Free Shows Presented Online on Friday Evenings:
7 p.m. “Night Sky” Program
8 p.m. Feature Show (following the 7 p.m. Night Sky Program)
July 11 Show: "Vera Rubin: First Light"
July 18 Show: "NASA Spinoffs"
July 25 Show: "Deep Sky Deep Dive: Understanding Exoplanets"
August 1 Show: "Search for Life Beyond Earth"
August 8 Show: "Sneak Peek"
See below for show details.
Planetarium this week
Zoom Link for July Friday Evening Shows
Free, live, virtual public shows!
Invitation links to the planetarium's live online events are generally posted the Thursday before the event. 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 program is roughly 30-40 minutes long, 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.
July 11: "Vera Rubin - First Light" The first images from the world's largest digital camera are out and they are stunning! The Vera Rubin Observatory begins its unprecedented scan of the universe!
July 18: "NASA Spinoffs" From the Apollo missions to the International Space Station, NASA's technological advances to protect astronauts in space helps Earth-bound humans too! Here is a quick look at every day tech with space-based origins.
July 25: "Deep Sky Deep Dive: Understanding Exoplanets" Planets beyond our solar system are a relatively recent discovery. The first exoplanet was confirmed in 1992. With the help of missions like Kepler and TESS, we have since confirmed over 5,000. But where are they? How do they form? And what can they teach us about our home system?
August 1: "Search for Life Beyond Earth" The only known life in the universe is right here on Earth, but is this blue marble the only place it exists? Scientists are actively searching for life elsewhere. The show explores where science is looking for extraterrestrial life and how it might be found.
August 8: "Sneak Peek" The new SMC Planetarium is set to open in September 2025. Tonight’s show offers a sneak peek at two new shows, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the new dome!
Location of Planetarium (Currently Closed for Construction)
Math and Science Building (MSB 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.