Gaithersburg, MD (July 26, 2022) The Gaithersburg Community Museum presents a Webb Telescope Weekend celebration on Friday and Saturday, August 26 and 27. The Webb Telescope is the most ambitious space observatory ever built through an international cooperation. The telescope launched on December 25, 2021, and the first color images were made public on July 12, 2022. Join the Museum for a celebration of this amazing technological advancement with an indoor movie screening and an outdoor Skywatching event and discussion.

Hunt for Planet B

Friday, August 26, 7 p.m.

Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Rd. (indoors)

Suitable for ages 6 and older.

Free, tickets required. Reserve tickets here.

The “Hunt for Planet B” captures the human drama behind NASA’s high-stakes Webb Telescope, interweaving the creation of this massive machine with the story of a pioneering group of female scientists on a quest to find life beyond our solar system. What begins as a real-time scientific adventure turns into a meditation on our place in the universe. On the brink of seeing farther out than ever before, we find ourselves looking back at our own imperiled planet with new eyes and imagining a future in the stars.

Space Telescopes, Galaxies & Nebula
Saturday August 27, 7 – 9:30 p.m.

Observatory Park, 100 DeSellum Ave. (outdoors)

Suitable for ages 6 and older.

Free, tickets required. Reserve tickets here.

Explore the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope as we partner with the Rockville Science Center for a full evening of astronomy fun. NASA Solar System Ambassador and astronomer Dr. Caitlin Ahrens will discuss the cosmic structures that space telescopes have revealed to us, plus there’ll be hands-on activities and telescope viewing. This is a NASA Webb First Look Community Event. Visit the City’s website for more details about this outdoor event and other Skywatching programs coming up.

The mission of the Gaithersburg Community Museum is to foster a connection to place by sharing the history of Gaithersburg. As caretakers of the Latitude Observatory and Observatory Park, its mission also encompasses a responsibility to honor Gaithersburg’s scientific past, while introducing a new generation of residents to the opportunities that exist when we look beyond our community and into the vastness of the universe. The Museum frequently partners with NASA to bring educational programming and Skywatching events to the Gaithersburg community.

Located in the restored 1884 B&O Railroad Station complex near the intersection of Summit and Diamond Avenues in Olde Towne, the Gaithersburg Community Museum features educational exhibits designed to spark interest and imagination about our City's history. Its programs are funded in part by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). To discover more about MSAC grants and how they impact Maryland's arts sector, visit www.msac.org.