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Universe Update

News from Morrison Planetarium and beyond

Latest News

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Adam Frank on Civilizations and Climate Change
Is climate change inevitable for intelligent civilizations? If so, what can we do about it?
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The Magellan Telescopes

by Jan Skowron

Chilean Observations: Past and Future
CTIO and Las Campanas explore the very distant past, while Gemini South looks forward, with much patience.
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Feryal Ozel on Imaging Black Holes
Dr. Feryal Ozel discusses black holes and the Event Horizon Telescope.

Latest News

Adam Burgasser on Brown Dwarfs

Brown dwarfs aren't quite stars, but they're also not planets. So what are they?

Travis Rector on Astronomical Imagery

Dr. Travis Rector talks about the process and result of photographing the cosmos.

Jackie Faherty on Astronomy and Education

Dr. Jackie Faherty discusses the importance of sharing astronomical discoveries with everyone.

Observations: Big News from Small Galaxies

The latest from Chilean observatories includes lessons learned from dwarf galaxies about galactic cannibalism.

Katherine Freese on Dark Matter

Astrophysicist Katherine Freese describes mysterious dark matter how she became interested in the subject.

Can't Miss

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Gemini South and GMT
Observations: New Telescopes in Chile

The next generation of telescopes in Chile will vastly increase our understanding of the cosmos.

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Shami Chatterjee on Building a Galaxy-Size Detector

What's the size of San Francisco, but has 1.5 times the mass of our sun? Dr. Shami Chatterjee has the answer!

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Solving NASA-Sized Problems

Dr. Kimberly Ennico Smith has a unique job at NASA. She either destroys things or works to reveal the unseen.

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Priya Natarajan on Mapping the Unseen

Dr. Priya Natarajan shares how she maps the things we cannot see: dark matter, black holes, and more.

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Nick Cowan on Exoplanets

Astronomer Nick Cowan takes us through the galaxy discovering extra solar planets or exoplanets.

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NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and S. Wiessinger.

An artist’s rendering of a rupture in the crust of a highly magnetized neutron star known as a magnetar. (Courtesy of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and S. Wiessinger.)

Magnetars and Pulsars and Neutron Stars, Oh My!

How did a temperamental neutron star punch above its weight class and surprise astronomers?

Browse By Topic

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Astro-Viz
NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), and the Westerlund 2 Science Team
Astronomy News
NPS photo by Brad Sutton
Looking Up

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The Academy is reopening on March 17!
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California Academy of Sciences
info@calacademy.org
Golden Gate Park
55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
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California Academy of Sciences

Year-End Resilience Drive

All Gifts Matched 5x!

This year’s closures are having a devastating effect on the Academy. But until Dec. 31, all gifts will be matched 5x, up to $200,000, to support our scientific research, education programs, and care and conservation of our animals.

Please help the Academy with a tax-deductible gift today.

Match my gift

California Academy of Sciences

Year-End Resilience Drive

All Gifts Matched!

This year’s closures are having a devastating effect on the Academy. But until Dec. 31, all gifts will be matched, up to $100,000, to support our scientific research, education programs, and care and conservation of our animals.

Please help the Academy with a tax-deductible gift today.

Match my gift

California Academy of Sciences
Giving Tuesday

Our doors are closed...

...but our penguins are still counting on you. Make a matched Giving Tuesday gift to support the care and conservation of the Academy’s animal residents.

All gifts up to $50,000 will be doubled to make twice the impact for our penguin colony — but only until midnight on December 1.

Match My Gift

Learn more about our closure.

Ready, set, reopen!

We're thrilled to announce that the Academy will reopen to the public on March 17, with special member and donor preview days on March 15-16. Tickets will be available beginning March 10, and all guests, including members, must reserve tickets online in advance.

As always, your safety is our top priority, and enhanced health and safety measures will be in effect:

  • Masks must be worn properly by all guests ages 3+ at all times.
  • Physical distancing of at least 6' must be maintained at all times.
  • Some exhibits, including the planetarium, will remain temporarily closed.
  • Reservations will be required for the rainforest and Shake House.

Click the link below to learn more. We can't wait to see you soon!

Know Before You Go

The Academy is temporarily closed.

The health and safety of our guests and staff is our top priority. In accordance with local and state public health guidelines, the Academy is closed to the public until further notice. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.

Learn more Make a gift