Discover Exoplanets Image

Join us on Saturday, November 9 to celebrate the grand opening of the Discover Exoplanets exhibit for the entire family. The exhibit will be on display at Central Library until January 27. 

Discover Exoplanets features multimedia activities where visitors can build their own solar systems, see the most recent NASA discoveries, learn about whether popular TV shows and movies feature facts or fiction, and much more. 

On November 9 from 11am-3pm, blast off to the far reaches of the universe. The Discovery Team and the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum will have a stellar array of space-related activities. It’s sure to be out of this world.

At 2pm, the ScienceTellers will be presenting "Tales of Alien Visitors." During a midnight meteor shower, something mysterious falls from the sky toward Earth. It’s not a shooting star. Two curious kids investigate and find themselves mixed up with a family of visitors from another planet (an exoplanet?)! They risk everything to rescue the aliens and get them back to their spaceship—before it’s too late! Don’t miss this action-packed and educational alien adventure using science experiments for special effects.

There will be events through January, including:

Saturday Science Lab
School-age boys and girls up to age 12 are invited to join us (almost) every week for Saturday Science Lab! This exciting and educational program lets kids not only learn, but actually perform amazing science experiments. No registration is required for this activity.

Saturdays, November 2, 16, 23, 30, December 7, 14, 21, 28
11am-12:30pm
Central Library

Intrepid, Sea, Air & Space Museum Program: Cosmic Colors
Create your own deep space pictures using real data from the Hubble Space Telescope, and learn about some of Hubble’s instruments and what they tell us about the farthest reaches of space. This is for grades K-6. Seating is limited; first-come, first-served. 

Wednesday, November 20
4:30pm
Central Library's Children's Library Discovery Center (CLDC)

Intrepid, Sea, Air & Space Museum Program: Poof! Where Does Space Begin?
Poof! Where does “space” begin? How far away is the moon? Where did the space shuttles go? These questions and more will be answered as you discover the importance of Earth’s atmosphere and why astronauts need to wear spacesuits. Presented by the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Seating is limited; first-come, first-served.

Wednesday, December 11
4:30pm
Central CLDC

Intrepid, Sea, Air & Space Museum Program: Out of This World (Exoplanets and More)
Water worlds, icy planets, or lots of hot air: all planets have unique characteristics. By studying planets around other stars, scientists find those that could harbor life. Art meets science: students will use colored pencils and other materials to design an exoplanet. This is for kids ages kindergarten to twelfth grade and families are welcome. Limited seating; first-come, first-served.

Monday, January 6
4:30pm
Central CLDC

Scientist Talk with Moiya McTier, Astrophysicist
Meet Columbia University scientist Moiya McTier. She will speak about her pathway into science, her research about exoplanets, citizen science projects, using the scientific method in your daily life, and how we can all get more involved in science. Everyone is welcome!

Saturday, January 11
2pm
Central Library Plaza