July 12 is a big day for observational astronomy since the James Webb Space Telescope, following decades of planning, building, and traveling to its observation point in space, will finally be releasing its first science images.  There are actually two events happening that day.  The images will be revealed for the first time at 8:30 a.m. MDT with doors opening at 8 a.m.  This program will be streamed into the museum's STEM Theater, but can also be viewed on NASA TV: https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv

Later that day, the museum will host the live presentation of experts to explain the first images more completely and answer questions.  This program can only be seen by coming to the museum.  It also will be held in the STEM Theater and starts at 3:30 p.m. with doors opening at 3 p.m.  UNM professor Tony Hull, who supervised the polishing of Webb's mirrors, will present a live review of the first images unvailing from 3:30 - 4 p.m., then the online panel from NASA will begin.

Since the museum is closed on Tuesdays, the STEM Theater will be open only for these programs and entrance will be only through the museum's education entrance.  This door is located on the north side of the museum, next to the parking lot, behind a sculpture of a human figure holding an arc of birds.  The education entrance is not the same as the main entrance to the museum, and you won't be able to get to the STEM Theater that way, so DO NOT try to use the main entrance by the dinosaurs for this event.  Relaxed Night also starts at 4 p.m. on July 12, and you can go in through the main doors for that event only.

Both the first images announcement in the morning and the expert panel in the afternoon are being offered for free and no reservations are required.  Each program is expected to last approximately one hour.