Free Shows Presented Online on Friday Evenings:
7 p.m. “Night Sky” Program
8 p.m. Feature Show
March 7 Show: “Here’s Looking at You, Earth”
March 14 Show: “Space Weather — What’s It Like Out There, and How Does It Affect Us?”
March 21 Show: “Gaia: Earth Mother Watching the Stars”
March 28 Show: “Multi-Messenger Astronomy”
April 4 Show: “Aurorae”
April 11 Show: “Nova vs Supernova”
April 25 Show: “Light Experiments (audience request)”
See below for show details.
Zoom link for March Friday evening programs (opens in new window)
Planetarium this week
Free, live, virtual public shows!
Invitation links to the planetarium's live online events are generally posted the Thursday before. These programs are only available LIVE on Friday evenings, and on the occasional Matinee dates (typically on Sundays). Clicking on the Zoom links at other times will not work.
Please scroll down beyond the calendar for notes on upcoming 8 p.m. programs
We also look forward to the expanded capabilities of the new planetarium and observatory SMC is building for opening in 2025.
Jim Mahon
Planetarium Lecturer
Weekly Night Sky Show
The Night Sky programs will last roughly 30-40 minutes, followed by a short question and answer period where guests can type questions into a chat box and we will answer as many questions as possible. There will be a short intermission at approximately 7:50 p.m. prior to the start of the Feature program at 8 p.m.
Feature Programs
Note that all 8 p.m. feature programs are preceded by the 7 p.m. “Night Sky” program described above.
Currently all presentations are online ONLY, with the exception of occasional observing programs.
March 7: “Here’s Looking at You, Earth” — Lecturer Sarah Vincent. Space agencies around the world operate fleets of satellites that provide crucial data for understanding Earth's changing climate. Tonight's show takes a look at several of those Earth-looking satellites, and explains their purposes.
March 14: “Space Weather — What’s It Like Out There, and How Does It Affect Us?” — Lecturer Sarah Vincent. Space weather is a very real thing. And it has real effects on people's day-to-day lives on Earth, especially as dependence on electronic devices grows. The show will shed light on the emerging field of space weather.
March 21: “Gaia: Earth Mother Watching the Stars” — Lecturer Sarah Vincent. The stars of the Milky Way dance to the Music of the Spheres. The European Space Agency's Gaia mission, named for the Greek goddess of Earth, has been mapping the positions and motions of the closest, brightest stars to an accuracy never before achieved.
March 28: “Multi-Messenger Astronomy” — Lecturer Sarah Vincent. Scientists have learned much about the cosmos from the varied 'colors’ beyond the range of the human eye. New technologies are extending that range even farther and creating a fascinating synergy that opens a new era in astronomy.
April 4: “Aurorae” — Lecturer Sarah Vincent. Earth’s poles put on stunning displays called aurorae, but what are they, and is Earth the only place in the solar system with light curtains in the sky?
April 11: “Nova vs Supernova” — Lecturer Sarah Vincent. The end of a star’s life can follow several paths. What’s the difference between a nova and a supernova?
April 25: “Light Experiments (audience request)” — Lecturer Sarah Vincent. At the turn of the last century, scientists wondered if light moved through something called the “luminiferous aether.” Tonight’s show celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Michelson-Gale-Pearson experiment, which proved otherwise.
Location of Planetarium (Currently Closed for Construction)
Math and Science Building (MS 126)
1900 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Campus Map
The SMC Planetarium is located in the new Math and Science Building on the south side of the Santa Monica College Main Campus. The Math and Science Building is on the corner of Pearl Street at Parking Lot 1, just west of 20th Street. We are in Santa Monica, south of the 10 (Santa Monica) Freeway and west of the 405 (San Diego) Freeway.