Releases | New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

Super Blue Moon Eclipse Preview at the Museum’s $5 First Friday January 5th

December 26th, 2017

(Albuquerque, NM) – There is an astronomical trifecta happening January 31 – a Super Blue Moon Eclipse. On that morning, the moon will be full and is both a Super Moon and Blue Moon and it will also be totally eclipsed!  During the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science’s $5 First Friday event on January 5 there will be a preview event of this astronomical phenomenon convergence.     

Each First Friday, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science is open in the evening and focuses on a topic in science.  During this $5 First Friday, museum patrons will learn all about the lunar coincidence happening in the sky on the morning of January 31 before sunrise.  The motions of the moon and Earth will come together for this very unusual lunar event, and all will be explained so that you can prepare, enjoy, and understand what is happening.  The museum will also have telescopes available to see the eclipse on January 31 from 5 – 7 a.m., weather permitting.

On January 5 from 5:30 – 9 p.m., $5 museum admission includes access to Wild Music, and this will almost be your very last chance to see it since the exhibit closes on January 7.  The highly interactive exhibition explores evidence for the biological origins of music.  Through environmental soundscapes, exhibits, and listening experiences, visitors are invited to explore nature’s score and expand their understanding of what makes music.

The DynaTheater will be showing its newest film, Humpback Whales, for an additional $5 at 6:30 p.m.  Set in the spectacular waters of Alaska, Hawaii and the remote islands of Tonga, this ocean adventure offers audiences an up-close look at how these whales communicate, sing, feed, play and take care of their young.

The Planetarium will present Fractal Friday at the usual times of 6, 7, 8, and 9 p.m. with the normal admission of adults $10, seniors $7, and children (3-12) $5.  Shows typically sell out in advance, so get your tickets early on brownpapertickets.com.

The Museum Observatory will be open to the night sky on January 5 from 6 – 8 p.m., weather permitting.  The Nature Works store will be selling model humpback whales and other unique gifts from 5:30 – 8 p.m. on this First Friday. The Hope Café will be open continuously from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. that day, so you can enjoy dinner while waiting for the museum to reopen (only the café entrance will be open from 5 – 5:30 p.m.)

 

About the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science: http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org. Established in 1986, the mission of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science is to preserve and interpret the distinctive natural and scientific heritage of our state through extraordinary collections, research, exhibits and programs designed to ignite a passion for lifelong learning. The NMMNHS offers exhibits, exhibitions, programs, and workshops in Paleontology, Earth Science, Natural Science, Gemology, is the Southwest’s largest repository for dinosaur fossils, and includes a Planetarium and a DynaTheater. A division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, the Museum is open 7 days a week, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. 1801 Mountain Road NW, northeast of Historic Old Town Plaza, Albuquerque, NM 87104, (505) 841-2800.  Events, news releases and images about activities at the Museum of Natural History and Science and other in divisions of the Department of Cultural Affairs can be accessed at media.newmexicoculture.org.

 

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Lunar Eclipse, Photo courtesy: NASA.gov

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