Party With the Stars
Friday, December 20 • 7:00-8:30 pm

Find out what planets and constellations are visible in the night sky and how to find them. Following the indoor presentation, we will set up telescopes on our rooftop deck, weather permitting.

The Evening Sky Map
Click here to download a monthly sky chart from Skymaps.com.

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Space Place family workshops are offered during the school year on Saturdays at 10 a.m. for children ages 6-10 and their families. The workshops are free and open to the public. No registration is required.

December 7 - "Genetics"
Special guest presentation and activities by students in the UW-Madsion Genetics Dept. Learn how cells, embryos and organs are built from a DNA sequence. Activities include building your own protein code using twisters/marshmallows, extracting your own DNA, and observing early fish embryos as they develop and form their organs.

December 14 - "Catapults"
Design a catapult and find out how to use energy to launch a marshmallow.

December 21 - "Melting Ice"
What are the best materials for melting ice? Experiment with using different substances and see what works the best.

Space Place guest presentations are always free and open to the public, and are offered the 2nd Tuesday of every month.

Guest Presentation
Tuesday, December 10 • 7:00-8:00 pm

"The Power of Astrophysical Turbulence" by Dr. Siyao Xu, UW-Madison Dept. of Astronomy

Turbulence is at work in the universe from planets to the large scale structure of the universe. It amplifies intergalactic magnetic fields, accelerates the magnetic reconnection that releases the magnetic energy in high-energy astrophysical systems, and generates the density structures of star formation. This talk will introduce astrophysical turbulence and its power in connecting diverse astrophysical phenomena.

Watch past guest speakers on WPT's University Place

Other opportunities for star gazing

Washburn Observatory
Click on the Washburn Observatory link for schedule information.

Universe in the Park
Check the UitP web site for a list of dates and locations.

Venus/Jupiter conjunction later in November

Watch for Jupiter and Saturn just after sunset. As we near the end of the monthe the two planets will appear to be getting closer to each other.

Click here for more information.

Playtime Productions at Space Place
Tuesday, December 3 • 6:30 pm

Playtime Production, a community theater by and for children, will present "Ali Baba and a Few Thieves". The show is free but donations are accepted. The event is co-sponsored with the Goodman South Madison Library.

Click here for more information.