Weather on Mars? Compare it to Earth on Mars Madness Wednesday

Ever wonder whether there’s weather on Mars and what that would be? You’ll find out in a Travelers Science Dome presentation by NBC Connecticut meteorologist Garett Argianas and planetarium director Kristie Mazzoni on Wednesday, June 29 at 5:00 pm in this month’s free Mars Madness event at The Children’s Museum from 3:00 to 6:00pm. Weather related activities will take place before and after the Science Dome program.

“It’s great to get families more interested in weather here on Earth and on other planets, Argianas said of the program. “Hopefully we’ll show and talk with folks about some weather and climate activity they haven’t seen before.”

Monthly Mars Madness events include free admission to The Children’s Museum from 3:00-6:00 pm. Each month, different space-related activities and planetarium programs will be offered to complement the Mars exhibit. The Mars Madness Monthly Wednesdays are funded through the NASA grant. Upcoming Mars Madness Wednesdays include July 27 and August 24.

Visitors can follow an interactive timeline of Mars exploration, practice driving a rover around on the Red Planet with a motion capture simulator, plant seeds and compare how they grow in Earth soil vs. simulated Mars soil and more as part of the exhibit Blue Planet, Red Planet: Exploring Planetary Science. The exhibit and associated programs are made possible by a three-year, NASA Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums grant.

 “NASA has made it possible for us to introduce this exciting science education program to families that may not otherwise have access,” said Don Peterson, The Children’s Museum Interim CEO. “It’s a terrific opportunity to engage children and their families in the wonders of space exploration.”

The Blue Planet, Red Planet exhibit is the first element of a three year teaching and science learning program with a variety of educational features that explores planetary science for students in grades four through eight, as well as for their teachers and families. 

This fall, in collaboration with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, the Blue Planet, Red Planet educational curriculum will be rolled out to local schools. As part of the grant, The Travelers Science Dome is in the process of producing its first full dome planetarium production, From the Blue Planet to the Red Planet. The planetarium has purchased state-of-the-art computer equipment and software to produce its own shows and customize shows specifically to fit the needs of our audiences. The planetarium will soon join the ranks of a small number of planetariums capable of producing their own content.  From the Blue Planet to the Red Planet is expected to debut in early 2012.

The Children’s Museum offers over 100 live animals, hands-on science exhibits, out-of-this-world digital planetarium shows, and programs for younger children and families. With more than 200,000 visitors annually, it is one of Connecticut’s top museum attractions. The Children’s Museum is located at 950 Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford and at Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton. More information is available at www.TheChildrensMuseumCT.org.