Chabot Space & Science Center

Did you know that the sun has the mass of 332,900 earths? Or that our solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago? If not, you may be due for a trek to the Chabot Space and Science Center.

The journey there is already an adventure. On the way up Skyline Blvd., you’ll encounter panoramic views of the Bay from the Oakland hills and be tempted to take a detour into the trails of Joaquin Miller or Redwood Regional Park. But stay focused … the Planetarium, MegaDome Theater, and a range of interactive science exhibits await you.

Tales of the Maya Skies, playing through 2010, is an impressive way to experience the Center’s Planetarium. This 70-foot, full-dome digital theater forgoes the need for 3D glasses – it projects the audience right into the center of the ocean, land, and stars. In Tales of the Maya Skies, families will learn about an ancient civilization’s deep connection to the celestial world while traveling to the Chichen Itza pyramid and the forests of the Yucatan. Beware of motion sickness; you really will feel as though you’re moving. But that’s part of the fun. This exhibition is especially magical for kids, as Mayan myths and stories are narrated with amazing graphics to accompany them.

You’re now fully prepped for the MegaDome Theater, with a giant 60-foot screen showing films about dinosaurs, the human body, or the surreal life within our oceans. The film SolarMax will have you feeling sentimental and, sometimes, a bit fearful of our life-giving power source: the sun.

But we all know that the best learning doesn’t happen on-screen. When you’re ready to see the gleam of Venus firsthand, there’s an Observatory Deck for star-gazers, and docents are on hand during the day as well as the evening to help you use the historic telescopes. The telescopes themselves are colossal and worthy of a photo snap.

We haven’t even gotten to the interactive exhibitions – the rockets to climb into, space rocks to see, and planetary climates to replicate. You’ll just have to see it on your own!

HelloMetro Tip: Telescope viewing is free on Friday and Saturday evenings from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
 

- by Renee M. Rutledge, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Renee M. Rutledge

Renee M. Rutledge currently writes articles on local travel and culture for Red Tricycle, Parents' Press, Oakland Magazine, and Alameda Magazine.