The American Museum of Natural History Is Hosting a Virtual Field Trip to Mars

Explore Mars from the comfort of your couch.
Explore Mars from the comfort of your couch. / NASA/Arizona State University via Getty Images
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When you're stuck at home, the internet can transport you to faraway places—even places that are impossible to visit in person. On Friday, May 8, the American Museum of Natural History will host a virtual field trip to Mars, and the event is open to aspiring space travelers of all ages.

The live show launches at 1:30 p.m. EST on YouTube, with astrophysicist Jackie Faherty and the museum's director of astrovisualization Carter Emmart acting as tour guides. They'll provide live commentary as the video takes viewers past the canyons, craters, and rover tracks that characterize Mars's surface. During the field trip, the hosts will dig into questions like: Are volcanoes still active on Mars? What does Mars smell like? Where did the water that was once on Mars go?

This upcoming live video event is just the latest way the American Museum of Natural History is staying connected to the public during the COVID-19 crisis. The New York institution has continued to update its website and social media pages with virtual talks with experts and behind-the-scene looks at its collections.

After taking a trip to Mars from home this Friday, you can continue your tour of the galaxy online. 3D videos can be used to reach many worlds beyond our own, including planets outside our own galaxy.