Check out a FREE Planetarium Show
& Have a look at Our Active, Dynamic Star
-- Our Sun!
On Saturdays, come see a FREE full dome show and hear a live seasonal star talk highlighting our Valley sky. On SUNNY Saturdays, the Planetarium will also have solar telescopes set-up outside near the JMU Sundial. See our Sun as the active, dynamic star that it is, instead of the pale, yellow dot drawn by kids! Don't miss out on seeing our STAR in a SAFE way that will leave you mesmerized. ALL FREE
FAMILY SHOWS at 11am -and- 1pm
Our Family shows are designed for families with young children (ages 4 to 8) in mind but all are welcome
FEATURE SHOWS at 2:15pm -and- 3:30pm
Our Feature shows are great for middle/high school students and adults
Not sure which show to attend? See them both!
Saturday Public Show Schedule
Sept. 2016 to June 2017
**We are closed Saturday, Dec 24 & Saturday, Dec 31
DATE |
Family Show
|
Feature Show
|
| SEPTEMBER | This is Our Sky | Edge of Darkness |
| OCTOBER | Earth, Moon and Sun | DARK: Understanding Dark Matter |
| NOVEMBER | The Making of a Star & Her Entourage | |
| DECEMBER** | Legends of the Sky: Orion | Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity |
| JANUARY | Legends of the Sky: Perseus & Andromeda | To Space & Back |
| FEBRUARY | Exoplanets: Worlds of Wonder | Dynamic Earth |
| MARCH | The Case of the Disappearing Planet | Sunstruck |
| APRIL | Planetary Visions | From Earth to the Universe |
| MAY | One World One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure | Exploring New Horizons |
| JUNE | Magic Tree House: Space Mission | In Search of Our Cosmic Origins |
| JULY | CLOSED FOR SPACE EXPLORER CAMPS | CLOSED FOR SPACE EXPLORER CAMPS |
| AUGUST | Closed for maintenance | Closed for maintenance |
Please note: The John C. Wells planetarium strives to bring cutting-edge science to JMU as well as to the larger Shenandoah Valley community. Hence, the planetarium staff presents established science that is based on consensus from the scientific community. We will present the scientific evidence on topics such as climate change, evolution, age of the Earth, the Big Bang, and the age of the Universe. All of our full dome shows, activities, and live star talks make reference and begin with the premise that the age of the Universe is 13.8 billion years old, and that our Sun and the Solar System formed ~5 billions years ago. Our staff will not alter their presentations when discussing what some may consider controversial science topics.
