Admission: $3.00 for adults
                    $2.00 for students and seniors 
                    children under 5 are free.

Special shows for groups can be arranged
by calling the museum at 1-989-356-2202,
Mondays through Saturdays.

Check out some of these great astronomy links!!

http://www.kidsastronomy.com

 www.astronomy2009.org

The Sky Theater planetarium is the only one of it's kind in Northern Michigan.  Come and experience this stellar show.

Orion Constellation

Orion makes its trek across Alpena’s night sky this time of year.  Look for it in the winter circle of bright stars.

   Greek and Roman myths make popular stories. Orion boasted nothing could kill him, Hera, Queen of the Greek pantheon, sent a scorpion.  Orion smashed it with his club, but not before the scorpion’s stinger found its mark.  Orion and the scorpion were put on opposite sides of the sky by Hera’s husband Zeus.  Another story tells of the goddess, Artemis, getting tricked by her brother, Apollo.  Artemis and Orion were in love.  Apollo challenged his sister claiming she couldn’t hit an object in the sea with her bow.  Artemis shot and later realized she had killed Orion who was swimming there.  She honored Orion by putting his image in the sky.

   No other constellation is more distinct or brighter than Orion in our northern winter sky.  Orion, the hunter, is followed in the sky by his two dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor.  Orion’s Belt, made of three bright stars in a straight line, helps make the hunter easy to find.  One of his legs or feet is the bright star Rigel.  Rigel is a blue supergiant star 700 to 900 light years (LYs) away.  A LY is about 6,000,000,000,000 miles.  Rigel is the 6^th brightest star in all the night sky.  The bright star Betelgeuse, a red supergiant, one of Orion’s shoulders, is nearing the end of its life.  In the near future, in star time, Betelgeuse will become a supernova.  It will be bright enough to be visible during the daytime. Hanging on Orion’s belt is the hunter’s sword.  In the middle of his sword is a spectacular cloud known as “The Orion Nebula.”

William Herschel in 1789 described the nebula as “an unformed fiery mist, the chaotic material of future suns.”  This has a prophetic touch since today we know this cloud to be the birthplace of many planetary systems.

   The Orion constellation is useful as an aid for travelers and as an aid for finding other stars.  Southeastward from Orion’s belt is the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius.  Northwestward from Orion’s belt is the bright star Aldebaran in Taurus, the bull.

   Around October 21^st of each year the Orionid  meteor shower reaches its peak.  Meteors seem to be streaming away from the great Orion  constellation .

   Orion can be a great tool as you observe the night sky.  Perhaps you’ll want to find Gemini, the twins.  Start at the Orion star Rigel, follow a line through the Orion star Betelgeuse and you’ll soon find your goal.  Enjoy Alpena’s night skies with Orion as your guide.

-John Heath