Partial Solar Eclipse Event at the Visitor Center
Monday, April 8, Noon – 4 p.m.
Come celebrate the solar eclipse with us! A total solar eclipse will cross North America – including several U.S. states – on Monday, April 8, 2024. A partial solar eclipse will be visible in Greenbelt, Maryland, with the Moon blocking 86% of the Sun’s light. This will be a wonderful learning opportunity for people of all ages.
The Goddard Visitor Center will be open from noon to 4 p.m. on April 8 specially for this event, with eclipse-specific activities running from 1 to 3 p.m. Activities will include viewings of the Sun with safe solar glasses, a corona art project, a Sunspotter demonstration, and presentations by solar scientists. In case of inclement weather or cloudy skies, NASA’s coverage of the event will be broadcast in the visitor center theater. The partial eclipse maximum for Greenbelt will take place at 3:20 p.m.
Registration is required for this event: NASA Goddard Visitor Center | Eventbrite
Solar Eclipse Timeline for Greenbelt, Maryland:
- Begins: 2:04 p.m.
- Maximum: 3:20 p.m.
- Ends: 4:33 p.m.
Prepare for safe solar viewing of the eclipse by checking out NASA’s eclipse safety webpage. Eclipse glasses will be available during this event (one per person ages 5 and above) while supplies last.
Pi Day Celebration
Thursday, March 14, 10 a.m. – Noon
Celebrate Pi Day with us through hands-on activities! Registration is not required for this free program, which is recommended for children ages 6 and up. For more information, please email [email protected] or call 301-286-9891.
Sunday Experiment
Sunday Experiment is a free monthly program offered at the Goddard Visitor Center. Activities are best suited for children ages 5 to 10, and registration is not required. For program information, please call the visitor center at 301-286-8981. The Sunday Experiment, generally taking place the third Sunday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m., features activities showcasing Goddard’s world-renowned science and engineering research and technological developments. Families leave inspired by the activities, wowed by the scientists and engineers, and excited about Goddard’s revolutionary research and technology.
In addition to celebrating all things science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the Sunday Experiment celebrates major science missions that are managed by NASA Goddard and set to launch in the near future. The Sunday Experiment is a place where children and adults alike can discover the excitement of Goddard through fun and engaging activities. Upcoming scheduled topics are as follows:
Get Ready! Get Set! For the April 8 Solar Eclipse
March 17, 1 – 3 p.m. ET
Join us on Sunday, March 17, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Goddard Visitor Center for the Sunday Experiment presentation “Get Ready! Get Set! For the April 8 Solar Eclipse.” A total solar eclipse will cross North America from Mexico to Canada on Monday, April 8, 2024, passing through the following U.S. states in the process: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. A partial eclipse will be visible in many other states, making the eclipse a wonderful learning opportunity for people of all ages.
Activities during this event will include viewings of the Sun with safe solar telescopes and glasses, experiments with UV bead bracelets, Sun art, solar robots, and 3D printing. Enjoy discussions and question-and-answer sessions with heliophysics subject matter experts in the main hall and eclipse videos in the theater. Free NASA eclipse glasses (with a max of four per family) and signed eclipse posters (one per family) by NASA graphic artist Kristen Perrin will be available for the first 300 guests participating in the program activities!
There will be something for all ages! Learn more here.
You can also check out the past virtual Sunday Experiment series here.
Saturday Science
Second Saturday of the Month, 1 – 3 p.m.
Science is all around us! Join us to discover more about the science found in our daily lives and the science studied here at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center! Each session will focus on a different science topic and have hands-on activities and demonstrations. Please see the list of dates and topics below. Registration is not required for this free program, which is recommended for children ages 6 and up. For more information, please email [email protected] or call 301-286-9891.
- March 9 – Celebrate Pi Day!
- April 13 – Saturday Science is #READYTOGOES
- May 11 – Spring Into STEM!
Grow With Goddard
Third Thursday of the Month, 9 – 10 a.m.
Grow with Goddard! Join us for activities and demonstrations for ages 3-5 here at our visitor center during a special morning hour before we open to the public. Please see the list of dates and topics below. Registration is required for each child participant. Parents and guardians do not need to register, but at least one parent or guardian must be on-site for the program. Registration information can be found here.
- March 21 – What is a solar eclipse?
- April 18 – Earth Day
- May 16 – Planets
Model Rocket Launches
First Sunday of each month at 1 p.m.
(some holidays excluded; weather, security conditions permitting; call ahead to confirm: 301-286-8981)
Like to build model rockets, but don’t have a launch pad? Now you do! Anyone can bring a model to fly at the Goddard Visitor Center rocket launches; there are no costs or fees to participate. Rockets, motors and supplies are available for purchase at the nearby Goddard Gift Shop (and many hobby shops or toy stores) and you can even get rocket construction and launch tips from our on-site experts on launch day!
Don’t want to launch your own rocket? That’s fine, too — come out to watch, and cheer on our rocketeers!
Model rocket launches are held at the Goddard Visitor Center the first Sunday of the month (some holidays excluded, and weather and security conditions permitting). Launches start at 1 p.m. and are brought to you by the NARHAMS Model Rocket club (http://www.narhams.org/). These launches have been part of Visitor Center programs since 1976.
Visitors bring and prepare their own models; a group safety briefing is given at 1 p.m., and models are given a preflight safety assessment. We allow single-engine models that must not exceed C-class models. 1/2A or A models work best for our field. We do not permit models whose altitude may exceed 2,000 feet, nor do we normally allow glider models.
Weather decisions will be made the day of the launch — to check the status of a launch, please contact the Visitor Center front desk at 301-286-8981.
Ask a Scientist:
Second Sunday of the Month, 1 – 3 p.m.
Bring your curiosity and NASA science questions, and find some answers during a family-friendly afternoon of discovery and learning! No registration is required. For more information, contact the visitor center front desk at 301-286-8981.
Please note: The events and activities listed below are not affiliated with Goddard’s Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is listing them here as a courtesy. For more information, please contact the respective sponsoring organizations.
Visit the following websites for information on seminars and colloquia at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
This post was originally published on 3rd party site mentioned in the title of this site
