E-Comet Newsletter of the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association |
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Dear Friends –
It's finally May! May brings back memories of when I was a little girl and my sisters and I would make little baskets from paper, and fill them with spring flowers and drop them on the doorsteps of our neighbors. You may have done something similar, or enjoyed a dance around the maypole. The tradition dates back to pagan rituals in the 12th and 13th centuries in Germany. Some records even place it as far back as revelry around Flora, the goddess of flowers, in ancient Rome. Flowers have remained a symbol of the springtime celebration. If you take a walk or a drive around Nantucket right now, we are treated to a sea of yellow daffodils, and explosions of cherry blossoms, and the greenery of budding trees. A May Day gift from Mother Nature to all of us. With so much to do, see and explore on the island, come join us for one of our many programs this month and experience the wonder of nature.
My best,
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Joanna Roche
Executive Director
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Look Up Program at Loines Observatory
May 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th
8:00pm - 9:00pm
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Join our professional astronomers for an impressive tour of Nantucket’s night sky. Get a chance to view the Moon, planets, bright stars, nebulae, and even other galaxies! Learn about the cutting-edge research being conducted by the Maria Mitchell Observatory astronomers and interns.
This program is designed to be interesting for all ages! Programs take place at 59 Milk Street Extension. In the case of inclement weather, programs will be cancelled.
This special version of the Open Night program is free for Nantucket students and their families. Each student will receive a Look Up T-shirt and a star chart. We also welcome all teachers and other school employees to join us for this program. We would like to give a special thank you to the Weezie Foundation for generously funding this program, along with support from our donors. No registration required.
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Stargazer Gala - Under the Sea |
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The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association’s annual fundraising event, The Stargazer Gala, is a not-to-be-missed event hosted at a private home overlooking Nantucket Sound. Party-goers will enjoy breathtaking views, dancing to The Sultans, delicious food by Island Kitchen, games, stargazing with our professional astronomers, and more!
Save the date for Thursday, August 4th! If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact MMA Director of Advancement, Logan Gomes.
Tickets will go on sale in May. In the meantime, enjoy this gallery from last summer's sold-out event!
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Nantucket Daffodil Bee Pollinator Kits |
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A big thank you to ReMain Nantucket, Camden Palm MMA Camp Director, and our student volunteer, Kyle Steele for making Bee Pollinator Kits possible this year. They were a huge hit on Main Street at the Daffodil Parade.
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Summer Camp Registration Update
We still have some spaces available
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Calling all campers ages 5-16
At the Maria Mitchell Association, we understand that students learn best through hands-on exploration. The Summer Discovery Programs are dedicated to developing knowledge and interest in the outdoor world, connecting youth to Nantucket’s local environment, and inspiring action to protect our natural world.
Campers have the opportunity to participate in activities such as beach exploration, snorkeling, seining, kayaking, discovery hikes, wetland studies, survival skill instruction, live animal programs, orienteering, nature related games, art projects, insect collecting, and more!
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The Natural History Museum
is Closed until June 6th
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Private Maria Mitchell Association Tours Available |
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Beach Biology Field Trips
Join our Aquarium staff to learn about the fascinating biology, ecology, and geology that make Nantucket's beaches so unique. We will discover shells and bones of over 15 species of marine animals and are likely to observe live mole crabs, sand fleas, shore birds, beach insects, and seals!
Cost
This flat-rate program can accommodate 1 group of up to 8 guests.
Members: $200
Non-Members: $250
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Private Bird Walks
Birds are an important part of Nantucket’s ecosystem and the island is known as an excellent birding spot. Join MMA Field Ornithologist, Ginger Andrews, and head out to some of the best birding areas in and around town! Location is flexible and we can accommodate your birding interests! Bird walks are 2 hours in length. Guests are responsible for arranging transportation to the program location.
Cost
This flat-rate program can accommodate 1 group of up to 5 guests.
Members: $100
Non-Members: $150
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Four Centuries Domestic Tour
A unique and extremely popular collaborative walking tour with the MMA’s Deputy Director & Curator of the Mitchell House, the Nantucket Preservation Trust, and the Nantucket Historical Association that looks at the changes in domestic life over four centuries and how it shaped homes, buildings, neighborhoods, and land use. Participants should meet at the Oldest House on Sunset Hill (tour will end on Main Street). Tour includes brief visits inside each building visited.
No reservations necessary.
$10.00 per person.
Saturday, May 7, 10AM to Noon
Maria Mitchell and the Daring Daughters of Nantucket Island Walking Tour
Join the curator of the Mitchell House for a walking tour concerning the lives of Maria Mitchell and Nantucket’s famous and infamous women, as well as the lesser known women of our island. Learn why whaling, Quakerism, and the isolation of an island afforded these women opportunities that women elsewhere in America at the time were not afforded.
Pre-registration required. Call 508-228-2896 to register and for more information.
Members: $10; Non-Members: $15
Saturday, May 14, 10AM to Noon
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“If you don’t look, you don’t see. You have to go and look.”
-Edith Andrews
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Keep Calm and Bird On
By Ginger Andrews
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May is warbler month, when breeding birds are at their most expressive. Nantucket, with its (often) late and (usually) cold spring weather doesn’t get the big flights found in the (typically) warmer interior. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look! What could be more delightful than a sun-lit Pine Warbler caressing the air above its spiky perch with its melodic rattle of song? There’s plenty of time to enjoy them. But we also get a selection of other migrants, sometimes rare for timing and location. Warblers are tiny, fleeting, elusive, frustrating, infuriating… photo by: Toby Sackton
It’s hard to get a good or even a complete look at those fast-moving jeweled puzzles with wings—there’s even a well-recognized spring birder ailment: “warbler neck.”
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ASTRONOMY RESEARCH FELLOW NEWS |
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The Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is proud to share the news that the MMA Post-Baccalaureate Astronomy Research Fellow, Celia Mulcahey, recently received an Honorable Mention in the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP). The NSF-GRFP, “Recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions.” The five-year fellowship provides a stipend for the graduate student, as well as national prestige, recognition, and institutional support. The competition for these awards is fierce – each year approximately 12,000 students apply for the 2,000 awards given out across all STEM disciplines. The application consists of a personal statement, a graduate research plan statement, transcripts, and two letters of recommendation. Congratulations, Celia!
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Did you know that you can watch all of our Winter Science Speaker Series lectures on our YouTube channel?
Watch Meg Thacher's presentation, "Sky Gazing: A Guide to Enjoying Astronomy with Children". Meg provides plenty of advice about observing the sky with kids and the best first telescope (hint: it's a pair of binoculars).
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Listen to the latest episode of "Looking Skyward," a podcast with MMA Director of Astronomy, Dr. Regina Jorgenson, on WCAI. In this episode, Dr. Jorgenson talks about International Dark Sky Week.
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Enjoy the MMA's podcast, "The Nature of Nantucket", brought to you by 97.7 ACKFM. This program airs on 97.7 every Sunday at 7:20AM.
Also, check out our weekly "Star Report" written and presented by MMA Research Fellow, Celia Mulcahey.
You can listen to each podcast via Apple or Spotify via the players below.
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Learn more about Maria Mitchell and the MMA with "Maria Mitchell's Attic," a blog written on a weekly basis by the MMA's Deputy Director and Curator, Jascin Leonardo Finger.
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The Maria Mitchell Association creates opportunities for all to develop a life-long passion for science through education, research, and first-hand exploration of the sky, land, and sea of Nantucket Island. |
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Support the Maria Mitchell Association: |
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