City museum hosts virtual Tombaugh Day events

Starts Feb. 3

Posted

The Las Cruces Museum of Nature & Science (MONAS) is inviting astronomers of all ages to participate in three days of virtual events comprising this year’s “Tombaugh Day” event.

Programs will take place via Zoom and Facebook live @LCMuseums on Feb. 3 and 5. To receive the Zoom link, email SHawkins@las-cruces.org.

The event honors astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who was born Feb. 4, 1906. Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930, lived in Las Cruces. He died in 1997.

Here are the museum’s virtual events for Tombaugh Day:

  • 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3: “NASA’s Artemis Program – Returning to the Moon,” presented by Johnson Space Center. Artemis aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, MONAS said in a news release. Those steps on the moon’s surface will bring NASA closer to understanding lunar resources and the history of the universe. The mission will also expand human exploration of the solar system, including the first human mission to Mars. Access the live webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82633583229 or at www.facebook.com/lcmuseums.
  • 1 p.m., Friday, Feb. 5: “Virtual Tour of Goddard Space Flight Center,” presented by the NASA Goddard Visitor Center. With facilities in Maryland, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, New York and West Virginia, Goddard is a place where a mission can go from start to finish, MONAS said. Goddard is also involved in nearly every NASA science mission involving earth and planetary science, heliophysics (the study of the sun and the earth’s local space environment) and astrophysics. Access the live webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86580057880 or www.facebook.com/lcmuseums.
  • Saturday, Feb. 6: Tombaugh Day virtual activities. Visit www.facebook.com/lcmuseums for space science activities the whole family can do at home. Pre-recorded videos with activity demosntrations will be posted on the museums’ social media on Feb. 6. Material kits to complete Tombaugh Day activities will be available by reservation only to pick up Wednesday, Feb. 3 17. Register for a kit by emailing SHawkins@las-cruces.org.

Visit http://las-cruces.org/museums and find the museums on Facebook and Instagram @LCMuseums.


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