The Newark Museum of Art will offer a day of adventurous, virtual programs for the whole family on Saturday, November 21 for the latest Community Day: Astro Fest with Astronaut Mae Jemison.
Beginning at 10 a.m., guests can tune in for interstellar stories, planetary activities, and even meet former NASA Astronaut Mae Jemison, the first African American woman who traveled to space. Families can also gather together to build a model of the Solar System and take a live virtual tour of the USS Intrepid and Space Shuttle Enterprise while learning about the historic Space Race.
“As the first Black woman in history to go on a Space Shuttle mission, Dr. Mae Jemison has such an inspirational message to young people who aspire to do things in the science and technology fields,,” said Silvia Filippini-Fantoni, Deputy Director of Learning & Engagement at The Newark Museum of Art. “Mae’s message – to never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination – rings as true today as it did in 1992, when she made history as the first Black woman to travel to space.”
Support for Community Day comes from The Horizon Foundation of New Jersey with additional funding from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, in partnership with Liberty Science Center and Intrepid, Sea, Air and Space Museum.
The schedule for Astro Fest includes the following:
Space Storytime Live, 10 a.m.
Recommended for ages 3-8
Let’s read a story about space! Daniela from PARA Kids! will read a wonderful bilingual story about the Moon: Moon Rope/Un lazo a la luna by Lois Ehlert. Following the story, explore the lunar phases and the shapes on its surface. Click here to register for the Zoom session.
Virtual Planetarium Show: The Planets, 11 a.m.
Recommended for ages 6 and up
This online program from the Liberty Science Center’s Chalsty Planetarium brings the universe to life. Explore the brilliant appearance of four planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and Venus) in Fall 2020 skies. Then, visit those, and other planets as seen by NASA and other space missions. Click here to register for the Zoom session.
Meet An Astronaut: Dr. Mae Jemison, 1 p.m.
Recommended for all ages
Meet Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space! An engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut, Dr. Jemison will talk about her mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor and her STEM career.
Dr. Jemison is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She was the first woman of color in the world to travel into space. Jemison then founded a technology consulting firm, a medical device company and an international science literacy camp. She currently leads the 100 Year Starship project, an innovative nonprofit initiative for interstellar travel. This session is available on Zoom only. Click here to register.
Journey to Space: A live tour of the USS Intrepid, 2:30 p.m.
Recommended for all ages.
Come aboard the historic USS Intrepid to explore its role in the missions that occurred during the Space Race. The tour ends with a tour of the Space Shuttle Enterprise, and learn about spacecraft and spacesuits astronauts need when they venture into Earth’s orbit and beyond. Click here to register for the Zoom session.
Performance: The Chromatics, 4 p.m.
Recommended for all ages
The Chromatics are a high-energy vocal band on a mission to delight audiences with a full spectrum of songs about science, technology and astronomy. Their presentation will include NASA imagery paired with their original science songs, info about STEM activities you can do at home, and a Q&A with the band members. Click here to Register for the Zoom session.
For more information on any of the day’s activities or to learn more, visit https://www.newarkmuseumart.org/.
