Party With the Stars
Friday, May 18 • 8:00-9:30 pm

Find out what objects are currently in the night sky and where to find them. Following the indoor program, we will set up telescopes outside for viewing, weather permitting.

The Evening Sky Map
Click here to download a monthly sky chart from Skymaps.com.

Washburn Observatory
Click on the Washburn Observatory link for schedule information.

Universe in the Park
Check the UitP web site for a list of dates and locations.

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Space Place family workshops are offered during the school year on Saturdays at 10 a.m. for children ages 6-10 and their families. The workshops are free and open to the public. No registration is required.

Please note that our workshops start promptly at 10:00. If you arrive after the workshop has begun, you may miss the instructions for that day's activity and the science concepts behind it or we may have reached capacity for that day. We encourage you to arrive early and explore our exhibit area.

April 28 - "Homemade Glue" - Make and test your own homemade glue. How does it hold up to the commercial glues?

May 5 - "Float Your Boat" - Build tinfoil boats and test different designs to see how many pennies you can load without sinking your boat.

May 12 - "Color Changing Milk" - Watch what happens when you mix milk, food coloring and little soap.

Space Place guest presentations are always free and open to the public, and are offered the 2nd Tuesday of every month.

Guest Presentation
Tuesday, May 8 • 7:00-8:00 pm

"Gravity Waves, Gold, and Colliding Neutron Stars" by Prof. Baha Balantekin, UW-Madison Physics Dept.

Please check back for more information.   

Watch past guest speakers on WPT's University Place

Telescope Workshop

Unfortunately we are no longer offering workshops to build your own telescope. For nearly a decade we have been helping families assemble these kits at Space Place. However, the Galileoscope kit is not longer being produced and we are unable to order more. You may still be able to find the kit at some on-line retailers by searching for "Galileoscope".

Lyrid Meteor Shower

The peak of the Lyrid meteor shower will be April 22 but watch the night sky a few days before and after that as well.

Click here for more information.

Madison Astronomical Society Guest Speaker (at Space Place)
Friday, May 11 • 7:00 pm

"Five Years of Curiosity on Mars" by Rebecca Williams, Senior Scientist Planetary Science Institute

After five years and over 2000 sols (Martian days), the Curiosity rover is currently climbing through the foothills of Mt. Sharp in Gale crater. Observations from the rover continue to reveal Mars as a once-habitable planet. Early in the planet's history, generations of streams and lakes created the landforms that Curiosity explores today. This talk will cover how the international science team participates in daily operations from their home institutions, the latest findings from the mission, and what terrain lies ahead.

Rebecca M. E. Williams received her BA in physics and geology in 1995 from Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 2000, she earned her Ph.D. in planetary science from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Due to the nature of the presentation, the program is recommended for middle or high school age students through adults.

Click here for more information on the Madison Astronomical Society.