Space Fest 2024

Have you ever wondered how hot the Sun is, how we harvest its energy, or what makes our star special?

Join us to explore these questions and more at the Bell Museum’s sixth annual Space Fest! We’ll have hands-on activities, guest speakers, and demonstrations throughout the weekend as we celebrate our closest star.

Space Fest kicks off on Friday Night with a special star party. Saturday and Sunday will be filled with activities that illuminate our closest star, including special planetarium shows all about the Sun!

Throughout the weekend, enjoy presentations by researchers and special guests (including a NASA astronaut!) and sun-themed activities throughout the building.  

• Get creative by making your own aurora!
• Investigate the hazards posed by radiation from the Sun when you create your own radiation detection device!
• Connect with University of Minnesota students and faculty whose research helps us understand the Sun!

Free Shuttle Parking

Friday, February 16

Star Party, 7:30–9 pm

Celebrate the Solar Big Year as we kick off the Bell Museum’s sixth annual Space Fest with a special star party! Since it’s still just a bit chilly outside, it won’t be a good time for telescope observing. Instead, join us inside the Bell Museum where we’ll have hands-on activities and a short planetarium show where you can experience the Sun from a whole new perspective.

Planetarium Show:
The Incredible Sun short film
Showtimes: 7:40, 8:10, 8:40
Register Here

Saturday, February 17

University Researchers and students in the galleries, 10 am–4 pm

Connect with University researchers as you explore the museum galleries! You’ll find them throughout the second floor with hands-on activities, demonstrations, and a wealth of knowledge to share about what we know and how we learn about the Sun.

 

Moon and Mars Activities, 10 am–4 pm

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to travel to the Moon and Mars? How will we get there? And what challenges will we face along the way? At Space Fest, explore a set of interactive activities based on NASA’s Artemis space program.

 

Sensory Friendly Saturday, 4:30–6:30 pm

Visitors with sensory sensitivities are invited to join us for Sensory Friendly Space Fest! Explore the galleries, get hands-on with space games and activities, and enjoy a 5:30 pm planetarium show – all with fewer visitors, quieter sounds, and lowered lights.

Learn more

 

Each day, we’ll feature brief presentations and Q&A with experts on space exploration in Horizon Hall:

Experiences of a Shuttle Astronaut with NASA Astronaut, 10:30am
Colonel Tom Akers, U.S. Air Force, Retired

Colonel Akers will present scholarship awards to two UMN students Madelyn Blake and Ronin (Roj) Cosiquienon on behalf of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. He’ll share stories about his time as a NASA astronaut.

Following his talk, Col. Akers will be available for a meet-and-greet with Bell visitors. Each visitor may bring one item for an autograph.

 

Let’s forecast our Space Weather!, 1pm
Tatiana Niembro Hernández, Astrophysicist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian

Let’s talk about the weather! But not just any weather, Space Weather! Did you know there is wind in outer space that comes from our Sun? Or storms? Join us as we learn about how big and powerful they are. We’ll see the sun in action! Let’s explore how its light and particles reveal how our star works and become space weather forecasters together.

 

Sunday, February 18

University Researchers and students in the galleries, 10 am–4 pm

Connect with University researchers as you explore the museum galleries! You’ll find them throughout the second floor with hands-on activities, demonstrations, and a wealth of knowledge to share about what we know and how we learn about the Sun.

 

Moon and Mars Activities, 10 am–4 pm

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to travel to the Moon and Mars? How will we get there? And what challenges will we face along the way? At Space Fest, explore a set of interactive activities based on NASA’s Artemis space program.

 

 

Story time, 10:45 am & 11:45am
Sun! One in A Billion by Stacy McAnulty

Calling all future scientists, techies, engineers, artists and mathematicians to story time. Families are invited to listen to fun and engaging stories that call out adventures and mishaps of kid scientists and engineers, and explore our universe from the far reaches of the galaxy down to tiny microbes here on Earth.

 

Each day, we’ll feature brief presentations and Q&A with experts on space exploration in Horizon Hall:

The Moon’s Moment in the Sun, 11am
Staci Tiedeken, NASA Goddard Planetary Science Outreach Coordinator

On April 8, a total solar eclipse will turn daytime into nighttime for a few minutes in some parts of North America; for other viewers in North America, the Sun will look like a bite has been taken out of it. Even though the Sun will be the star of the upcoming eclipse, the Moon will play a critical role. Join NASA Goddard Planetary Science Outreach Coordinator and U of M alumna, Staci Tiedeken, to learn about eclipses and NASA’s exploration of the Moon.

 

Let’s forecast our Space Weather!, 1pm
Tatiana Niembro Hernández, Astrophysicist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian

Let’s talk about the weather! But not just any weather, Space Weather! Did you know there is wind in outer space that comes from our Sun? Or storms? Join us as we learn about how big and powerful they are. We’ll see the sun in action! Let’s explore how its light and particles reveal how our star works and become space weather forecasters together.

	Saturday 2/17/24	Sunday 2/18/24
10:30AM	Sunstruck Open Captioning	Sunstruck ASL interpretation
11:30AM	Minnesota Night Skies	Minnesota Night Skies
12:30PM	Totality	Totality
1:30PM	Minnesota Night Skies	Minnesota Night Skies
2:30PM	The Sun: Our Living Star ASL interpretation	The Sun: Our Living Star Open Captioning

Minnesota’s Astronomy Classroom is generously supported by WEM Foundation