For thousands of years, cultures across the globe have looked to the night sky as ways to explain the world and share stories. To this day, the sky remains as a source of inspiration for modern artists. For the final installment of the Cultural Astronomy Lecture series, join the Planetarium Manager, Patrick Ross, and dive into the rich astronomical lore found in J.R.R. Tolkien's world of Middle Earth. References to the sky found in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, and the Silmarillion will be examined to see how this famous author tied typical astronomical stories such as the creation of the Sun and Moon to his world in a stroke of masterful worldbuilding.
The Mystery of the Ancient Egyptians & Astronomy
Date: Friday, May 12, 2023 - "The Mystery of the Ancient Egyptians & Astronomy "
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
Travel back in time 6,000 years to explore one of the most famous ancient civilizations in human history. The ancient Egypt civilization still holds many secrets yet to be discovered by modern archaeologists. Learn about the importance of astronomy in ancient Egyptian life, their architecture, and their complex tombs & temples in this fascinating journey back in time! Presented by Nehal Elbahnasawy, Planetarium Educator
Origins of Jewish Astrology: A Michigan View of the Sky
Date: Friday, April 14, 2023 - "Origins of Jewish Astrology"
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
Join Longway Planetarium as we delve into historical Jewish Astronomy & Astrology. Investigate astronomical ties in Judaism including the constellations, planets, and lunar calendar.
Perusing Peru
Date: Friday, March 10, 2023 - "Perusing Peru"
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
Take a look at the incredible architecture of the star-gazing people who resided there, understand their connection with nature and the beliefs they held about the world, and learn how they tracked the seasons, predicted the weather, and timed agricultural activities with the stars above.
February: Greek Astronomers & The Origins of Western Constellations
Date: Friday, February 10, 2023 - "Greek Astronomers & The Origins of Western Constellations"
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
Join us as we take a look at Greek astronomy from the classical period onward. Learn about the remarkable star catalogues of the time, the subtle differences in the night sky across centuries, and important inventions of Greek astronomers! Presented by Longway Planetarium Coordinator, Lydia Bontrager.
January: Vedic Variations
Date: Friday, January 13, 2023 - "Vedic Variations"
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
Join us as we examine Vedic texts dating back thousands of years. Learn how to keep track of time with an ancient luni-solar calendar. Allow the moon to point you to different stars along its journey, and discover six unique seasons and their corresponding deities moving through the sky. Presented by Longway Planetarium Coordinator, Lydia Bontrager.
December: Winter Solstice Celebrations
Date: Friday, December 9, 2022 - "Winter Solstice Celebrations"
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
This exciting new live lecture series focuses on how the stars, planets and galaxies shaped mythologies, religions, and even architecture within various cultures. Across the globe, cultures have celebrated traditions on the shortest day of the year - the Winter Solstice. Discover why the solstice held such importance through multiple cultures, sights, and traditions - including Newgrange, Yule, and more. Presented by Longway Planetarium Manager, Patrick Ross, M.S.
November: The Timekeepers of MesoAmerica
Date: Friday, November 11, 2022 - "The Timekeepers of MesoAmerica"
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
This exciting new live lecture series focuses on how the stars, planets and galaxies shaped mythologies, religions, and even architecture within various cultures. November's topic features the Mayan and Aztecs, masters of observational astronomy in Mesoamerica, and meticulous record keepers. Giant pyramids and temples acted as observatories that helped mark significant days of the year. Over time, many of these great temples and cities were lost. November’s Cultural Astronomy live program will explore how these civilizations used the night sky to develop intricate calendars and how these temples and cities have been rediscovered in the modern era. Presented by Longway Planetarium Manager, Patrick Ross, M.S.
October: Legends of the Celtic Way
Date: Friday, October 14, 2022
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
This exciting new live lecture series focuses on how the stars, planets and galaxies shaped mythologies, religions, and even architecture within various cultures. October's featured presentation is Legends of the Celtic Way: A Halloween Special. Discover the unique approach to timekeeping that is seen in celtic cultures, celebrate the festivals they held to protect the cosmic order, and learn about the origins of Halloween!
September: The Remarkable Astronomy of the Ancestral Puebloans of New Mexico
Date: Friday, September 9, 2022
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium | 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
In this live program, you’ll discover the civilization of the Ancestral Puebloans of northwest New Mexico who flourished from c. 600-1300 CE before mysteriously vanishing. You’ll also learn about the ancient dwellings of Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde as well as the Puebloan’s advanced astronomical understanding, including buildings with astronomical alignment, petroglyphs used to mark the seasons, and one of the oldest recordings of a supernova.
August: It's All Greek To Me
Travel Back in Time to Ancient Greece
Date: Friday, August 12, 2022
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium, 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
This lecture will take you back in time to the first Greek civilization and how they navigated the seas using stars as their guide, utilized patterns in the sky to signal significant events, and the discoveries of Classical Greek astronomers that advanced the field of astronomy.
July: Polynesian Wayfinding
Date: Friday, July 8, 2022
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium, 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503
This lecture will explore Polynesian culture and how the objects in the sky were used for Wayfinding. Travel to Oceania and learn how the use of stars, wind and oceans currents, and other natural signs to travel between islands before the inventions of sextants, compasses, or the modern day GPS.