The Adler ‘Scope

Header Image: Gamaliel Cruz (far left) alongside Isaiah Meza and Ibrahim Diop (middle & far right respectively) observe a sophisticated machine that is utilized for soldering purposes. Hello! We’re Gamaliel, Isaiah, and Ibrahim—Adler teens from ITW David Speer Academy, a STEM-focused public charter high school in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood of Chicago, working as interns […]

Header Image: This celestial globe from the Adler Planetarium’s collection shows the 88 constellations and their corresponding boundaries—which are the light blue lines on the surface of this globe—defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).  On January 10, 2016, I was among the millions of music fans who staggered at the news that David Bowie […]

Header Image: The outside of the Adler Planetarium in June 2019 flying the Chicago flag and Progress Pride flag. My name is Kenzie Elizabeth, and I am a LGBTQ+ filmmaker, writer, retired drag queen, and activist from Chicago, and I’m here to talk about space! And it’s June! That’s Pride month, baby! This time last […]

This year’s summer solstice occurs on the 20th, at 4:44 p.m. Central Daylight Time. On that date the Sun rises just before 5:15 a.m. and doesn’t set until shortly after 8:30 p.m. Between those times, the Sun gets very high in the sky. Keep in mind this takes place in the Northern Hemisphere; those in […]

Header Image: A beautiful image of The Whirlpool Galaxy taken by an Adler Planetarium Telescope Volunteer. Image Credit: Bill Chiu Our universe is vast, mysterious, and ever expanding! Astronomers are constantly discovering and uncovering new secrets about space, which we know can lead to lots of questions. What is a black hole? When can you […]

Happy Star Wars Day! This epic saga has been inspiring people all around the globe—including Adler Planetarium staff—since 1977. Our staff celebrated this intergalactic holiday by sharing some of their favorite Star Wars memories. May the force be with you and remember—yoda best! “I’ve loved Star Wars for as long as I can remember! Two […]

What’s better than the near approach of a comet? How about the near approach of two comets? That’s what we’re expecting during the month of May, 2020! Comet C/2019 Y4, also known as Comet ATLAS, was discovered late last December. It will come closest to Earth on May 23rd, at a distance of about 72 […]

“Chicago’s Black Women in STEAM” is a series on The Adler ’Scope that highlights the awesome women of Chicago who are doing amazing things in science, technology, engineering, art, and math fields here in our own community. Meet women of varying ages, backgrounds, and interests and learn their unique stories. Choumika Simonis Medical Student at […]

Header Image: NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center hosted a NASA Social at BLDG 703 in Palmdale, California. Over 90 attendees toured the aircraft inside the hangar as they learned about the five airborne science expeditions targeting air, land, and sea. Image Credit: NASA As my tour group entered the gigantic airplane hangar at the Armstrong […]

Header Image: Pocket globe by Thomas Lane (London, c. 1830), Adler Planetarium collections. This globe was symbolically taken aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 1999 during the mission STS-103.  The conception of Earth has changed dramatically over time. It was only four centuries ago that Earth started to be widely regarded as a planet, and it […]