Observe the Moon: October 2-3
Observe the Moon: October 2-3
by Adult Programming
This year PCPL is providing links to NASA resources for school-age to adult so that you can engage this yearly moon celebration remotely.
Moon Activities and Resources
1. Look up! The simplest way to observe the Moon is simply to look up. The Moon is the brightest object in our night sky, the second brightest in our daytime sky, and can be seen from all around the world. International Observe the Moon Night is always held near a first-quarter Moon, which means that the near side of the Moon is about half-illuminated. A first-quarter Moon is great for evening observing as it rises in the afternoon and is high above the horizon in the evening. With the naked eye, you can see dark gray seas of cooled lava called mare.
2. Review our viewing guide for more tips on lunar observing.
3. Listen to a fascinating talk by Emily Levesque, Professor of Astronomy at Washington University and author of The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy’s Vanishing Explorers, which has received rave reviews. Fast forward about 4 minutes to begin Emily’s talk on the science and adventures of being a professional astronomer and on her work at the world’s cutting-edge observatories.
4. Plan a lunar hike with Moon Trek. Moon Trek is an interactive Moon map made using NASA data from our lunar spacecraft. Fly anywhere you’d like on the Moon, calculate the distance or the elevation of a mountain to plan your lunar hike, or layer attributes of the lunar surface and temperature. If you have a virtual reality headset, you can experience Moon Trek in 3D.
5. Start a Moon Journal. International Observe the Moon Night is the perfect time to start a Moon journal. See how the shape of the Moon seems to change over the course of a month, and keep track of where and what time it rises and sets. To check your work, visit Dial-A-Moon, where you can plug in any date of the year to see the Moon phase. Observe the Moon all year long with these tools and techniques!
6. Watch the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Video Gallery. Learn about the Moon’s role in eclipses, look at the Moon’s phases from the far side, and see the latest science portrayed in super high resolution.
7. Listen to a lunar playlist.
We hope you enjoy this year’s remote Observe the Moon activities.
These programs are just for adults.
Stu Fabe, Once Upon A Concert Season
Stu Fabe, Once Upon A Concert Season
These programs are just for adults.
Kanopy Watch Party: Midsommar
Kanopy Watch Party : Midsommar
Discussion
Thursday, April 16 @ 6:30-9 p.m.
Grab your library card, pop some popcorn, and get your phone out! The library is hosting a digital watch party on Facebook & the library’s website. Queue up Ari Aster’s Midsommar on the library’s FREE digital streaming app Kanopy and comment along as you watch the film.
This film is rated R. 148 mins.
Kanopy: pcpl.kanopy.com
Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2668595913410292/
To participate in the discussion, comment below using your Facebook account for Facebook comments or use the Disqus comment box at the bottom of the page.
These programs are just for adults.
A Look Into Women’s History In Indiana
A Look Into Women's History In Indiana
by Adult Services
To kick-off Women’s History month PCPL wants to shine a spotlight on some important, but rarely talked about, figures of Indiana’s History.
Polly Strong: In 1796, A woman was born into slavery. Shortly after Polly’s birth, she was purchased by a Vincennes innkeeper Hyacinthe Lasselle in 1806. Indiana prohibited slavery and involuntary servitude in 1816. Polly took Hyacinthe to court to bid for her freedom in Knox County Circuit Court. The court ruled that Polly was to remain a slave. Polly did not give up and proceeded to take Hyacinthe to the Indiana Supreme Court in Corydon, where a freedom suit was filed. In 1818 the State vs. Lasselle case ruled in favor of Polly and declared that Hyacinthe had violated the law when he purchased Polly and her brother. Polly was now a free woman!
Vivian Carter: This prominent African-American woman was the first American record executive to sign the Beatles in 1963 to her record label Vee Jay Records. Before this Vivian Carter was a disc jockey for a Gary radio station and produced her own records. Vivian and her husband decided to create their own record label when they realized that Vivian’s records were hard to find on vinyl. They borrowed $500 to build their own record label Vee Jay records. The record label had national success with their Doo-Wop, blues, and jazz musicians. Some of their records made it to the top 10 national rhythm and blues charts.
Lovina McCarthy Streight: When Lovine Streight’s husband was called to lead the 51st Indiana Volunteer Regiment in the Civil War, Lovine was not going to be left at home waiting for her love to return. Instead, Lovina would go with her husband and also brought their five-year-old son along. During the time of the war, Lovina diligently cared for the ill and nursed the sick. Lovina was captured three times by Confederate soldiers, twice she was released after trading her with prisoners. During her third attempted capture, she instead fought back after brandishing a pistol and escaping. She was given the name “the Mother of the 51st Regiment”.
Sources
“Five Idol-Worthy Women of Hoosier History.” Five idol-worthy women of Hoosier history. Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, March 14, 2018. https://www.indianamuseum.org/connect/posts/five-idol-worthy-women-of-hoosier-history.
Bodenhamer, David J., and Robert G. Barrows, eds. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1994.
Streight Family Collection. Visual Collection: P 0332
Rudavsky, Shari. “10 Bad-Ass Women in Indiana History.” IndyStar. March 2, 2017. https://www.indystar.com/story/life/2014/03/04/bad-ass-women-in-indiana/6012755/.
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