A long time supporter of the Austin Planetarium has issued a Challenge Grant in the Amount of $10,000! Over the weekend and all this week, any donations made through the Make A Difference page of our website will go directly to meeting this challenge.
As we make progress we will update the thermometer to the left and as you can see we passed the 50% mark, so let's keep going!
Also, we have started a petition on change.org to gain support for our efforts to get on the City of Austin 2012 Bond. Click the read more link below to see how you can help!
Already, we have received numerous donations through our website and at our recent Flash Fundraiser in response to this challenge, but there's still a ways to go. Please donate now when your hard earned money will work two-fold as it matches the challenge.
You can also make a donation in person if you come to one of our events. Details about upcoming eventscan be found below and on our Upcoming Events page.
Sign Our Petition To Help Us Get On The City Of Austin 2012 Bond!
We are asking the City of Austin to place us on the 2012 Bond for $3 million. This is a small slice of the currently $659 million pie, but would be a tremendous boost for us both financially and for showing community support. We need your help to take our request over the top, so we have started a petition on change.org to show the City just how much the community wants a world-class science museum, planetarium and technology center in Austin. Follow the link to sign the petition!
Previous News
ACC Star Party, April 20th
ACC will be having another Star Party at their Round Rock Campus on Friday, April 20th. We will be joining the fun with the Mobile Planetarium. This free event will be from 5:30pm to 9:30pm and will include planetarium shows, stimulating science discussions and will conclude with some time on their observation deck with some telescopes. Check out the link for details here.
Austin Earth Day Festival, April 22nd
Sometimes we are so focused on the heavens, we forget to celebrate the most important planet of all...Earth! The Austin Earth Day Festival 2012 will be Sunday, April 22nd from 12pm-6pm at the Browning Hangar at Mueller (4550 Mueller Blvd.). In addition to the many exhibitors, speakers and food trailers on hand, there will be a kid's area with recycled arts & crafts, face paintng, a puppet theater and a petting zoo!
Hot Science-Cool Talks: Life On Europa...Friday, April 13th
The final Hot Science-Cool Talks lecture of the 2012 Spring season is almost here. Dr. Britney Schmidt will be discussing environmental conditions on Jupiter's moon Europa and the potential for life there and on other planets in a presentation called Life on Europa? Exploring Jupiter's Icy Moon. We will be kicking off the event with pre-show activities including our mobile planetarium...
UT's Environmental Science Institute's Hot Science-Cool Talks lecture series provides a platform for leading scientists and researchers to share their work with educators, students and the general public. Dr. Schmidt is a research scientist with UT's Institute for Geophysics and will be exploring the possibility of life on Europa follwoing the recent discovery of a "great lake" on the icy moon. The event takes place Friday, April 13th, 2012 with pre-lecture activities will begin at 5:45pm outside Welch Hall (WEL) Auditorium and the lecture will begin at 7pm in the Auditorium. Hope to see you there!
Southern Skies Social, March 28th!
Our Southern Skies Social rebooted last month at the South Austin wine bar House Wine (408 Josephine Street). It was a great opportunity for South Austinites to join in the fun without having to leave their neck-of-the-woods, and House Wine offers a unique, intimate atmosphere with a great selection of wines and foods.
The Southern Skies Socials continue on the last Wednesday of the month, March 28th this month. Also, House Wine graciously donates 10% of our guest related proceeds back to us. As always, these events are free, family-friendly and open to the public. They run from 5pm-9pm and will offer updates on the progress of the Austin Planetarium, Science Museum and Technology Center project. We hope to see you there!
Flash Fundraiser @ Opal Divines
OK... one way or the other, we will treat you to something celestial! Of course, since the weather brought us the much needed rain, we were not able to have our spring-time Austin Under the Stars. However, the patio at Opal Divines (Parmer & Mopac next to Fry's) has a view to the east, so if its clear, we should be able to view Mars. And in the case it is cloudy, we will simply show you the Universe inside at 7 pm! We can show off the Digital Universe, and fly around our local neighbor hood, from Pluto, our Sun, to outside our Galaxy. One way or another, we will celebrate astronomy!
Opal Divine's Marina location (Parmer @ Mopac) on Tuesday, March 13th, from 5-9pm.
It will be a great opportunity to eat, drink, network, donate and marvel at the wonders of the cosmos at our free, family-friendly Flash Fundraiser!
UPDATE: Austin Under the Stars cancelled...Stargazing opportunity at Opal Divine's Tuesday, March 13th
Unfortunately, Saturday's Austin Under the Stars event (AUTS) has been cancelled due to inclement weather. We will publish the next AUTS date as soon as we have that information. We would like to thank the Austin Astronomical Society for hosting the event and inviting us as well as St. Stephen's school for providing the venue. We would also like to thank our volunteers who signed up to help out. Join us at our Flash Fundraiser and we will attempt to make up for lost time...
Flash Fundraiser @ Opal Divines
Our March Flash Fundraiser will again be at Opal Divine's Marina location (Parmer @ Mopac) on Tuesday, March 13th, from 5-9pm. Weather permitting, we will be setting up our telescopes for some stargazing. Many of the planets of our solar system are visible in the night sky right now, especially Mars, so it will be a great opportunity to eat, drink, network, donate and marvel at the wonders of the cosmos at our free, family-friendly Flash Fundraiser! Cheers!
Southern Skies Socials Return!
Our Southern Skies Socials will begin again next Wednesday, February 29th at the South Austin wine bar House Wine (408 Josephine St.). This event is a great opportunity for South Austinites to join in the fun without having to leave their neck-of-the-woods, and House Wine offers a unique, intimate atmosphere with a great selection of wines and foods. House Wine also donates 10% of our guest related proceeds back to us, so come join us for a leap-day drink and support our efforts!
As Always, this events are free, family-friendly and open to the public. It runs from 5pm-9pm and will offer updates on the progress of the Austin Planetarium, Science Museum and Technology Center project. We hope to see you there!
Coming Up In February...
Our Flash Fundraisers will begin again in February with a new location! On Tuesday, February 21st, we will be gathering at the Opal Divine's Marina location on Mopac and Parmer to eat, drink and network with our supporters.
As always, it will be a great opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and learn about the many ways you can get involved in the Austin Planetarium, Science Museum and Technology Center project. Join us from 5pm to 9pm for food, fun and revelry. Cheers!
ACC Star Party III
ACC will be having another Star Party at their Round Rock Campus on Friday, February 10th. We will be joining the fun with the Mobile Planetarium. This free event will be from 5:30pm to 9:30pm and will include planetarium shows, stimulating science discussions and will conclude with some time on their observation deck with some telescopes.
If you are interested in volunteering, follow the link below to sign up!
Feria Para Aprendar: Saturday, January 28th
The Feria Para Aprender (The Learning Fair) was first created in Austin, Texas in 2007. Every year, this flagship event continues to reach thousands more Latino parents and students who are drawn by its unique Spanish-language only educational format. This event is free and open to the public.
The Austin Planetarium will be returning to the Feria this year with the Discovery Dome Mobile Planetarium on Saturday, January 28th...
The Feria is a very important event for the Austin Planetarium, as we are able to engage the Latino Community directly and inform them about our project and programs. In addition to sharing our vision of a science museum, planetarium and technology center in downtown Austin, we are also able to share our love of science with the Discovery Dome Mobile Planetarium program. At the Feria, we will be showing Spanish-speaking students, parents and educators how our mobile planetarium can enhance science curriculum in their schools.
Details about the event:
When:
Saturday, January 28th, 2012
10am-3pm
Where:
North Austin Event Center
10601 N. Lamar
Austin, TX 78753
There are still volunteer positions available for this event, and we need the help of our Spanish-speaking supporters in the community. If you would like to learn more about volunteering at the event, follow the provided link below.
Future Scientists Jamboree Sunday, January 22nd
Join 1000 friends and family for the most exciting science education event of the year. You’ll experience hands on science of the movies and witness amazing stunt demonstrations by renowned movie stunt expert Steve Wolf and his team of professional stuntmen, zip line rides, The Austin Planetarium, Dr. Kold, rope obstacle course, food and the first human android keynote in the history of man – “Zeno” developed by Hanson Robotics, this kid-friendly event will ignite the love of science in adults and children and raise money to provide supplemental curriculum to elementary and middle school teachers!
This event is open to the public and will be of special interest to educators, legislators, business leaders and their families. Information about ticket prices and purchase locations can be found here [link]. The proceeds benefit the Austin Community Foundation's America's Future Scientist Fund.
Date: Sunday January 22, 2012 – 3pm-8pm
Where: The event will be held at the Stunt Ranch & Fire Lake Event Center
13317 Fitzhugh Road Austin, TX 78736
Hot Science - Cool Talks, January 13th!
The University of Texas Environmental Science Institute's Hot Science - Cool Talks outreach series connects leading researchers in the science communuity with the general public. Throughout the year, they hold free educational events that begin with family friendly activities before the lectures of prominent researchers and culminate in lively audience discussions. This Friday, January 13th, guest lecturer Dr. Andy Howell will present Dark Energy, Explosions and Zombie Stars: The Past and Future of Our Universe.
Dr. Howell is a Staff Scientist for the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network and Adjunct Faculty at the University of California Santa Barbara. You may also know him as the host of the third season of the National Geographic Channel's Known Universe. His lecture will begin at 7:00pm and will be preceded by activities from 5:45pm-7:00pm.
All this will take place at UT's Student Activity Center (SAC) Auditorium in the East Mall. We will be there for the pre-lecture activities. Join us for this free, family friendly event!
Free Screening of Saving Hubble...
Join the Austin Astronomical Society Wednesday night for a free screening of the new independent documentary film Saving Hubble, followed by discussion with the director of the film, David Gaynes.
Sponsored by the Austin Astronomical Society, this public event will take place the night after the film’s Austin debut for astronomy professionals at the American Astronomical Society’s 219th Meeting (which is presenting the film as one of the top 10 reasons to attend the convention).
Saving Hubble is a movie about the people of America’s successful fight to save the Hubble Space Telescope from becoming space junk. It is also about the expansion of the universe, the power of images, the similarities between figure skating and spacewalking, the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System, God, and the wisdom of cabbies in Nashville.
Many films have been made about what Hubble teaches humans about the universe. This is the first time a film about Hubble has asked “What does this machine say about us?” Saving Hubble is the story of ordinary people finding a voice, and a love letter to the machine that stands as humanity’s ambassador to the expanding universe.
David Gaynes (director) is a creative storyteller and emerging independent documentary filmmaker. His first feature, Keeper of the Kohn (2005), won Best Documentary at the Vail Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Palm Beach Film Festival. David is an accomplished cinematographer, having recently photographed the award-winning documentary All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Rembert (dir. Vivian Ducat).
When:
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
7:30 p.m.
Where:
University of Texas
Robert Lee Moore building (southeast corner of Dean Keeton and Speedway)
Sometimes we are so focused on the heavens, we forget to celebrate the most important planet of all...Earth! The Austin Earth Day Festival 2012 will be Sunday, April 22nd from 12pm-6pm at the Browning Hangar at Mueller (4550 Mueller Blvd.). In addition to the many exhibitors, speakers and food trailers on hand, there will be a kid's area with recycled arts & crafts, face paintng, a puppet theater and a petting zoo!
Our Southern Skies Social rebooted last month at the South Austin wine bar 
The Feria Para Aprender (The Learning Fair) was first created in Austin, Texas in 2007. Every year, this flagship event continues to reach thousands more Latino parents and students who are drawn by its unique Spanish-language only educational format. This event is free and open to the public.
