| Did you know that telescope manufacturers are reporting an exponential increase in sales? It seems the pandemic is leading people to take up backyard astronomy with a vengeance! The Bishop provides great resources for astronomy enthusiasts — from long-time stargazers to those who are just beginning to explore our night skies. And there’s no better month to pick up an astronomy story than December as we look forward to the Dec. 21 Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (the next one of this magnitude won’t occur until 2080!), the Geminid meteor shower (peaking on Dec. 13 & 14) and even an exploration of the ancient cultural meanings ascribed to the movements of the stars and planets that occur around Dec. 25. If you’d like to explore these topics, we’ve got just the experts for you — including our Planetarium Manager Howard Hochhalter, who is a NASA Solar System Ambassador! Please drop me an email or give me a call (941.216.3460) anytime! In the meantime, here’s our December program lineup! Remi P.S. Did you see our manatee release video? |
| The December Lineup at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature |
“Ask a Telescope Expert” Dec. 9 Parrish resident Ed McDonough grew up during the Space Race. He was just 10 years old when he received his first telescope, sending him on a lifelong journey exploring the skies. Today, as a sales representative for telescope maker Celestron, an astronomy hobbyist and a volunteer at The Bishop, his avocation and vocation are rolled into one.At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 9, McDonough will lead The Bishop’smonthly think + drink / scienceprogram during “Ask a Telescope Expert.” This Zoom program will help people learn the best strategies for choosing and using telescopes and McDonough will answer questions they have about the scopes they already own. When/Where: 7 p.m. Dec. 9 on ZoomCost: $3 for Discovery Society members; $5 for all othersRegistration: https://26965.blackbaudhosting.com/26965/tickets?tab=2&txobjid=2c2cc91c-818b-4499-a112-2539d13d045e think + drink/science is sponsored by WUSF, a corporate partner of The Bishop. | “Celebrations” Dec. 12 IQuest is our monthly program for smart, curious middle school students in grades 6 through 8. While each program is different, there are alway challenging projects and games that inspire out-of-the-box thinking.During our December IQuest, “Celebrations,” at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, we’ll be exploring the way people in other cultures commemorate this time of year, changes in seasons, and the coming of a new year. When/Where: 4 p.m. Dec. 12 in person at The BishopCost: $8. (This is a kids-only drop off program. Registration includes a slice of pizza and a drink.)Registration: https://26965.blackbaudhosting.com/26965/IQuest—Celebrations Please note: Attendees must pre-register before 11am on the day of the program. We are adhering to social distancing measures during all activities and the class size is limited to 10 children. Masks are required for all staff and students, and all students will be temperature-screened upon arrival. |
KidSpace Dec. 12 & 26 During KidSpace we unleash the awesome power of astronomy as we help kids become scientific masters of the universe! Join us as we take off from the Earth’s surface and fly to places humans have never been: the Sun, planets, other moons in our solar system, newly discovered solar systems in our galaxy, and beyond. KidSpace is designed for grades 1-5 and their grown-ups, but everyone is welcome!When/Where: 10:30 a.m. Dec. 12 & 26 on ZoomCost: FreeRegistration: Dec. 12 http://26965.blackbaudhosting.com/26965/tickets?tab=2&txobjid=f7e30a07-6d3d-44c3-8bf1-58f569656552Dec. 26 http://26965.blackbaudhosting.com/26965/tickets?tab=2&txobjid=3ab5c561-7abe-4f4e-a2c3-72c8fb1b78b9 | Stelliferous Dec. 23 The stars are the stars during Stelliferous, our monthly live guided tour of the skies with a staff astronomer, who will talk about where our stars, planets and constellations are headed. The program includes the most current events in the world of astronomy, then we open the floor for an always-fun question and answer session. Stelliferous is great for curious adults and inquisitive kids alike.During our Dec. 23 program, Planetarium Manager Howard Hochhalter will team up with Bishop Curator Tiffany Birakis to explore how different cultures around the ancient world ascribed meaning to the movement of the stars and planets, including the Star of Bethlehem. When/Where: 7 p.m. Dec. 23 on ZoomCost: $3 for members of the Discovery Society; $5 for all othersRegistration: http://26965.blackbaudhosting.com/26965/tickets?tab=2&txobjid=a9afa049-8b72-4f09-a455-c458cbf1f20b Stelliferous is sponsored by the Herald-Tribune, a corporate partner of The Bishop. |
| The Bishop Teams Up with The Dalí for the Great Conjunction |
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| Join The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature at The Dalí Museum on Dec. 21 for the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn! The next time these planets will be this close together at this magnitude will be in 2080, so The Bishop is teaming up with The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg to offer an outdoor viewing opportunity that will coincide with their special exhibition “Van Gogh Alive,” featuring his famous work “Starry Night.” “Van Gogh Alive” is an immersive art installation that opens a new window into the celebrated painter’s artistic genius and is making its North American premier at The Dalí. It includes more than 3,000 Van Gogh images that visitors can view at enormous scale through high-definition projectors synchronized to a powerful classical score. Guests will be able to view the Great Conjunction through telescopes with The Bishop’s Planetarium Manager Howard Hochhalter and have a private viewing of “Van Gogh Alive.” When/Where: 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 21, The Dalí Museum, 1 Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33701Cost: $25 for Dalí members; $35 for all others.Tickets: https://thedali.org/event/a-starry-night-with-bishop-planetarium/ |
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| Holiday Week Hours at The Bishop |
| The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature is usually closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. But we know that families are looking for things to do together during the holiday period so we will be open on Monday, Dec. 28, and Tuesday, Dec. 29. The Bishop’s Holiday HoursOpen 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28-Thursday Dec. 31Closed Friday, Jan. 1, 2021Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021Open noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021 We will resume our normal schedule beginning Monday, Jan. 4, 2021: Museum hours: 10am to 4pm Wednesday through Saturday with entry times at 10-11am, 11am-noon, noon-1pm, 1-2pm, 2-3pm (last entry at 3pm) | Noon to 5pm on Sunday with entry times at noon-1pm, 1-2pm, 2-3pm and 3-4pm (last entry at 4pm) | Closed on Monday and Tuesday Admission: Adults 18-64: $20 | Seniors (65+): $19 | Youth (12-17) and College Students (with ID): $16 | Children (5-11): $12 | Children 4 and younger admitted free with paying adult. |
| Public health and safety, and that of our staff and volunteers, is our first priority and it’s important to us that our guests feel safe and comfortable as they enjoy their time with us. Please visit our website to learn more about the changes we’ve implemented — from requiring masks to a new one-way route through the Museum: https://bishopscience.org/welcome-back/. |
| As the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast, The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature (formerly South Florida Museum) offers fun and engaging exhibitions and programs that interpret the scientific and cultural knowledge of Florida, the world and our universe. In addition to permanent exhibitions, The Bishop features a constantly changing lineup of special exhibitions — offering something new to discover with each visit — and Pathways, a custom, interactive app that offers guests specially curated tours of the Museum. The Bishop includes an all-digital Planetarium — the only one of its kind on Florida’s Gulf Coast — the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat, where we help rehabilitate sick or injured manatees for their return to the wild, and the Mosaic Backyard Universe, built especially for young children and their families. Our Mission: To engage and inspire learners of all ages; we protect, interpret and communicate scientific and cultural knowledge of Florida, the world, and our universe. Visit www.BishopScience.org for hours, info and admission details or call 941-746-4131. |