The Adler ‘Scope

Header Image: Make your own stomp rocket and stomp rocket launcher with supplies from around your house and launch it outside! When I’m looking to combine a little bit of learning with a lot of fun, stomp rockets are my go-to. As the Manager of Program Development, I include them in Adler’s camp activity list […]

Header Image: Looking through a telescope at the Adler Planetarium. Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published in August 2020 and was updated in August 2024 with more current information. One question we often get at the Adler is: “I’m a beginner. What’s the best telescope for me?”  The really short answer is, “The best […]

Header Image: The original image of galaxies NGC 6285 (left) and NGC 6286 (right) was taken by NASA Hubble. Image Edit: Adler Planetarium We all know that social distancing is a good way to avoid catching (or spreading) a virus, but what if the stakes were even higher? What if standing too close to someone […]

Header Image: In this 30 second exposure, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower Friday, Aug. 12, 2016 in Spruce Knob, West Virginia. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls Hello stargazers! One of the best annual meteor showers of the year occurs this month, August 2020. The Perseid meteor shower is expected […]

Header Image: A weekly family-friendly exploration of our galaxy and beyond, REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids, is hosted by Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden, and co-created by Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall. Blog Last Updated: July 2022 My name is Nate DuFort and I am a writer, producer, director, and now co-creator of the […]

Header Image: Help researchers complete 8 different Adler Zooniverse citizen science projects while traveling the universe with Adler Space Tours! Summer plans looking a little sad this year? I have good news: There are more places in space than you could visit in a million summers—not including travel time. And you can explore a few […]

Header Image: The Adler Planetarium with a Full Moon in the background taken by Adler Planetarium Telescope Volunteer in July 2020. Image Credit: Bill Chiu You have space questions, we have answers! Astronomers are constantly discovering and uncovering new secrets about space, which we know can lead to lots of questions. Will a black hole […]

Header Image: Look Up to see Jupiter and Saturn are among the stars of Sagittarius the Archer throughout July 2020. With clear skies, a clear view to the eastern horizon, and good timing, you may be able to see all five naked-eye visible planets this month, July 2020. The brilliant planet Jupiter starts the show, […]

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 […]