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“Come on the amazing journey and learn all you should know.” — ”Amazing Journey” from the 1969 rock-opera album “Tommy” by Pete Townshend
Each Thursday evening in January, leave Chesapeake behind and “boldly go where no one has gone before” and explore “space: the final frontier,” as said in “Star Trek."
Chesapeake Planetarium Director Robert Hitt will take the public on an imaginary and amazing journey to the outer reaches of the universe, beyond the Kuiper Belt and the Oort cloud, during the month’s public program offering of “The Edge of Space.”
Using the planetarium’s state-of-the-art sound and light systems, the audience will be transported beyond our Milky Way galaxy to visit distant galaxies and nebulae traveling at the speed of light (about 186,000 miles per second).
And what an amazing journey it will be.
Our own solar system sits in the Milky Way, a spiral galaxy about 100,000 light years across, according to solarsystem.nasa.gov. Our sun is but one of billions of stars in the Milky Way, and the Milky Way is just one of about a hundred billion galaxies in the universe.
Our “local neighborhood” is home to around 30 galaxies, and, oh yes, a supermassive black hole lurks at the center of our own Milky Way. So, watch out!
Hitt will take patrons to areas explored by Voyagers 1 and 2, the New Horizons space probe and the Interstellar Boundary Explorer as well as the Hubble and Spitzer telescopes.
Each program is at 8 p.m. Thursday — Jan. 9, 16, 23 and 30 — at the Chesapeake Planetarium, that cool dome building at 310 Shea Drive.
Admission is free, but reservations are required. Call 757-547-0153 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays to save a spot.
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No Fun … Forest
During this week, Jan. 6-11, don’t take the children to the popular Fun Forest playground at City Park, 900 City Park Drive off Greenbrier Parkway.
The facility will be closed due to needed repairs and the replacement of adjacent sidewalks.
The park will reopen at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 12.
For those not familiar with the award-winning playground, it was built in 1995 by more than 1,800 volunteers from Chesapeake businesses, corporations, offices and communities. A new section was built in 2011 after part of the playground was destroyed by fire.
Fun Forest won the Virginia Recreation and Park Society’s 1996 “Best New Facility in Virginia” award. It sports a dragon, an underground telephone, a shaky bridge and a dolphin slide. An all inclusive site, much of the playground is handicapped accessible with paved paths, swings, slides, benches and picnic tables that accommodate wheelchairs.
So, wait until Jan. 12 and then round up the children for a free fun experience outdoors. The facility is open daily after that from 9:30 a.m. until a half-hour before sunset.
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Library fun, learning, civic sign up
During January — and every month of the year — the Chesapeake Public Library system offers a slate of free programs and activities for all ages that educate, offer awareness, promote literacy and help citizens.
Beginning Jan. 7 from 4 until 5 p.m., youngsters in kindergarten through fifth grade can learn how to communicate using a nonverbal language at the Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road.
During the six-week There’s a Sign for That! program, children will learn to use their hands to speak using the American Sign Language fundamentals system. The sessions are open to beginners and experienced signers who want to improve their skills. Call 757-410-7024 to register or for more information.
Weekend Scoop
Learn to chart, research and record your family history at meetings of the Chesapeake Genealogical Enthusiasts. The group’s next free meeting is from 6 until 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Central Library, 298 Cedar Road. Family history experts will teach ages 18 and older about resources, techniques and methods for exploring one’s background. This month’s Spotlight Topic will be How to Get the Most Out of Attending a Genealogical Conference. Call 757-410-7137.
Teens in grades six through 12, show off your knowledge of current events, history, popular culture, geography, books, movies and sports from 6 until 7 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Indian River Library’s Teen Trivia Night at 2320 Old Greenbrier Road. Participants will be quizzed on fun facts and minutia in this fun battle of trivia. Call 757-410-7005 for more trivial details.
There’s a big election coming up next year; but are you sure you’re registered to vote? Got questions about voting or absentee ballots? That, too, can be answered at the Voter Registration Drive from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Library, 2726 Border Road. The Chesapeake Voter Registrar’s Office will set up shop to register voters and answer any questions about the process. Call 757-410-7048 for more information and make your ballot count.
How about salting your painting? No, not a seasoning for art but a new, fun technique for creating art.
The South Norfolk Memorial Library, 801 Poindexter St., will offer Salt Painting at its next Family Day Out event from 2 until 3 p.m. Jan. 11. The entire family will create winter scenes and scapes using salt painting, which, according to onecrazymom.com, is a way to paint with glue, salt and watercolors. Call 757-926-5756 for more details and get salty with art.
Eric W. Feber, ewjfeber@gmail.com
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