"Full Moon Spectacular" will be presented Saturday, Sept. 25, in the Westminster College Planetarium, room 116 of the Hoyt Science Resources Center.

Scheduled for two days after the full moon, this is a celebration of Earth's nearest celestial neighbor. It includes back-to-back screenings of two programs using the planetarium's digital 360-degree dome projector.

"Secret of the Cardboard Rocket," suitable for children aged five-10 and their parents, will be shown at 3:30 p.m. A young girl and boy turn a cardboard box into a rocket for a daring adventure that introduces children to the solar system. Viewers will learn what a planet is, how the planets differ from each other, and why Earth is a special place.

"Dawn of the Space Age," shown at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., covers important Russian and American space history from the launch of Sputnik to future Mars exploration.

These are two of three shows which will each have several screenings in the fall. Details on all shows are available at www.westminster.edu/planetarium.

Weather permitting, rooftop stargazing will follow the 6:30 p.m. screening.

The programs are free and open to the public. However, reservations are necessary due to limited seating. Reservations, including private showings for larger groups, can be made by contacting Westminster's Physics Department at (724) 946-7200 Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m-4:30 p.m., e-mail physics@westminster.edu, or completing the online form at www.westminster.edu/planetarium.