Make time to relax at the RVCC Planetarium!

 

December 2022       December Shows   Reservations are recommended. Call 908-231-8805 x5 or email the Planetarium. Provide your name, phone number, email, which show you want to see, and how many tickets you'd like.   Full schedule is on our website   Sunset Meditation Friday, December 2, 7:00 p.m. How do STEM workers, NASA professionals, athletes, and business executives cope with stress? Mindfulness. Meditation is a powerful tool for maintaining psychological health and resilience. Since the planetarium offers a dark and quiet space for relaxation, it is the perfect place for meditation. Enjoy a guided meditation experience in the comfortable, reclined seats in the RVCC Planetarium. Relax under a night sky filled with stars. (Recommended for ages 10-adult)   Perfect Little Planet Saturday, December 3, 3:00 p.m. Join a family in search of the perfect vacation spot! Which of the planets and moons in our solar system will be their favorite choice? (Recommended for ages 6-12)   Laser Kids Saturday, December 3, 4:00 pm Sing along to an updated playlist while lasers dance on the dome overhead. Songs include “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond, “Levitating” by Dua Lipa, and “Can’t Stop this Feeling” by Justin Timberlake. (Recommended for ages 6-12)   Astronomy Tonight Saturday, December 3, 7:00 p.m. Using the Planetarium’s DigitalSky digital theater, experience a guided tour of the night sky. Learn about some of the popular constellations visible from sunset to sunrise, as well as the stories behind them. Hear about how and where in the sky to find the brightest planets. Weather permitting, the 3M Observatory will be open after the show. (Recommended for ages 8 to adult)   Pink Floyd: The Wall laser concert December 3 at 8 pm Chill out to the music of Pink Floyd, with hits from this album including "Hey You" and "Comfortably Numb." Just a reminder, we are a smoke-free campus.   Sensory-Friendly Show   The Sky Above Saturday, December 3 5:00 p.m. A special astronomy and music show designed for families with children on the Autism spectrum or those with developmental disabilities. These sensory-friendly shows, which are appropriate for audiences of all ages, will provide a comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming to all families. During the show, the doors will remain open so children may freely leave and return if they choose. Lights will be left dim (instead of dark) and the audio will be lowered and kept at a consistent level. “The Sky Above” show includes music, laser lights, stories, and information about the planets, the Moon and constellations. Content is presented on a kindergarten level.   Christmas Season     The Alien Who Stole Christmas Saturdays, December 10 and 17, 3:00 p.m. Discover the stars visible in the winter sky. Then follow Santa on a trip through the solar system when a friendly alien kidnaps him. The kids on the other planets need presents too, you know! (recommended for ages 6-10) Winter Wonder Lights laser concert Saturdays, December 10 and 17, at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Listen to holiday hits such as “Wizards in Winter,” “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree,” "Heat Miser" and "Snow Miser," and “Dominic the Donkey” while lasers dance on the dome overhead. (Recommended for ages 6-adult)     The Christmas Star Saturdays, December 10 and 17, 7:00 pm Over the years, many people have tried to explain the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, as described in the Bible. Was it an exploding star, a comet or some other natural event in the sky? Potential natural explanations for the Star of Bethlehem and common modern-day misconceptions are discussed. The program includes a brief tour of the current night sky. (Recommended for ages 8 to adult)   December at a Glance   Friday, December 2 7:00 pm Sunset Meditation   Saturday, December 3 3:00 pm  Perfect Little Planet (ages 6-12) 4:00 pm Laser Kids laser concert (ages 6-12) 5:00 pm The Sky Above, a sensory-friendly program (all ages) 7:00 pm  Astronomy Tonight (ages 8-adult) 8:00 pm Pink Floyd: The Wall laser concert (ages 10-adult)   Saturday, December 10 3:00 pm  The Alien Who Stole Christmas (ages 6-10) 4:00 pm Winter Wonder Lights laser concert laser concert (ages 5-12) 7:00 pm  The Christmas Star (ages 8-adult) 8:00 pm Winter Wonder Lights laser concert laser concert (ages 5-12)   Saturday, December 17 3:00 pm  The Alien Who Stole Christmas (ages 6-10) 4:00 pm Winter Wonder Lights laser concert laser concert (ages 5-12) 7:00 pm  The Christmas Star (ages 8-adult) 8:00 pm Winter Wonder Lights laser concert laser concert (ages 5-12)   The Planetarium is closed December 23, 2022 – January 2, 2023. Public shows resume Saturday, January 7, 2023.   Visit our website for Show Schedules and Descriptions   Good to Know... 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.     Moon Phases New Moon November 23 First Quarter November 30 Full Moon December 7 The Cold Moon Last Quarter December 16 December is the month when winter truly begins in most of the Northern Hemisphere. Most of the ancient Full Moon names are related to the low temperatures and darkness of December. The most common name is the Cold Moon, while another is Long Night Moon. The Anglo-Saxon name was the Moon Before Yule, which is the ancient celebration around the winter solstice. The December Full Moon is also called Oak Moon, while a Celtic name was Wolf Moon. Today, however, this name is more common for the January Full Moon.   Moon touches Mars!   Wednesday, December 7, 11:00 pm Don't miss the spectacular pairing of Mars and the Full Moon!   Mars is shining at a respectable magnitude -1.8, but the Moon is SO BRIGHT at magnitude -12.   From many places, observers will watch the Moon actually block Mars briefly. New Jersey appears to be just outside of the area where the occultation will happen, but we will see the two awfully close to each other.   Now, will we have clear skies that night?   Winter Solstice - December 21   On the December Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning away from the Sun. We have the fewest number of daylight hours. We often call this the shortest day of the year, even though the rotation of the Earth still takes about 24 hours.   The Sun is directly overhead on the Tropic of Capricorn (latitude 23.5 degrees South). Near the equator, everyone has about 12 hours of daylight. As you get farther north of the equator, you have less and less hours of daylight. In New Jersey, we'll have about 9 hours of daylight. Above the Arctic Circle, they are in polar night, with no sunlight at all.     Explore the Universe with RVCC Planetarium     Please Consider Making a Tax-Deductible Donation to the Planetarium 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!   Donate   To reach us, email planet@raritanval.edu.