The Marie Drake Planetarium

Where the stars always shine in Juneau, AK

2011 Shows and Events

The Planets 
Talk by Juneau Symphony conductor Kyle Wiley Pickett on Holst's The Planets. Learn about the music, mythology, astronomy and pop culture associated with Gustav Holst's most famous work. This will be followed by 'The Stars Tonight' and a presentation on 'The Planets'.
The Juneau Symphony performed The Planets twice the following weekend.

Poster by Isabella

Poster by Isabella

Ares and Mars

Mythology and Astronomy presentation by Ken Fix 
Ares is the Greek God of War


Wikipedia image

Mars image from NASA

Uranus and Uranus
Astronomy and mythology presentation by Ken Fix.
Ouranos aka Uranus was the Greek god personifying the sky.
NASA image of Uranua
History of Astronomy
Presentation by Clark Branch
Poster by Isabella
Yoga Under the Stars (3 events)
Led by Cynthia Pring-Ham. Participants will be guided through a yoga practice that provides an experiential way to welcome the resonating space within each of us and observe the connectivity between the breath, body, and mind that brings us health and happiness.
Image from www.Dreamstime image.
Romance Under the Stars
Listen to recorded music. Bring a blanket and your loved one(s) and enjoy relaxing under the stars. Free Hershey's Kisses.

Poster by Isabella

Aphrodite and Venus

Mythology and astronomy presentation by Ken Fix.
"Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. She is identified with the planet Venus; her Roman equivalent."
- Wikipedia

Venus de Milo Fly Trap by Jeff Brown (2010)

NASA Venus picture taken by Hubble telescope.

Astronomy Humor

 Astronomy as you have never seen it before by Cristina Della Rosa creator of www.astronomyastronauthumor.com website launched in 2011.

Poster by Isabella

Alaska From Orbit

50 Minutes. World premiere by Michael Bott, the creator of 'Celestial Superfly', will show his new film 'Alaska From Orbit.' World premiere.Travel from Alaska to the edge of the universe and back. Includes shuttle launch, celestial objects, and transcendental music. 
Poster by Isabella

Zeus and Jupiter

Mythology and Astronomy presentation by Ken Fix. Zeus "is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion, who ruled as king of the the gods of Mount Olympus."
- quote from Wikipedia

Zeus and Jupiter

Retro Sci-Fi Moviies

Them
Atomic tests in New Mexico create giant, man-eating ants that threaten civilization

The Day the Earth Stood Still
In this 1951 movie, an alien (Klaatu) with his mighty robot (Gort) land their spacecraft on Cold War-era Earth just after the end of World War II. They bring an important message to Earth that Klaatu wishes to tell to all nations. However, communication turns out to be diffi
cult.

Poster by Isabella

Klaatu at the Museum of Pop Culture exhibit. 

Photo by Cristina Della Rosa

Astronomy Poetry Contest

Organized by Cristina Della Rosa to celebrate National Poetry Month. 15 entries (11 children, 4 adults). Click to read entries.
Image from www.dreamstime.com

Planet Walk to celebrate Astronomy Day

Astronomy day celebrated twice a year.
Public walk at planet walk at Twin Lakes
Photo by Steve Kocsis

July 4th Parade

Our theme:  Gas Giants.
8 volunteers (7 adults and one child) walked in the parade holding the planetarium banner and signs honoring the space shuttle missions: Atlantis, Endeavour, Columbia, Challenger and Discovery. 300 planetarium postcards given to the crowd. Volunteers wore astronomy related t-shits. Candy also given away. A sunny and successful day.
Volunteer Dolly Kremers. Photo by Steve Kocsis

Observe the Moon Night

Telescope, binoculars and spotting scope were set up outside planetarium However, there was no visibility, so the pubic invited inside and given presentation: Life without the Moon.
Image from www.dreamstime.com
Planetarium Show for Kids 
Main presenter Clark Branch with other volunteer assistance.
  • Build a nebula with dry ice
  • Starball view of the night sky
  • Meteorite table
  • Human solar system
  • Aurora borealis demonstration with flow stickes
  • Sing the planet song
Poster by Isabella
Helios and the Aurora ( 2 shows)
Astronomy and mythology repeat presentations by Ken Fix. 

Poster by Isabella who reimagined Helios as the name of a band.

Cronus and Saturn - astronomy and mythology

 Cronus aka Kronos was the son of Uranus and Ge. He became the father of Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. He was Greek God of Time.

Poster by Isabella

Moon: Facts and Folly 
Cristina and Steve share the science and silliness of our moon.
What color is the moon?

Calendars and their History

Presentation by Eva Hab

Poster by Isabella

School Group Presentations

  • Class presentation to 158 students including 3rd graders from Auke Bay, 1st and K graders from Harborview, 4th and 5th graders.

Community Group Presentations

150 people attended presentations.
  • Young Parent Healthy Teen Center (Zach Gordon) with art.
  • Girl Scouts
  • Boy Scouts
  • Birthday party
  • Cub Scouts
  • Constellations presentation for Gold Creek Child Development Center

Community Day on Campus

Planetarium has a table at this annual event at UAS.