Celestial Events Information
Exploring Our Universe

Paulucci Space Theatre offers a unique opportunity to explore and learn about Astronomy and the night sky. This section of the site is dedicated to that science.

Below is a table of celestial events which can be used as a guide to enhance your enjoyment of the night sky. There is also information about the International Space Station and links to some of the best Astronomy sites on the web.

Be sure to check each month for updates.
Nebula Image from the Hubble Telescope
Celestial Happenings
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An explanation of terms

Celestial Equator: The Earth's equator projected onto the celestial sphere (used for sky coordinate system).

Ecliptic: Apparent path of the Sun during the year.

Greatest elongation: When a planet interior to Earth's orbit is at its greatest angular separation from the Sun. It's the most favorable time to observe an inferior planet.

Inferior conjunction: When a planet inferior to Earth's orbit is between the Earth and Sun.

Magnitude: Brightness scale used for objects in the sky. Smaller numbers are brighter. Magnitude 6 is considered the limit for most observers from a dark location.

Opposition: When a planet superior to Earth's orbit is on the same side of the Earth in their respective orbits around the Sun. This is the best time to observe a superior planet.

Superior conjunction: When a planet inferior to Earth's orbit is on the opposite side of the Sun as seen from Earth.
International Space Station Information
The International Space Station is the latest step forward in space exploration technology. The project is a cooperative effort including 16 nations to build a high tech scientific laboratory orbiting the earth. Currently the station is under construction an is expected to be completed in the year 2005. The image to the right is a computer generated image of what it will look like when complete.

Even though the station is not complete, astronauts are currently aboard the station conducting experiments and working on the station. For more information, NASA has a section of their website dedicated to the International Space Station here.

How to find the ISS

NASA has some online tools for this. You can see where on Earth the station currently is above here, and you can see when you can site the station at night here.

Heavens Above also has a more intuitive online application to find it in the night sky here.

Figuring out where the station is in the night sky takes some astronomy knowledge.
Computer Generated Image from NASA
Useful Astronomy Web Sites
Galaxy Photo from Hubble Telescope
Do You have a Space Related Question?
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The World Wide Web is full of very good resources to learn more about astronomy and the night sky. Below is a list of links to various websites that have good content for people of all ages to enjoy. These links do not open in a new window.

Site Brief Description
NASA The Federal Government's Space Program. This site has lots of information and photographs that are 100% free for public use. A great resource.
Heavens Above This site contains many astronomy related resources including sky charts, satellite location, and information about current celestial events.
Basics of Spaceflight Part of the Jet Propulsions Laboratory at NASA, this web site is an educational tool dealing with what interplanetary spaceflight requires.
Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope has proved to be one of the most important tools at the disposal of astronomers studying space. Publicly available free images from the telescope are available here.
Can You Buy a Star? FAQs about star-naming companies.
Astronomical Society of the Pacific ASP is an international nonprofit scientific and educational organization that works to increase understanding and appreciation of astronomy.
International Dark Sky Association IDA is a group devoted to efficient lighting which shines on the ground and not in the air, letting us preserve the night sky.