After Dark: May the Fourth Be with You

PRESENTATIONS

SF Cantina Band
7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 p.m. | Throughout museum

The SF Cantina Band began roaming the streets and bars of San Francisco's Mission District on Halloween in 2009. Since then, the band has performed at wretched hives of scum and villainy such as Foreign Cinema, CellSpace, Public Works, How Weird Street Fair, and PianoFight.

Its members are trained in the ways of the Force as well as the clarinode, bithjo, womp bass, mandoccordian, violion beam, Hutt flute, Hothenspiel, turbo-tuba, and Krayt horn. Its entourage (Hammerhead, Greedo, Walrus Man, Snaggletooth, and other aliens) has an open bar tab on twelve systems.

Quarks, Gluons, and the Strong Force
With Heather Gray
7:00 p.m. | Phyllis C. Wattis Webcast Studio 

Over the last century scientists have explored deep within atoms to determine the fundamental constituents of matter. Meet with physicist Heather Gray to learn the quirks of quarks and gluons and study the strong force that keeps them together.

Gravity: The Weak Force
With Patio Plasma
7:30 p.m. | Kanbar Forum

Travel from Galileo’s dropped balls through Newton’s apple-moon to Einstein’s warped spacetime with Exploratorium physicist Patio Plasma. Discover how gravity warps the GPS system, how satellites use gravity to “see” underground and measure California’s groundwater, and how gravitational waves can be used to watch black holes collide and merge.

Tour de Force
With Pearl Tesler
8:00 p.m. | Phyllis C. Wattis Webcast Studio 

May the force be with you . . . sure, but which one? Put on your seat belts for a hyperdrive tour of the known forces in the galaxy—forces with you and against you, fundamental and fictitious—with stops along the way to discuss roller derby, wet dogs, headbutting, Darth Vader's death grip, and the mysterious fifth force.

Sculpting Star Wars
With Lorne Peterson
8:30 p.m. | Kanbar Forum

Imagine modeling the Millenium Falcon, or creating Cloud City. What makes them seem real? Join legendary modelmaker Lorne Peterson to hear the stories behind your favorite starships as well as the process for building intricate worlds from unexpected materials.

The Discovery of Light
With Paul Dancstep
9:00 p.m. | Phyllis C. Wattis Webcast Studio

In the mid-nineteenth century, people understood how light behaved but didn’t know what it actually was. Find out how scientists attempting to understand electric sparks and magnetic stones gradually discovered light’s true nature. Their theory became a user’s manual for light, the key to the coming century of radio communication, X-rays, televisions, and microwave ovens.

The Papercraft of Otherlife Art
With David Canavese
6:00–10:00 p.m. | East Gallery, Microscope Imaging Station

Encounter a micro-scale world of science and science fiction modeled in paper. Approximately a half-inch long (1.27 cm) and made entirely from paper, the artist’s fingertip-sized Millennium Falcon took about eight hours to complete.

Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club
6:00–10:00 p.m. | Throughout museum

Spy Mandalorian relations of Boba and Jango Fett wearing costumes inspired by Star Wars films as well as comic-book references, book references, television shows, computer games, and the creativity of MMCC members themselves.

Rebel Legion Endor Base
6:00–10:00 p.m. | Throughout museum

The “light side” is out in force: Look for Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Sabine Wren, Poe Dameron, and several Jedi Knights on the museum floor.

Roving Droids
With the Bay Area R2 Builders
6:00–10:00 p.m. | Throughout museum

Introduce yourself to full-size, fully functional droids built by the Bay Area R2 Builders, a group of hackers, makers, builders, and above all, Star Wars fans. 

ACTIVITIES

Van de Graaff Generator
With the Explainers
6:30–9:30 p.m. | South Gallery

Place your hands on this electrostatic generator to feel the force—high voltage direct current—and watch your hair stand on end. 

Feeling Pressured
With Elysa Corin and Zeke Kossover
7:00–9:00 p.m. | Bechtel Central Gallery

Every moment of every day (and night), the weight of the atmosphere is pressing down on us with tremendous force. Using a giant trash bag, a vacuum cleaner with a hose, and a willing volunteer, we can decrease the pressure inside an enclosed space, allowing the universe to press in with even more strength and force than normal. 

Use the Force
With Explorables
7:00–10:00 p.m. | South Gallery

Motors
Harness the power of magnetic fields to build a tiny electric motor using a coil of wire, a battery, and a small magnet.

Magnet Trains
Construct an electromagnetically powered train with just three materials. Using a copper coil and battery, create a magnetic field to propel your magnet train.