CURRENT SHOWS  

Please check our schedule for planetarium show times and dates.

Bad Astronomy

Join Phil Plait, the “Bad Astronomer,” as he investigates several astronomical myths and misconceptions, including UFO sightings, horoscopes, and the Moon landing “hoax,” as well as common astronomical errors in the movies.  A fun, informative program for the whole family.

The Planets

With the most up-to-date information, The Planets takes audiences on a grand tour of the solar system to see amazing images of our neighbor worlds.  Is there life on Mars?  Do other planets have hurricanes?  What makes up the rings of Saturn?  What lies beyond Pluto?  How was our Solar System formed, and are there other solar systems out there in the stars?  Get answers to these fascinating questions and more.

The Case of the Disappearing Planet

Join Detective Skye Watcher as she examines the changing status of objects we call "planets."  What exactly makes an object a planet?  Why has that definition changed over the years?  The program not only covers Pluto, but the temporary planetary status of asteroids as well.  The tally of "planets" in our Solar System has been going up and down for hundreds of years!

Destination: Pluto

Go on a voyage from the Sun to Pluto with Captain Smith and his crew, and explore all the wonders of the Solar System.  Along the way, view recently-discovered moons, mysterious ice-worlds, planets of rock and gas, hazardous asteroids and beautiful comets.  Find out how the most distant objects in the Solar System were discovered, and learn about Pluto’s recent reclassification as a dwarf planet.  Destination: Pluto is a journey of discovery for space travelers of all ages.

Be sure to check our full schedule for show times and dates.

For several nights in the middle of August, 2009, the skies will be filled with shooting stars.  Tonight--August 12, 2009--is peak viewing time for the Perseid meteor shower.

The Perseid meteor shower is observed each August as Earth passes through dust and debris from the Swift-Tuttle Comet of Perseus.  This colorful display of shooting stars begins in July, but peaks in visibility on August 11th and August 12th.  The light of the waning moon may obstruct some viewing, but meteor rates are speculated as high as 200 per hour; this almost guarantees an impressive show even if only a small percentage of the meteors are visible.

For optimum viewing, you don't need a telescope or any special equipment.  Simply find as dark a place as possible (away from town, if you can), relax your eyes, and look up!