Area 51

Santa’s leaving his workshop at the North Pole a little later this year, two hours later to be exact, according to reports out of NORAD. Have that many kids landed on his naughty list? No, says Naval Lieutenant Desmond James, spokesman for Santa tracking at the North American Aerospace Defense Command. “Kids are staying up later nowadays, so in past years Santa has had to double back a few times to make sure he’s hitting houses after they’ve gone to bed,” he says, citing an inside source at the North Pole. “He’s just streamlined his efforts.”

Texas Star Party, May 1-8Those yearning for dark skies and the camaraderie of star enthusiasts might wish to make the trek to the 27th annual Texas Star Party. The event features a week of galaxy-gazing and plenary lectures. This year’s speakers include Robert T. Mitchell, the project manager of the Cassini mission, and Stephanie McLaughlin, a project coordinator for NASA’s Deep Impact mission. The Star Party has a strict “no lights” policy from sundown to sunup.