Planetarium
Public Shows
Thursday, September 25, 2025 – Discover the Night Sky: A Beginner’s Guide to Astronomical Observing
Join us for a special evening under the stars! This open house will guide beginners and enthusiasts alike through the basics of astronomical observing. Learn how to navigate the night sky, spot major constellations, identify bright planets, and use telescopes and binoculars to enhance your stargazing. This event is perfect for families, students, and anyone curious about what’s visible in our local skies.
Thursday, October 23, 2025 – Astrophotography: Capturing Fall & Winter Skies
Discover how to photograph the night sky during crisp fall and early winter evenings. Learn techniques for capturing constellations, bright planets, and deep-sky objects. The program covers camera settings, framing, and using meteor showers and other celestial events to enhance your photos. Tips for beginners and experienced stargazers alike.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 – Exoplanets: Searching for Other Worlds
Journey beyond our solar system to explore the growing list of planets orbiting distant stars. Learn about the techniques astronomers use to detect exoplanets, from the transit method to radial velocity measurements. Discuss what these discoveries reveal about the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.
Monday, December 22, 2025 – Comets: Messengers from the Outer Solar System
Comets are icy travelers from the outer solar system, bringing clues about the formation of our planetary neighborhood. Discover their structure, how their orbits evolve, and why they produce spectacular displays in the night sky. This show coincides with the Geminid meteor shower, offering a perfect tie-in to watch the sky afterward.
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 – Dwarf Planets & the Kuiper Belt
Explore the icy frontier beyond Neptune. Learn about Pluto, Eris, Ceres, and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt. Discuss their unique characteristics, how they differ from full-sized planets, and what these distant worlds reveal about the early solar system. Dark winter skies provide the perfect backdrop for observing these distant objects through telescopes.
Monday, February 23, 2026 – Women in Astronomy & Space Science
Celebrate the pioneering women who have shaped astronomy and space science. From Henrietta Leavitt’s discoveries of Cepheid variable stars to Vera Rubin’s work on dark matter and Jocelyn Bell Burnell’s detection of pulsars, this program highlights their contributions and current leaders in the field. Includes inspiring stories of female astronauts, researchers, and space engineers.
Monday, March 2, 2026 – The Total Lunar Eclipse Experience
Witness the beauty and science of a total lunar eclipse. Learn why the Moon changes color during an eclipse and how lunar and solar eclipses occur. The program also explores cultural significance and myths surrounding eclipses. Perfect for students to understand celestial mechanics in a live sky context.
Thursday, April 23, 2026 – Space Weather: Solar Storms & Auroras
The Sun is a dynamic and sometimes unpredictable star. Learn how solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and charged particles affect Earth’s magnetosphere, technology, and power grids. See how auroras form and explore real-world examples of space weather events that shape life on our planet.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 – Cosmic Chemistry: The Elements of the Universe
Take a journey inside stars to understand how the elements that make up planets, water, and life are created. Discover nuclear fusion, supernovae, and how cosmic recycling spreads elements throughout the galaxy. Learn how astronomers identify chemical signatures in distant stars and nebulae.
Thursday, June 18, 2026 – Astrophotography 2.0: Shooting the Summer Sky
Summer nights are perfect for photographing the Milky Way, planets, and meteor showers. This advanced astrophotography program builds on fall/winter techniques, covering long exposures, stacking images, and capturing faint objects in the sky. Tips for cameras, smartphones, and telescopes help students and hobbyists create stunning night-sky images.
All events are subject to change due to weather or staff availability. Please be sure to check the Planetarium and Observatory Facebook page for the most current information. Please call Adrian Portland 570-617-8035 with any questions