Sidewalk Astronomy at UNH

The University of New Hampshire Observatory is offerring a Sidewalk Astronomy event on the sidewalks of Durham on April 14.

From 8 to 10 p.m., join observatory staff for an opportunity to look through an eight-inch Meade telescope at some of the best astronomical objects visible this spring, including Saturn and the Andromeda Galaxy.

Telescopes will be stationed next to the Wildcat statue in front of the Whittemore Center and at the intersection of Main Street and Mill Road.

Though Sidewalk Astronomy is dependent on weather conditions, this would be a great family activity.

Public sessions at the UNH Observatory are held every first and third Saturday of the month. Find out more at www.physics.unh.edu/observatory/ or follow the observatory on Facebook and Twitter.

“First Orbit” Film Screening at UNH: Celebrating 50 Years of Spaceflight

The University of New Hampshire Department of Physics is providing a screening of the film “First Orbit,” which documents the flight of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man in outer space.

From 6:10 to 8:00 p.m. on April 12, join physics staff in the Spaulding Life Science Center, room 120, for this event which marks 50 years of human spaceflight. Prior to the screening, some historical background and a brief introduction to the film will be given by Mark McConnell, professor of physics at UNH.

The event is free and open to the public.

“First Orbit” recreates the cosmonaut’s journey in real time using actual audio communications from Gagarin’s one-orbit flight on April 12, 1961, along with footage taken from the International Space Station by European Space Agency astronaut Paulo Nespoli.

Produced by Christopher Riley, who is renowned for his Apollo space program documentary, “In the Shadow of the Moon,” “First Orbit” is being released as part of an annual worldwide celebration called Yuri’s Night. Since 2001, Yuri’s Night has celebrated the launch of the spacecraft Vostok 1 which sent Gagarin into a 108-minute flight around the earth.