Planetarium

Welcome to the new SMC Planetarium

Offering a brand new look at the universe, the SMC Planetarium presents “The Night Sky Show” and a special Feature Program on most Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons when SMC is in session.

The Night Sky Show

The Night Sky Show, updated weekly, is a 40-minute presentation in the SMC Planetarium at 6 p.m. on most Fridays, and at 1 p.m. on selected Sunday afternoons. Using SMC’s new 4K Digistar projection system, Planetarium Lecturer Sarah Vincent will talk about the latest news in astronomy and space exploration, and present a virtual tour of constellations and other night-sky celebrities making their appearance in the evenings ahead. An audience Q&A offers the chance to ask astronomy-related questions. Please Note: Children under age 3 are not permitted at Friday evening shows.

Feature Programs

The planetarium’s Feature Programs explore particular topics of interest, such as the Sun or finding exoplanets. Feature Programs are presented at 7 p.m. on Friday evenings and 2 p.m. on selected Sunday afternoons after “The Night Sky Show.” A brief audience Q&A follows each Feature Program. Please Note: Children under age 3 are not permitted at Friday evening shows.

Sunday Family Matinées

Sunday Family Matinée shows are offered monthly during summer and start at 1 p.m. with “The Night Sky Show,” followed at 2 p.m. by a Feature Program. Both shows include a brief audience Q&A. All ages welcome. See the listings in Upcoming Programs for details.

All shows presented live in the SMC Planetarium (MSB 126).

May 29

The Night Sky Show

6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Math & Science Building

May 29

Tour of the Solar System Part 2: “The Outer System”

7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Math & Science Building

May 31

The Night Sky Show – Matinée

1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Math & Science Building

Buy Tickets

May Programs

The Night Sky Show

Using SMC’s 4K Digistar projection system, Planetarium Lecturer Sarah Vincent will talk about the latest news in astronomy and space exploration, and present a virtual tour of constellations and other night-sky celebrities making their appearance in the evenings ahead. Show is updated weekly. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, May 15, 6 p.m.
Sunday, May 17, 1 p.m.
Friday, May 29, 6 p.m.
Sunday, May 31, 1 p.m.

Tour of the Solar System Part 1: “The Inner System”

Earth, home to the only known life in the universe, is surrounded by three fellow rocky planets. Do any of these hold the potential for life beyond Earth? This show explores the Sun, the rocky inner planets, and what makes Earth so special. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, May 15, 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 17, 2 p.m.

Tour of the Solar System Part 2: “The Outer System”

Most life on Earth draws energy from the Sun, but could life exist in the dim outer reaches of the solar system? Could the icy moons of the outer planets be home to extraterrestrial life? This show explores the outer planets, their icy moons, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, May 29, 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 31, 2 p.m.

June Programs

The Night Sky Show

Friday, June 5, 6 p.m.
Sunday, June 7, 1 p.m.

“Welcome to the Universe”

What does the universe look like? From Earth, the night sky appears black and mostly empty. But zooming out and seeing it as a whole, things start to look very different. Lecturer Sarah Vincent takes an eye-opening look at the night sky and explores the threads that bind Earth to the rest of the great big universe. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, June 5, 7 p.m.
Sunday, June 7, 2 p.m.

July Programs

The Night Sky Show

Friday, July 10, 6 p.m.
Sunday, July 12, 1 p.m.
Friday, July 17, 6 p.m.
Friday, July 24, 6 p.m.

Women in Space Series: “Space Flight”

SMC Planetarium launches a new Women in Space Series this summer. Lecturer Sarah Vincent will highlight the careers of women in the fields of aerospace and astrophysics. This show in the series will focus on the careers of Shuttle Era astronauts Sally Ride, Mae Jemison, and Peggy Whitson. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, July 10, 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 12, 2 p.m.

Deep Sky Deep Dive: “Understanding Exoplanets”

SMC Planetarium continues its popular Deep Sky Deep Dive series with a look at exoplanets. These planets beyond our solar system are a relatively new discovery, with the first exoplanet confirmed in 1992. With the help of missions like Kepler and TESS, more than 6,000 exoplanets have been confirmed to date. But where are they? How do they form? And what can they reveal about Earth’s origin? A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, July 17, 7 p.m.

“Search for Life Beyond Earth”

The only currently 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. Lecturer Sarah Vincent explores where science is looking for extraterrestrial life and how it might be found. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, July 24, 7 p.m.

August Programs

The Night Sky Show

Friday, August 7, 6 p.m.
Friday, August 14, 6 p.m.
Sunday, August 16, 1 p.m.
Friday, August 21, 6 p.m.
Friday, August 28, 6 p.m.

“Mission Close-up: Curiosity”

The Curiosity Rover has been exploring Mars for more than a decade. What has it found, where is it now, and where will it go next on its trek across the Red Planet? A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, August 7, 7 p.m.

“The Great Observatories”

Hubble Space Telescope is one of four space-based telescopes dubbed “The Great Observatories.” Lecturer Sarah Vincent takes a look at these groundbreaking instruments that made possible the first broad-spectrum look at space. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, August 14, 7 p.m.
Sunday, August 16, 2 p.m.

“Physics of Eclipses and Moon Phases”

Gearing up for the partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 27 and the total solar eclipse visible from much of the Mediterranean in 2027, Lecturer Sarah Vincent takes a closer look at Earth’s largest natural satellite, and marvels at the fact that Earth is the only planet in the solar system whose moon perfectly blocks the Sun. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, August 21, 7 p.m.

Solar System Survey: “Sun”

SMC Planetarium’s new series The Solar System Survey begins with an exploration of Earth’s home star, Sol. The middle mass star in the outer reaches of the Milky Way is home to the only planetary system with life. What's so special about Sol? A brief audience Q&A follows the show.

Friday, August 28, 7 p.m.

Tickets

Tickets for Friday evening programs and Sunday Family Matinées may be purchased at smc.edu/tickets (a $1 per ticket service fee will be charged by the ticketing company).
Please Note: No children under age 3 permitted at Friday evening shows.

“The Night Sky Show”: $10 adults, $7 children age 3-12
Feature Program: $10 adults, $7 children age 3-12
Combo (Night Sky Show plus Feature Program): $16 adults, $10 children age 3-12. Purchase combo tickets for the date through The Night Sky Show tickets link.

Location of Planetarium

Math and Science Building (MSB 126)
1900 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Campus Map

The SMC Planetarium is located in Santa Monica, south of the 10 (Santa Monica) Freeway and west of the 405 (San Diego) Freeway. The planetarium is in Room MSB 126 of the new Math and Science Building on the south side of the SMC Main Campus, on the corner of Pearl Street at Parking Lot 1, just west of 20th Street.

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