August 4 - $5 First Friday Focus on The Great American Eclipse
July 24th, 2017
(Albuquerque, NM) --- On August 4, get ready for The Great American Eclipse at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (NMMNHS) during $5 First Friday. On Monday, August 21, an eclipse of the sun can be seen across the entire United States. For most of the country, including New Mexico, the eclipse will be partial. This means only part of the sun’s surface will be blocked by the moon and there will be no point during which it will be safe to look at the sun without proper eye protection. The only place where it will be safe to view the sun directly will be a relatively narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina, and then only for a little over two minutes while the sun is totally eclipsed.
“We want New Mexico residents to learn about this solar eclipse and find out how to enjoy it safely,” said Jim Greenhouse, NMMNHS’s Space Science Director. The Museum is focusing on this exciting sky event during the next $5 First Friday happening on August 4 from 5:30-9 p.m. Displays will show how to make an assortment of solar viewers. Video and graphic presentations will explain this eclipse of the sun. This is just a preview of the August 21 eclipse; there will be no eclipse during $5 First Friday. In addition to these activities, the whole Museum will be open for just $5 per person admission.
“We have an impressive lineup of attractions happening which will make this a can’t-miss evening,” commented Museum Director, Margie Marino. “Admission also includes access to our popular temporary exhibition Wild Music: Songs & Sounds of Nature - a highly interactive exhibition which 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, Space Next, for an additional $5 at 6 p.m. Space Next offers a glimpse into tomorrow, and the possibilities of what is to come by way of private space developments and national space programs. The result is a mesmerizing display of interplanetary excellence sure to inspire a generation of explorers, scientists, and dreamers.
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.
Members of the Albuquerque Astronomical Society will be helping to locate objects in the night sky in the observatory, weather permitting, starting at 8:30 p.m. The Nature Works store will be selling eclipse glasses and other unique gifts from 5:30-8 p.m. on this First Friday. The new Hope Café will be open continuously from 9 a.m.-7 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.)
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Media Contact: Mary Ann Hatchitt, mahatchitt@outlook.com, 505-681-4014
About the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science: The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science is a Division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs The Department of Cultural Affairs is New Mexico’s cultural steward and is charged with preserving and showcasing the state’s cultural riches. With its eight museums, seven historic sites, arts, archaeology, historic preservation and library programs, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is the largest state cultural agency in the nation. Download the Department’s free Cultural Atlas app for information about historic cultural sites throughout New Mexico at http://atlas.newmexicoculture.org/. For news releases, calendar information about events and exhibitions in the Department of Cultural Affairs log onto media.newmexicoculture.org
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