Bloomington, Ill. – A total lunar eclipse is a spectacular celestial event that occurs every few years. During a lunar eclipse, the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned, and the Earth prevents the sun’s light from reaching the moon. As a result, the moon takes on a reddish hue. To get excited for this lunar phenomenon, community members are invited to view a lunar eclipse up close in the Star Lab Mobile Planetarium during shows at 5, 6, and 7 PM on March 12 at the Trinity Lutheran School in Bloomington, IL.
During the 45-minute presentations, participants are transformed into astronauts, ready to explore the night sky. To build excitement for the total lunar eclipse that will occur the next night, March 13, this special show will focus on the science behind a lunar eclipse, the significance of the event, and how to observe it.
Heather Hoffman, STEAM in the classroom coordinator and Star Lab host, says, “Sharing Star Lab and the wonder of space is one of the best parts of my job. The sights within the dome are simply breathtaking, and it is extremely exciting to be able to share the magic of a lunar eclipse with our community.”
These family-friendly presentations are perfect for stargazers of all ages. The program will be held at the Trinity Lutheran School at 1102 Hamilton Rd, Bloomington, IL 61704. Pre-registration is required. To register, visit go.illinois.edu/LunarEclipse or call (309) 663-8306.
If you will need an accommodation to participate, please email Heather Hoffman at hkh5@illinois.edu or call (309) 663-8306. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.