by Julia M.
Ever wonder what’s out there, beyond our atmosphere? Through books, online resources, and classes, discover what happens in our universe beyond Earth’s limits. You can see amazing things even without a telescope, and we’re here to help your teen get a glimpse at what’s happening in the sky in our Learn Astronomy series at HCLS Glenwood Branch. If your teen (ages 11-18) is interested in learning more about a specific astronomy phenomenon or event, come to one of our Learn Astronomy classes.
Learn Astronomy: Geminids Watch Party!
In December, a member of the University of Maryland Graduate Astronomy Program will guide us through observing the Geminids meteor shower, an astronomical event that happens every December. This year, they’re timed perfectly with a new moon, which means they’ll be extra visible in the night sky. Thanks to the new moon, Jupiter and Saturn, which are visible in the evening sky for all of December, will also be observable that night—there will be no shortage of celestial objects to view in between meteor sightings!
Thursday, December 14 at 7:30 pm
Learn Astronomy: Project Artemis
In our January class, discover NASA’s Project Artemis: the mission to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon. Through this project, NASA will build a home base on the Moon’s surface as well as a base that will orbit the Moon. This project also includes a plan to send astronauts to Mars! We’ll talk about the latest news about Project Artemis and what it means for humankind’s study of space, including the new types of spacecraft used, the timeline for the project, and any current or upcoming developments. Since NASA has already completed Phase 1 of Project Artemis, we’ll recap Phase 1 and discuss what’s to come in Phase 2 and 3!
Thursday, Jan 11 at 7 pm
Thursday, January 16 at 11 am
For more information on dates and times to observe events in the night sky, check out the Night Sky Almanac (2023 or 2024). To learn more about our solar system, check out Solar System Reference for Teens or DK’s The Practical Astronomer. Finished with those, or have a different space-related question? Ask a librarian at any HCLS branch and they’ll be glad to show you where to find more astronomy books on the shelves!
Julia is a Teens’ Instructor & Research Specialist at Glenwood Branch + Makerspace. She loves reading YA books, playing the cello, practicing martial arts, trying new cookie recipes, and generally trying to squeeze as many hobbies into a day as possible.
CHAPTER CHATS 
we’re going to be mostly clouded in in the greater Houston area. The nearest chance for clear skies liest to the west of areas such as Sealy , or northwest of College Station tonight, and even that appears to be far from a sure thing.
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