hand to provide
lectures, telescope training (bring your family’s telescope), solar observation and night
sky observing. Weather permitting, Astronomy Day visitors will be able to view the sun
through special filters, revealing sunspots, flares and prominences.
Guest Speakers: from “What’s My Sign” (the new horoscope) to “NASA Spinoffs”
Guest speaker John Scala will give a talk, “What’s My Sign”, a discussion on the
relationship between astronomy and astrology, and the recent uproar over the change
in the horoscope figures. Mr. Scala has served as Planetarium Director of Lenape
Valley Regional High School in Stanhope, NJ for 23 years. Laura Venner will be
speaking on “NASA Spinoffs: Bringing Space Down to Earth”, which looks at everyday
items which are based on NASA inventions, in fields including health and medicine,
consumer goods, transportation, and computer technology. Ms. Venner is Astronomy
Educator/Observatory Specialist for the Meadowlands Environment Center/William D.
McDowell Observatory.
Additional presentations will take place throughout the day, including “Exploring the
Solar System”; “Space Rocks” - all about asteroids and meteorites; and “The Universe”.
Children’s activities include “Design your own planet” and making a sun catcher
decoration.
For more information about Astronomy Day, please email programs@morrismuseum.org
or call 973.971.3720.
About the Morris Museum
The Morris Museum explores and celebrates the arts, sciences and humanities through
exhibitions, educational programs, performing arts and special events. Founded
in 1913, the museum serves over 200,000 adults and children each year. These
programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on
the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Morris Museum, located at 6 Normandy Heights Road (at the corner of Columbia
Turnpike) in Morristown, NJ, is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5
p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Admission to the museum is
$10 for adults and $7 for children, students and senior citizens. Admission is free for
museum members and is free to the public every Thursday between 5 and 8 p.m. For
more information, call 973-971-3700, or visit www.morrismuseum.org.