While much scientific research is conducted by professional scientists, there are countless opportunities for everyday citizens to contribute to cutting-edge discoveries. In astronomy, the flood of data from modern survey telescopes has created a growing need for many eyes and minds to help analyze and understand what we see in the universe. In this class, you’ll explore a variety of astronomical citizen science projects and learn how you can participate—no advanced degree required. Discover how your curiosity and time can help advance real research and contribute to our understanding of the cosmos.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

It’s easy to assume that the brightest stars in the night sky are the closest to Earth—but in astronomy, appearances can be deceiving. Measuring distance has long been one of the field’s greatest challenges, yet astronomers have assembled a remarkable “distance ladder” that extends from our cosmic backyard to the very edge of the observable Universe. In this class, we’ll explore how astronomers measure distance, from bouncing lasers off the Moon to using stars and galaxies to probe the largest scales of the cosmos.

Class level: Intermediate - This class is recommended for guests with some science and mathematics background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Our nearest celestial neighbor is often taken for granted, yet it is one of the most fascinating and unique worlds in the Solar System. The Moon is the only place beyond Earth ever visited by humans—and soon, we may return. From how the Moon formed and what lies beneath its surface to how it shapes life on Earth and future plans for lunar exploration, this class takes an up-close look at the Moon as both a scientific mystery and humanity’s next destination. 

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

For most of human history, the sky wasn’t just beautiful — it was a warning system. Comets meant disaster. Eclipses meant the Sun was under attack. A full Moon could drive people mad. Even certain dates, like the Ides of March, carried cosmic dread. In this program, we’ll explore famous superstitions tied to astronomical events and calendar cycles, then unpack the real science behind them. Along the way, we’ll see how our brains are wired to find patterns, how fear shaped early interpretations of the sky, and why the real universe is far stranger — and more interesting — than the omens ever were.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets: Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Presenter: Christopher Graney - Vatican Observatory

Planet Earth has been a familiar concept for a mere fraction of recorded history. Until about the mid-1600s, most humans thought of Earth as immobile, likely either dim or simply invisible from the Moon or anywhere else in the heavens, and not (like the planets) participating in what Galileo called "the dance of the stars." But almost as soon as humans started to grasp that Earth is a planet, many also began wondering if perhaps the other planets might be earths. This bold conjecture ignited the whole gripping history and literature of space travel, of extraterrestrials, of other worlds. This talk will be based on material in the new book from Oxford University Press, A Universe of Earths: Our Planet and Other Worlds, from Copernicus to NASA by Dennis Danielson and Christopher M. Graney, and in their related article in the March 2026 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine.

Speaker bio: Christopher M. Graney is an astronomer and historian of science at the Specola Vaticana (the Vatican’s astronomical observatory) and the Vatican Observatory Foundation. He is the author of four books and numerous scholarly and popular articles on the history of astronomy. Mr. Graney will be available for book sales and signing before and after the event.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets: Non-members $25/class, Members $20/class, Student (with valid ID) $10/class