McKeown
The countdown is on for to the total solar eclipse on April 8
Didn’t know there was an upcoming eclipse? Would you love to learn more about what’s out there in the universe? The Johnson County Public Library has an out-of-this-world opportunity for you — visit Space Day on March 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event will be held at the National Guard Armory in Franklin.
Growing up, my favorite day at school was when the inflatable space dome would come. For an hour once a year, we were able to explore the universe, learn the mythology of the constellations and see our moon up close. With Space Day, we are allowing the community to experience that again, with even more to see and do.
Space Day is a drop-in community event hosted by JCPL. Explore space by visiting the SkyDome Planetarium, launching a rocket on screen using a retired NASA launch panel, exploring the solar system using VR goggles, and making pinhole viewers from cereal boxes. You can listen to “Storytime from Space” as astronauts on the International Space Station read picture books aloud to us – here on Earth. You can also hear about how researchers in the Purdue Space Program are operating instruments on the Perseverance Rover on Mars to learn more about the Red Planet.
Other Space Day activities include:
• Eclipse simulation with a spotlight and shadow activity.
• NASA artifact display: Space Shuttle heat tiles and Atlantis Shuttle stack model.
• Make your own Starfinder Map with Globetarium.
• Learn about telescopes with the Indiana Astronomical Society.
• Touch-a-Truck event from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• StoryWalk – “Total Solar Eclipse: A Stellar Friendship Story.”
• Face painting and other activities.
Learn about the upcoming total solar eclipse at Space Day through activities, crafts and a presentation by the Indiana Astronomical Society. Thanks to the Johnson County Public Library Foundation and Festival Country Indiana, 2,500 pairs of eclipse glasses will be available to visitors of Space Day and other eclipse-related programming throughout the Library system. For information on Space Day and other eclipse programming, please visit PageAfterPage.org/spaceday.
Space Day is a free event for all, held in the Johnson County Armory, 325 Minuteman Way, Franklin. Please note that there are free, timed tickets for the SkyDome Planetarium. You can pick up your tickets at the information table on Space Day. These tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Monica McKeown is a children’s programmer at the Clark Pleasant Branch. JCPL staff members share in writing this twice-monthly column. Send comments to [email protected].
