Ongoing online programming at the Bell Museum continues: Minnesota’s astronomy classroom

In addition to the reopening of the planetarium theater today, August 6, the Bell will be continuing a variety of online programs, developed during the COVID-19 closure:

Constellation Hunter: Sketching the Northern Constellations
Curious about the night sky and what constellations you can see? The Bell has been creating and sharing Constellation Hunter videos to help you find constellations you can see from wherever you are (in the northern hemisphere). No telescope required! To get the most out of your Constellation Hunting experience, consider sketching your observations. Sketching is not only a fun and creative activity, but it's also an important way to build your skills in observation.

Experiencing Minnesota’s Dark Night Skies With Bell Resident Artist Mike Shaw
Mike Shaw, the Bell Museum’s fourth resident artist of 2019-20, is using his night sky photography to help people experience the night sky at various levels of darkness and light pollution, comparing the same view from sites across Minnesota to show the effect of city lights on our ability to see the stars. His project includes visiting nine sites across the state to capture shots with varying levels of darkness, and he plans a talk in the Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Planetarium to highlight the differences in what is visible in different light conditions. 

Online Astronomy Activities for Kids
Exploration and discovery can happen anywhere. This page offers families resources, videos, and activities to help you explore science at home and in the world around you! These video experiences are organized by grade levels (K–2, 3–4, 5–6, and 7–8), with supporting instructions and resources. The lessons are designed for children to experience independently, but of course, you may find your whole family wants to join in the fun.

Minnesota Skies Star Maps
Minnesota Skies is our bi-monthly guide with information about upcoming Moon phases, astronomy highlights, a custom star map, stargazing tips, and more. Our July-August Star Map was created in collaboration with Indigenous contributors including Professor Annette Lee, an astronomer, artist, and the director of the Native Skywatchers research and programming initiative. Lee and the Bell Museum planetarium staff have been working collaboratively this summer to develop plans, programs and a strong educational foundation for the Bell to respectfully and authentically promote and share Indigenous star knowledge.  For more in-depth information, check out our monthly Minnesota Skies blog.

NASA Grant for New Planetarium Show and Toolkit
The Bell Museum has been awarded nearly $875,000 in a three-year cooperative agreement from NASA’s Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions program to create a new, accessible planetarium show and toolkit of science activities in the program, A Charge Forward: Activating the Nation’s Planetariums to Excite the Public about Human Space exploration of the Moon and Beyond.

Designed for an audience grades 4–8 and their families, the planetarium show will focus on human travel beyond Earth’s orbit, looking at how astronauts stay healthy, motivated, and engaged during times far away from home. It will highlight NASA research and training initiatives to show how creativity, collaboration, and communication are key for deep space travel—and also for young people preparing for future STEM careers.

This programming is part of the Bell's Minnesota's Astronomy Classroom initiative, generously supported by Ruth & John Huss.