What we get to explore together:
For everyone!
Orientation to the night sky so that we can explain and predict motions of the stars, Sun, Moon, and planets and prepare for real-time observing in our own backyards
Identification of major constellations and recognition of patterns that guide us seasonally as we ride this rock called Earth around our home star, the Sun
Cultural representations of constellations to connect to story-tellers across societies and time
We welcome community members from diverse backgrounds to contact us if they can serve as a visiting expert to share constellation stories from their ancestors. We are here to learn with and from each other!
Evening observing sessions with telescopes
Stars Above can also provide limited events with our telescopes for direct sky observing, depending on weather and other program schedules. (In other words, New England can be quite cloudy, so you have to have patience for this one!)
Focused on Massachusetts state standards for Elementary Students,
Simulations of changing times of sunrise and sunset, combined with hands-on explorations of light angles for early elementary students to build mental models of light and shadow (MA 1-ESS1-1 and 1-2)
Comparison of Earth’s landforms and landforms on other planets in our solar system to understand the impact of wind and water on planetary surfaces (MA 2-ESS2-2 and 2-4, 4-ESS1-1)
…for Middle Grade Students,
Manipulation of a variety of models to explain phenomena rooted in Earth’s relationship with the Sun, the Moon, and distant stars, including seasonal change, Moon phases, and eclipses (MA 5-ESS1-2 and 1-2, 6.MS-ESS1-1a and 1-5, 8.MS-ESS1-1b and 1-2)
…for High School Students
Tour of deep space objects to explore variation in stars and justify astronomer’s understanding of stellar evolution, galaxy structures, and models of the Universe (This is the cool stuff, folks!) (HS-ESS1-4 and 1-5)
Full Dome Videos
In addition to customized planetarium programs, the Stars Above dome has access to a number of professionally produced scientific films such as the one previewed in the clip below. We celebrate the power of media to elicit wonder and excitement in this truly immersive experience.
