Can't Miss This!

Wednesday is named after the Germanic god Woden – god of gods in the Anglo Saxon pantheon, who was swallowed up by generations of cheeky Christian settlers who gradually morphed his religious stature into that of a folkloric king for the sake of proselytizing those who once believed in him. He is the basis for a primary character in Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods.

THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE LUNAR ECLIPSE EVENT
We wanted to toss in a little pagan flavor to get you revved up for the lunar eclipse which will take place tonight. You would think a bunch of scientists could come up with a better name than "Lunar Eclipse Event," but that's what they used on their web site, so we'll have to deal with it. It should be a fun gathering of nerds and their nerd-begotten young offspring, and you can't beat the price of just one Lincoln. Of course, you'll be able to spot the eclipse from pretty much anywhere, clouds-permitting, with the naked eye (which is good, because those lunar eclipse boxes are so unfashionable this season). The museum will provide telescopes and open their observatory and rooftop observation deck for the event. The eclipse itself will start at 8:43pm and last until 12:09am, but the juicy stuff happens around 10pm, when the total eclipse occurs. And while it's not a Total Eclipse of the Heart, it's still pretty neat. And there won't be another one for two more years, so it's worth a look.
WHO: Anyone!
WHERE: The Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street (map)
WHEN: From 8pm to 11pm
HOW MUCH: Free for members; $5 for everyone else. You MUST pre-register; to do so, members can call 215-448-1231, everyone else call 215-448-1254.

JOHN HEFFRON: WINNER OF NBC'S 'LAST COMIC STANDING'
Helium Comedy Club is a good place to see a show, and Heffron didn't win Last Comic Standing by not being funny. We once saw The Reverend Bob Levy perform there. Its a good atmosphere with great mozzarella sticks. Yes, their drinks prices aren't really that funny, but who wants to see comedy sober? What was that? Did you say 'healthy people'? Save the comedy for tonight, buddy.
WHO: 21+, unless the young 'uns show up with Mommy or Daddy.
WHERE: Helium Comedy Club, 20th and Sansom (map)
WHEN: 8pm
HOW MUCH: $15. Get 'em here. Claim 'em no later than 7:30pm, or they're up for grabs. What? You think it's funny?

KINKY QUIZZO AT MANNY BROWN'S
You can satisfy your craving for alcohol and discussions about fellatio, sex toys, and sexploration at any number of bars around the city. We chose Manny's because it's on South Street and we want someone else to lean on the gum tree, so we don't feel so dumb. Oh, and because they offer half-price margaritas during quizzo. $150 in kinky prizes are given away at every game, so you're sure to come away with some special for that kink-tastic someone in your life. 3 rounds of 10 questions, answered by teams of up to 4 people, means a veritable orgy of possibilities. Be sure to show up early, get a beverage and sign up for the kick-off. Or do we mean the kink off?
WHO: 21+
WHERE: Manny Brown's, 5th and South Streets (map)
WHEN: 9pm
HOW MUCH: No cover, but bring some dough to try out their respectable assortment of beers on tap.

Image via Flickr user foxypar4.

The listed events were chosen by the editors of Phillyist and brought to you by the 2009 Toyota Corolla.