"Under African Skies" free planetarium show at National Museum of African Art

Discover the wonders of the African skies in a special presentation compiled by staff of the National Air and Space Museum. Featuring astronomical objects that can be seen in different parts of Africa, the program will be shown in a temporary planetarium at the National Museum of African Art. It complements "African Cosmos," an exhibition which explores how inspiration from the sky is reflected in African art.

More information on the exhibition is available on the Museum's exhibit website (http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/cosmos/index.html). Showings will also occur continuously from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on October 20 and November 17. The presentation will also be shown from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on September 15, which is also the Museum's African Arts Community Day. The schedule is subject to change.

During the same period, the National Air and Space Museum's regular Saturday morning lecture - The Stars Tonight - will incorporate stars of the southern hemisphere. Andrew Johnston, scientist in the Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, will compare views of the night sky in Washington, D.C., to views of the skies over Africa. This special Stars Tonight series will take place in the Albert Einstein Planetarium (inside the National Air & Space Museum) at 10:30 a.m. on August 18, September 15, October 20, and November 17.