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___________________________________________________________________________ Homestead National Monument of America
Is an Official NASA Viewing Location for the Total Solar Eclipse Homestead National Monument of America has been designated as one of the official NASA Broadcast Sites, for the upcoming August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse. The National Park Service and NASA have partnered to develop a special line-up of activities and presentations as part of Homestead National Monument of America’s three days of eclipse programs and activities. On the day of the eclipse, NASA TV will broadcast from Homestead National Monument of America the eclipse and interviews of local experts. This broadcast will be included in NASA’s coast-to-coast broadcast of the eclipse and related events as the Total Solar Eclipse progresses across the United States. The monument will be one of several locations featured in this broadcast, and the only Nebraska site. Links will be posted on Homestead National Monument of America’s website when available. NASA’s extensive presence at Homestead National Monument of America will feature special public presentations from NASA scientists and educational professionals, Science on a Sphere® exhibit shows, hands-on activities, citizen science, and informal interactions with the public during this special time. NASA presentation topics will include: Exoplanet Research, Astronaut Training, Planetary Defense, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission, and more. For a full list of presentations visit www.nps.gov/home. The Science On a Sphere® exhibit features spectacular animations from NASA observations of our sun, Moon, Earth, other planets, and more. The sphere, which appears to be floating and spinning in midair, is used in presentations to help explain what are sometimes complex environmental processes, in a way that is simultaneously intuitive and captivating. Special digital shows with Science on a Sphere® will take place throughout the weekend at the Homestead Education Center. Each program is expected to last approximately 5 minutes. Homestead National Monument of America is also one of 30 launch locations for the Eclipse Ballooning Project – a collaborative effort to live stream from the edge of space to the NASA website, footage of the Moon's shadow during the eclipse. This is a feat that's never been done before. The Eclipse Ballooning Project includes 55 teams from 30 state-based NASA Space Grant Consortia institutions. Teams will be spread out along the eclipse path of totality–each launching a high altitude balloon equipped with special cameras and student experiments. At Homestead National Monument of America, the team will originate from New Mexico State University. Mark Engler, Homestead National Monument of America Superintendent, shared: “Working with NASA is a great partnership for us. This partnership will provide visitors traveling to Homestead during the eclipse weekend an experience that they will likely remember for a lifetime.” NASA activities at Homestead National Monument of America will start on Friday, August 18, run through the weekend, and end on Eclipse Day, Monday, August 21. These activities will be free, as is entrance to Homestead National Monument of America. To access the monument for these activities, visitors may need to use a free shuttle/bus system being put in place by park partners, including City of Beatrice, Friends of Homestead, and others. For a full list of eclipse related activities at Homestead visit www.nps.gov/home. For more information about the eclipse visit https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/Keep up with the latest information by following us on Twitter (HomesteadNM) and Facebook (HomesteadNM). Homestead National Monument of America is a unit of the National Park Service located four miles west of Beatrice, Nebraska and 45 miles south of Lincoln. Hours of operation for the eclipse weekend have changed to 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday through Sunday and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, August 21, 2017. Admission is free of charge. Solar eclipse safety glasses required for safe eclipse viewing can be obtained at the Homestead Bookstores. For additional information, please call 402-223-3514 or visit https://www.nps.gov/home/. EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. |
Last updated: May 25, 2017