This summer a group of community scientists paid attention to their outside thermometers and helped us collect data on the weather- join us online Wednesday, November 17th at 7pm as we dive into those numbers and see how this summer compares to years past. We'll also talk with the Mount Washington Observatory about other climate change trends in New Hampshire and learn how we can use data like these to plan for the future. ​

This event will be held via Zoom meeting- it is free and open to everyone, but registration is required. You can register here.

It's one challenge to take pictures of the celestial bodies in the universe and quite another to take pictures of atoms, but believe it or not, the change in scale is about the same. Atoms make up everything we touch and see, but understanding -- and seeing -- atoms is something we've only accomplished in the last 30 years. Join us online Friday, November 5th at 7 pm to hear Dr. Shawna Hollen of University of New Hampshire talk about how her team takes pictures of atoms in their lab and how they can use those images to understand strange behavior in matter and design next-generation materials.

This event will happen by zoom webinar and is free and open to the public, but registration is required- you can register here.

Are you excited about the upcoming launch of the James Webb Space Telescope? We are, too! We’re so excited that we’re throwing a LAUNCH PARTY waaaaay in advance of the big day so that everyone is ready when the launch arrives!

Join us Saturday, October 23rd at 1:30 pm for a telescope-themed celebration- you’ll learn about telescopes and what makes the James Webb Space Telescope so special, do STEM activities, and get access to NASA materials (while supplies last)!

Are you curious about how scientists design projects that are sent to the International Space Station? Starting this month, visitors will have the chance to talk and do activities with a UNH group of researchers who are doing just that!

Join us the 3rd Saturday of the month between 10:30 am and 1 pm- the first session will be October 16th!

Ever want to explore the night sky but don’t know where to start? Do you live in an area with too much light and don’t think there’s anything worth seeing? That’s what I thought too but by learning simple strategies you too can explore the night sky anywhere, anytime.

Curious about the James Webb Space Telescope? Want to know what to look for in the sky on your own this month? Educator Dave McDonald has you covered in his latest episode of ‘The Sky This Month’! Check out the recording here.

And you can get more info on the Webb Telescope plus take part in some fun telescope activities at our James Webb Space Telescope Launch Party on October 23rd at 1:30 pm! NASA may have pushed back the launch a bit, but we are still celebrating the approach of this new mission to see farther into space- join us for an afternoon of space fun!

Tom Mortimer gave us a great introduction to the mineral environments in New Hampshire and showed some amazing pictures from his collection- if you’d like to see the full recording, the link is here.

We are so excited about the upcoming art exhibit “Outer Space” which will open next Friday! Artist Robert Hauser of Busyhaus Artworks in Peterborough, NH has created 15 pieces which take what we know (and thought we knew) about the universe and interprets that in three-dimensional artwork. You’ll see inspiration from Galileo, Stephen Hawking, and even Star Trek! This temporary exhibit will be included in regular admission to the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and will be open through the fall- we hope you join us!

Over three hundred different minerals have been identified in New Hampshire. Join us via Zoom webinar on October 1st at 7 pm as Tom Mortimer introduces the different mineral environments within our state and provides some guidelines for amateur prospecting and collecting minerals. Although the exposed bedrock in NH may appear uninteresting to the casual observer, a remarkable diversity of colorful and crystallized minerals may be found by the diligent collector. The talk will be illustrated with dozens of examples from Tom’s collection. References will be provided to assist viewers in exploring this rewarding hobby.​

This online event is free and open to the public, but registration is required- you can register here.

We got a wonderful introduction to the legacy of the Hubble Space Telescope and potential of the James Webb Space Telescope on Friday. If you didn’t have the chance to join NASA Solar System Ambassador Sally Jensen for her talk, no worries- you can find the recording of her presentation here.

If you are looking for more information on the Webb Telescope, Sally took the time to answer a few final questions:

Curious about viewing the Moon in September? Want to know what else to look for? The latest episode of educator Dave McDonald’s show “The Sky This Month” will help you focus ;) His guest this month is Sky and Telescope senior editor Kelly Beatty! You can find the episode here.

We are excited to announce that our September 3rd Super Stellar Friday will feature NASA Solar Ambassador and Educator Fellow Sally Jensen as she leads us on a tour of the Hubble’s history and the James Webb’s future. For the past 30 years the Hubble Space Telescope has given us an incredible view of the universe to study and explore. This presentation will take you from the origins of placing a telescope in orbit around the Earth, through the technical issues over the years, and the amazing findings that this scope has given us.

We got an introduction to celestial navigation on Friday from UNH Marine Docent Nate Hazen- while none of us are quite ready to use this on the water, we definitely have an appreciation for the intricacies of using the Sun, Moon, or stars to figure out where we are! If you’re interested in the details, the recording is here.

Want to know how sailors use the stars to find their way? This virtual presentation is designed to make the subject of Celestial Navigation, as practiced by the average blue-water sailor, understandable to the beginner. UNH Marine Docent Nate Hazen will remove some of the mystery and lay out the logical steps in this skill - for those just interested, or for those who wish to embark later on a more serious study.

We saw some amazing images of Pluto on Friday night with Dave McDonald and also got an update on New Horizons’ latest work. For those who missed it, the recording is here

Wondering about some of the best chances to see Pluto in quite some time? Curious to hear about what’s great viewing in the summer? Look no further- our own Dave McDonald’s show will reveal all! View the latest episode here

The most favorable time to actually see Pluto is this July. We’ve got the lowdown on viewing plus the latest from New Horizons in our next virtual Super Stellar Friday event “Pondering Pluto & What's New with the New Horizons Mission” on Friday, July 2 at 7 pm. Participate with senior Discovery Center educator and amateur astronomer, Dave McDonald, as he guides you on a quest to find the dim planet. "Planet"? What is the current planetary status of Pluto? What have we recently discovered about Pluto? Learn what New Horizons has been doing as it speeds on towards the boundary of our solar system. All this and more in this engaging interactive presentation. Don't miss it.

This online event is free and open to the public, but registration is required- you can register here

Curious about the annular eclipse? Wondering what else to watch for this month? Educator Dave McDonald has you covered with his latest episode of ‘The Sky This Month’! Check out the video here!