Mesmerica is a powerful visual music show that is crafted to evoke a sense of joy and happiness. This show opened in a few weeks ago in our Immersive Theater & Planetarium and we are seeing sell-out crowds, something we have not seen in a long time.
Read MoreOctober is Fire Prevention Month, an observance that occurs each year in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871. The Great Chicago Fire killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, and destroyed more than 17,400 structures. Here at the Evansville Museum, we have an emergency plan for what to do in the event of a fire and you should too.
Read MoreIf you visit the Museum on a particularly blustery day, don't be surprised if you hear an unexpected sound while making your way to our front door. On certain days, when the wind is just right, a low whistle can be heard originating on the levee behind to the Museum. This eerie, wind-powered music is created from the above ground portion of a device used to control the flow of water underground.
Read MoreYou’ve heard of Comet Halley, right? How about comet Hyakutake, or comet Hale-Bopp of the 1990’s? Going further back, we could consider comets West, Kohoutek and Ikeya-Seki. For over one-hundred years, the names these celestial objects that grace our skies have been bestowed with the name of their discover. These comet discoverers were living, breathing people who, either through luck or perseverance, were the first to find and report a comet, and by current convention, got their name attached to that celestial body.
Read MoreClyde Tombaugh--one of the greatest visual astronomers of all time--was the discoverer of the dwarf planet Pluto. This one and only discovery of a planet during the last century (dwarf or otherwise) took place on February 18th, 1930. The announcement was made from the Lowell Observatory located just outside Flagstaff, Arizona.
Read MoreDid you know that a famous astronomer once called Evansville home? As an adult, George Willis Ritchey, (b. 1864) was an internationally recognized engineer and astronomer, but as an 11-year-old, he moved to Evansville with his family and lived here for two years.
Read MoreOn May 7th, 2021, the Colonial Pipeline was subject to a cyberattack that shut down operations for 5 days. This shutdown left thousands of gas stations up and down the East Coast without gasoline, leading to widespread shortages and soaring gas prices. The Colonial Pipeline is the largest oil pipeline in the United States, capable of transporting 3 million barrels of fuel per day and supplying roughly 45% of all fuel consumed by the East Coast.
Read MoreAs an adult, I have used numerous telescopes located at observatories near where I lived. I acquired my current personal instrument, a 20-inch reflector, twenty-two years ago. Although I still use other telescopes from time-to-time, my 20-inch is currently my go-to star gazing tool. My scope employs a mirror twenty inches in diameter to capture light. I haul it around in a small trailer wherever I need to go.
Read MoreWe’ve been wearing a lot of PPE during the past year. Whether going to the store to buy groceries or visiting with our loved ones, face coverings help prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the disease that causes COVID-19. But what about the Personal Protective Equipment, used by medical professionals who are on the front lines of the current health emergency? What happens to all that single-use PPE?
Read MoreI can’t remember a time when I was not interested in astronomy. I have always been captivated by the stars, which is a good thing if you make your living working in a planetarium! I am constantly surprised, however, to discover how few of my colleagues in the planetarium business do not use a telescope on a regular basis. Sure they know how to look through a telescope, how to share the highlights of the night sky and they have a tremendous amount of knowledge of stars and planets, but as far as spending quality time with a telescope for sheer pleasure, I seem to be an outlier.
Read MoreEnjoy our newest blog “Robot Explorers - Where No One Has Gone Before” by our Science Curator, Mitch Luman.
Read MoreThis July, as Comet NEOWISE solidifies its position as the best comet so far in this century, I reflect back to the previous best seen comet in the northern hemisphere, Comet Hale-Bopp.
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