EXPERIENCE A SLIMY, SUN-SATIONAL SOLAR ECLIPSE AT STEPPING STONES
- DIY MARTIAN SLIME HIGHLIGHTS OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD ASTRONOMY WEEK ACTIVITIES -
Summertime is the season for sensations in the sky with fireworks, full moons and shooting stars all putting on quite a show. But none will be as spectacular as the total solar eclipse that will sweep across the United States for the first time in 100 years. In anticipation of this colossal cosmic occurrence, Astronomy Week at Stepping Stones Museum for Children kicks off on August 14th and culminates with the Great American Eclipse celebration on Monday, August 21st.
Make Your Own Martian Slime is sure to be a highlight of the week for budding slime-ologists who want to learn how to concoct ooey-gooey alien-inspired slime. Spots will fill up fast for the following time slots:
August 14 – 1:15 – 1:45pm
August 16 – 3:15 – 3:45pm
August 20 – 11:15 – 11:45pm
Each day, little stargazers can drop into the Making Space Challenge to make their own telescope then create what they might see in deep space. Other workshops include
Constellation Games on Mon, August 14th from 11:15– 11:45am and Planet Marble Painting on Sat, August 19th from 2:15 – 2:45pm.
At the once-in-a-lifetime Great American Eclipse experience on August 21st from 1:00-5:00pm, amateur astronomers can see what happens when the sun disappears behind the moon; daylight turns into twilight, causing the temperature drop rapidly and revealing massive streams of light streaking through the sky around the silhouette of the moon.
Here in Connecticut, we will experience 68% coverage of the sun during a two and a half hour window:
Start of eclipse: 1:25:08 PM
Time of Maximum coverage: 2:45:41 PM
End of eclipse: 4:00:24 PM
Coverage in CT: 68%
Visitors can witness the solar eclipse as it is captured streaming live from our very own sky and around the continental United States at the Stepping Stones state-of-the-art Multimedia Gallery.
When viewing this universal wonder, eclipse glasses are needed to protect sensitive eyes. Kids can decorate their very own frames for a spec-tacular keepsake.
Everyone is invited for a fun exploration of astronomy and earth science at Our World and Beyond from 1:30 – 2:00pm.
Interactive models and exhibits throughout the museum allow kids to:
- Discover how the particular alignment of the sun, earth, and moon can create shadows and cause an eclipse. Demonstrate their new knowledge using scratch art!
- Investigate the stupendous size of the sun as compared to the earth and the moon.
- Connect the geometry of a solar eclipse through a storybook about a little bear exploring his own shadow.
Finally, curious minds will take a look back in time to learn about solar and lunar eclipses throughout history and how these events have helped scientists discover more about our own star.
Stepping Stones Museum for Children is an award-winning, private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) children’s museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. Stepping Stones is located at 303 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT, exit 14 North and 15 South off I-95. Museum hours are: Labor Day through Memorial Day, Tuesday—Sunday and holiday Mondays from 10 am-5pm; and Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday-Sunday from 10 am-5 pm.
Admission is $15 for adults and children and $10 for seniors. Children under 1 are free. For more information about Stepping Stones, to book a field trip or schedule a class, workshop or facility rental call 203-899-0606 or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.