The South Carolina State Museum will host Lunar Eclipse Night at the Museum from 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday, August 27, giving guests an opportunity to experience a rare celestial event from the Museum’s Observatory terrace overlooking Columbia’s Vista.
“Lunar eclipses are one of those rare opportunities where you can look up at the night sky and experience astronomy happening in real time,” said Ani Simmons, SCSM Director of Audience Engagement. “We’re excited to invite the community to explore the Museum after dark, experience the lunar eclipse, and learn from our amazing Astronomy educators. It’s going to be a night that will offer something for everyone.”
Museum members can begin the evening with an exclusive Member Night: A Century Under the Stars, sponsored by Nothing Bundt Cakes. The members-only program will celebrate the 100th birthday of the Museum’s Alvan Clark Telescope. Members will have after-hours access to the Museum, hands-on activities and a member-only showing of the planetarium program “Two Small Pieces of Glass,” which is included with an RSVP. Bundt cakes and refreshments will also be provided.
Beginning at 8:30 p.m., Lunar Eclipse Night will feature viewing of a deep partial lunar eclipse, along with access to four floors of ongoing and changing exhibitions, hands-on activities and other programming. Guests can also participate in telescope viewing with members of the Midlands Astronomy Club and the USC Department of Physics and Astronomy.
If weather conditions prevent outdoor viewing, guests can watch a livestream of the eclipse together inside the planetarium.
The August 27 eclipse will be the last major lunar eclipse visible from Columbia until 2029. During the deep partial eclipse, most of the moon will appear dark red while a small portion remains brightly illuminated at maximum eclipse.
Guests can view the eclipse from the Museum’s Observatory terrace, which provides views of the Columbia skyline and night sky. The Museum’s Astro Hub team will also lead hands-on activities, including air-compressor paper rocket launches.
For an additional $5, guests can attend planetarium shows, including “Two Small Pieces of Glass,” a 30-minute program exploring the history of the telescope and how these instruments have transformed humanity’s understanding of the universe.
The planetarium will also present “Laser Lights Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon,” a sound-and-light experience featuring graphics and abstract patterns created with laser lights and choreographed to Pink Floyd’s iconic album.
General admission to Lunar Eclipse Night includes access to four floors of exhibitions and night-sky viewing from the Observatory. Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors age 62 and older, and $10 for children ages 3-12. Planetarium shows are an additional $5. Museum members receive free general admission.
For tickets and additional information, visit scmuseum.org.
