The Westminster College Planetarium will present four different shows this fall semester in its full-dome theater in the Hoyt Science Center.

“Cosmic Origins” will be shown at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, and Friday, Sept. 20. Young astronomer Ariane presents a show aimed at discovering how astronomers are continuing Galileo’s quest to understand the universe. Ariane will take the audience on a journey from ALMA’s unique site high in Chile’s Atacama region, through our Milky Way and onward to some of the most distant galaxies, seen as they were in the early universe. Participants will learn about the formation of stars and planets and how ALMA can help answer questions about our origins. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Did you know Halloween is an astronomical holiday? “Halloween” will be shown at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25. Explore the night sky and learn what planets, constellations, and stars will be out when walking the streets on Halloween evening. Recommended for ages 7 and up.

Want to understand the Central Arctic Ocean and its role in global climate and weather patterns? Two showings of “Drifting North: Into the Polar Night” will be shown at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, and Friday, Nov. 15. Audience members will step out onto an ice floe in the middle of the Arctic Ocean and watch and listen as scientists race the fading light to set up one of the most ambitious international climate collaborations ever, the Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC), which was launched in September 2019. Recommended for ages 7 and up.

Closing the semester strong will be two showings of “The Star of Bethlehem” at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20, and Friday, Dec. 6. Houston Museum of Natural Science answers the questions about the celestial object the wise men might have seen on their way to meet the Christ child. Objects such as a “wandering star,” “shooting star” and “hairy star” will be shown as they present strong contenders in their search. Recommended for ages 5 and up.

The programs are free and open to the public, but reservations are necessary due to limited seating.

To register for a showing, click here. For more information, please email planetarium@westminster.edu.

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