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The Skies
over Hogwarts
Friday,
July 29
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The Skies over Hogwarts
Friday, July 29, 7:00, 8:00 pm
Join the Planetarium’s witches and wizards as
they guide you through a Harry Potter-themed tour of the night
sky. Learn how J.K. Rowling used astronomy as the inspiration
for some of her characters' names. (Recommended for ages 8 and
older)
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Laser Hollywood
Friday, July 29, 9:00 pm
Themes from some of everyone’s favorite movies
have inspired this new laser concert, including Raiders of the
Lost Ark, Pink Panther, Star Wars, and Beverly Hills Cop.
(Recommended for ages 6-adult)
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Public
Shows for kids and adults
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In July and August, public shows run on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and Friday evenings.
Reservations are recommended. Call 908-231-8805 or
email the Planetarium.
Provide your name, phone number, email, which show
you want to see, and how many tickets you'd like.
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Rockin' Rocket Ride
Wednesday and Thursday, August 3 and 4, 2:30 pm
Put on your space suit and blast-off into outer
space to visit the Moon, Sun and planets. A lively experience for
young people with selected music from "Journey into Space" by Jane Murphy. (Recommended for ages 3-8)
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SkyLights music show
Wednesday and Thursday, August 3 and 4, 3:30 p.m.
Our youngest audience members can sing along with
songs by mr. RAY (Family Ride, Kalien the Alien) and favorites
like "Let it Go" and "Everything is
Awesome." Some songs are illustrated with lasers and
other songs feature video images. (Recommended for ages 3-8)
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Accidental Astronauts
Fridays, August 5 and 12, 7:00 pm
Two robo-kids and their dog get an adventure while
on a class field trip, when they unexpectedly blast off to an
asteroid, the Moon, and the Sun! (Recommended for ages 6-12)
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Astronomy Tonight
Friday, August 5, 8:00 pm
Explore the night skies in our digital theater
with our planetarium educators! What stars and constellations are
visible this month? Is there a meteor shower in August? What is
the James Webb Space Telescope looking at now? Weather
permitting, the 3M Observatory will be open after the program.
(Recommended for ages 8-adult).
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Summer Lights laser concert
Fridays, August 5 and 12, 9:00 pm
This playlist reminds us of summer. Wipeout by The
Surfaris, Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett, Heat Waves by Glass
Animals, and more!
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Mars 1001
Only playing Summer of 2022
Friday, August 12, 8:00 pm
Someday soon, humans will go to the Red Planet. Mars
One Thousand One is the story of one possible mission, and their
journey there and back in 1001 days. (Recommended for ages
8-adult)
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Wednesday, August 3
2:30pm Rockin’ Rocket Ride - ages
3-8
3:30pm SkyLights music concert -
ages 3-8
Thursday, August 4
2:30pm Rockin’ Rocket Ride - ages
3-8
3:30pm SkyLights music concert -
ages 3-8
Friday, August 5
7pm Accidental Astronauts - ages
4-10
8pm Astronomy Tonight - ages
8-adult
9pm Summer Lights Laser Concert -
ages 10-adult
Wednesday, August 10
No shows Staff at Somerset County
4H Fair
Thursday, August 11
No shows Staff at Somerset County
4H Fair
Friday, August 12
7pm Accidental Astronauts - ages
4-10
8pm Mars 1001 - ages 8-adult
9pm Summer Lights Laser Concert -
10-adult
Wednesday, August 17
2:30pm Rockin’ Rocket Ride - ages
3-8
3:30pm SkyLights music concert -
ages 3-8
Thursday, August 18
2:30pm Perfect Little Planet -
ages 6-12
3:30pm Magic Tree House: Space
Mission - ages 5-12
Friday, August 19
7pm Magic Tree House: Space
Mission - ages 5-12
8pm Mars 1001 - ages 8-adult
9pm Summer Lights Laser Concert -
ages 10-adult
Wednesday, August 24
2:30pm Accidental Astronauts -
ages 4-10
Thursday, August 25
2:30pm Perfect Little Planet -
ages 6-12
3:30pm Magic Tree House: Space
Mission - ages 5-12
Friday, August 26
7pm Magic Tree House: Space
Mission - ages 5-12
8pm Mars 1001 - ages 8-adult
9pm Summer Lights Laser Concert -
ages 10-adult
Public Shows will resume October 1.
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Good to Know...
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Admission: $10 per person for one show
$18 per person for two shows on the same day
Payments are taken at the Planetarium on the day of
the show.
Reservations are recommended. Call 908-231-8805 or email the Planetarium.
Provide your name, phone number, email, which show
you want to see, and how many tickets you'd like.
Please arrive 20-30 minutes before the show to pay
for your tickets.
The closest parking lots are #9 and #1. Here is a campus map.
Late arrivals are NOT admitted to the Planetarium's
theater once a show has started.
Masks are optional on campus.
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Evening Sky
Mercury can be found very low in the west throughout the
month. Binoculars may be needed to find Mercury in the evening
twilight glow. Mercury is highest for this poor apparition on
August 16, only 2 degrees above the horizon at mid-twilight. Mercury will be easier to spot from low latitudes (closer to the
equator).
Saturn is at opposition on August 14. At the start of the
month, Saturn is just 2 degrees above the ESE horizon at
mid-twilight as seen from latitude 40 degrees N. (That's where NJ
is.) By the month's end, Saturn is 15 degrees above the southeast
horizon.
Jupiter rises about two hours after sunset.
Morning Sky
Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn span
across the dawn sky for most of the month. On August 1, they span
144 degrees. On August 24, the four planets span 173 degrees. Saturn
leaves the morning sky during the last week of August. Venus rises
an hour and a half before the sunrise on August 16. Venus passes less
than 1 degree from the Beehive star cluster on August 17 &
18, but the morning twilight will make it a challenge to spot the
star cluster. Jupiter and Mars are both high in the dawn
sky all month long and easy to spot. Mars is 50 degrees east of
Jupiter on August 17. Mars brightens through magnitude 0.0 in
August. Uranus is 10 degrees west of Mars on August 18.
Look for the +5.7 magnitude Uranus with binoculars. Uranus begins
moving retrograde on August 24.
The Perseid Meteor Shower peaks
overnight on Friday, August 12, into the morning of Saturday,
August 13. However, a bright Moon spoils the view.
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Moon Phases
First Quarter August 5
Full Moon August 11
Last Quarter August 19
New Moon August 27
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Private
Shows / Field Trips
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You can schedule a private show in the Planetarium
for your group of 1-100 people.
Weekdays:
10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm
Weekday
evenings will be considered on an individual basis.
Saturdays will be available starting in October.
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Choose an
astronomy show or a laser concert!
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· Rockin'
Rocket Ride
· Magic
Tree House: Space Mission
· Accidental
Astronauts
· From
Earth to the Universe
· Black
Holes
· Exploding
Universe
· Tonight's
Sky
and more!
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· The Best
of Pink Floyd
· The
Beatles
· Led
Zeppelin
· Grateful
Dead
· Queen
· Rock of
Ages (music from the movie/Broadway show)
· Pop Rock
(family-friendly)
· Laser
Magic (family-friendly)
and more!
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Virtual
Field Trips
Teachers,
Principals, Science Supervisors, Scout Leaders, Home School
coordinators, Senior Center managers, and Parents!
Schedule virtual
field trips for your students and clients. Programs are led by
a live Planetarium Educator and always
include time for Q&A. All programs support NGSS/NJSLS.
Scheduling
is flexible. We can present during the school day, after school,
or evenings.
Number of
attendees: up to 30 per session
Fee: $100
for a 45-minute program
$125 for
Magic Tree House: Space Mission
The
Planetarium will provide a password-protected Zoom link before
your date. We can also schedule programs on Microsoft Teams. You
can also invite the Planetarium to join your preferred platform.
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Explore
the Universe with RVCC Planetarium
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Watch our YouTube channel
for weekly updates on what's visible in the sky as well as
activities you can do at home.
Do you miss the Planetarium? Take a tour of the
exhibits.
Join our Facebook
Group for regular posts about astronomy news, activities,
virtual tours, satellite passes that you can see in the real sky,
and more!
Follow us on Instagram to see
pictures we take at the 3M Observatory and other news.
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Please Consider Making a Tax-Deductible Donation to the
Planetarium
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Support
from the community has repeatedly played a key role in our
success at the RVCC Planetarium. We are proud to offer
affordable, educational field trips and engaging public events
for our community. Your continued support helps us to provide
innovative, educational experiences for our diverse audiences.
Donations made to the Planetarium throughout the year help
support new and exciting programs and help us maintain and
upgrade our equipment.
Thank
you for your support!
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