All Posts
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Lighting Up the Universe
Published10/06/2020 , By Kaitlin Ehret, planetarium outreach educator
Have you ever wondered what the world looks like to a bee buzzing around your flowers, or why the sky is blue? Have you ever wondered how astronomers can take two pictures of the same nebula and end up with vastly different images, or why those colorful nebulae look like… -
Diorama Spotlight: Elk at Inspiration Point
Published09/29/2020 , By Adam Hartman, gallery programs assistant
Elk at Inspiration Peak is one of only two large dioramas at the Bell Museum to depict an autumn scene. The background, painted by Francis Lee Jaques in 1946, showcases the auburn, crimson, and amber leaves of the oak savanna from a unique perspective — above the landscape. Jaques’ painting… -
Minnesota Skies: October 2020
Published09/25/2020 , By Deane Morrison and Thaddeus
October begins and ends with a full Moon. The first rises the evening of October 1, only about three hours past the exact moment of fullness. Following it into the eastern sky is Mars, now too bright to be washed out by any lunar luster. Over to the south, brilliant… -
Diorama Spotlight: Wolves at Shovel Point
Published09/15/2020 , By Jennifer Menken, education collections manager
Along the North Shore, April is a time when winter and spring battle. We see this in the Wolves at Shovel Point diorama: the ice is out but late spring snow still rests under the trees. Herring gulls circle over waves of Lake Superior looking for small fish and other… -
Happy Plover Appreciation Day!
Published09/14/2020 , By Anna Cerelia Battistini, RARP resident artist in 2019–2020
When people ask why I chose to make artwork celebrating the piping plover during my residency at the Bell, my shortest answer is this: “it’s one of the cutest birds I have ever seen!” If you’re feeling blue, do yourself a favor and search for images of “baby piping plover.”… -
STEAM Kit Distribution ✔️
Published09/11/2020
Through generous support from our corporate partners, the Bell Museum distributed our final STEAM activity kits to schools and community centers last week. This third round of kits included everything needed to make s’mores in a solar oven and bird seed cookies to give migrating birds a boost! Providing opportunities… -
September Sky Lights
Published08/31/2020 , By Thaddeus LaCoursiere, planetarium educator
The September evening sky has more objects to look at than you can shake a telescope at. Part of this wealth comes from the placement of our Milky Way Galaxy. The bright core of the galaxy is still visible through the month, and can be found to the south-southwest, near… -
Minnesota Skies: September 2020
Published08/28/2020
Traditionally, Indigenous people keenly observed celestial objects, especially the Moon, and kept track of the passing of time. Each full Moon marked the passing of one month and reflected the “moon time” of women (menstruation). Seasonal activities that were culturally significant each month became the name of each month. Some… -
Diorama Spotlight: Spring at Cascade River
Published08/18/2020 , By Adam Hartman, gallery programs assistant
It’s June in northern Minnesota. The north woods are full of new life and growth as spring begins its transition into summer. The sights and sounds of the forest are set against the ambient crashing of the Cascade River’s upper falls. -
Minnesota Skies: August 2020
Published07/30/2020
Traditionally, Indigenous people keenly observed celestial objects, especially the Moon, and kept track of the passing of time. Each full Moon marked the passing of one month and reflected the “moon time” of women (menstruation). Seasonal activities that were culturally significant each month became the name of each month. Some…