Public Planetarium Shows
Wernher von Braun Planetarium
Wernher von Braun Planetarium
Our VBAS members and guest speakers present a variety of astronomy related programs in our planetarium every Saturday at 7:30 pm for the public and by special arrangements for groups at other times. Our programs are presenter lead presentations 
projected onto our dome with three HD digital projectors. Most of our presentations are developed by individual presenters and this allows the audience to have an opportunity to interact with someone who has researched the particular topic and can likely answer most of your questions. While the majority of our shows are suitable for most ages, some topics may be a bit more technical than others. A program on black holes or the structure of stars may be little more difficult for younger audience members to understand compared to a show about one of the planets or a Harry Potter themed show. Our show will also include a "star show" using our Spitz A3P Planetarium Projector to project of the current night sky's stars on the dome, where you will learn to find some of the key constellations visible that night. Follow this link for directions to our facilities or you can click the "Directions" link in the General menu on the left. We recommended that you plan to arrive 30 minutes before our programs in order to have time to park and find a seat.
If you have any questions about our Saturday night programs, or would like to schedule a group program, contact our Planetarium Director, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or our Director of Education and Programs This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Admission for Saturday Night Programs
Admission is $5 for Adults, $3 for Students, and free for children under 6, as well as VBAS members. All seating is general admission payable at the door. We are unable to offer pre-sale admission. Weather permitting, you will have the opportunity to look at some of the wonders of the universe through our telescopes following the planetarium program with the help of our experienced and knowledgeable observing crew.
Our Public Planetarium Shows in the Wernher von Braun Planetarium start at 7:30 PM
2019 Upcoming Planetarium Shows
Written by Administrator Wednesday, 02 January 2019 20:17
Below is the tentative schedule of our regular Saturday night public planetarium shows in the Wernher von Braun Planetarium for 2019. In 2019 we have a wide variety of programs scheduled in our planetarium focusing on spaceflight and the missions to the Moon. Additionally, we have a few other programs sprinkled throughout the year focused on the current night sky, deep sky objects, and ancient astronomy, just to name a few. ***Please note that topics may change and presenters may change without notice.
| Date | Topic | Presenter |
| 1/5/2019 | Ancient Astronomy | Mitzi Adams |
| 1/12/2019 | How to use a Telescope | Frank Schenck |
| 1/19/2019 | Lunar Eclipse | Naveen Vetcha |
| 1/26/2019 | Ancient Astronomy | Naveen Vetcha |
| 2/2/2019 | Giants of Astronomy | Gena Crook |
| 2/9/2019 | Giants of Astronomy | Gena Crook |
| 2/17/2019 | Winter Skies | Doug Horacek |
| 2/23/2019 | Giants of Astronomy | Gena Crook |
| 3/2/2019 | Lunar Lava Tubes | Eric Silkowski |
| 3/9/2019 | Kepler Telescope | Gena Crook |
| 3/16/2019 | Spring Skies | Mitzi Adams |
| 3/23/2019 | Moon | Caleb Fassett |
| 3/30/2019 | Lunar Lava Tubes | Eric Silkowski |
| 4/6/2019 | Space Race | Don Reed |
| 4/13/2019 | Space Race | Don Reed |
| 4/20/2019 | Calendar/Spring Skies | Beth Bero |
| 4/27/2019 | Space Race | Don Reed |
| 5/4/2019 | Mercury Mission | Brenda Rogers |
| 5/11/2019 | Mercury Mission | Brenda Rogers |
| 5/18/2019 | Rocket City History | Eric Silkowski |
| 5/25/2019 | Mercury Mission | Brenda Rogers |
| 6/1/2019 | Gemini Mission | Naveen Vetcha |
| 6/8/2019 | Gemini Mission | Eric Silkowski |
| 6/15/2019 | Milky Way/Summer Skies | Roy Young |
| 6/22/2019 | Gemini Mission | Naveen Vetcha |
| 6/29/2019 | Gemini Mission | Naveen Vetcha |
| 7/6/2019 | Apollo Mission | Don Reed/Naveen Vetcha |
| 7/13/2019 | Apollo Mission | Don Reed |
| 7/20/2019 | Moon Landing 50th Anniversary | Don Reed |
| 7/27/2019 | Apollo Mission | Don Reed |
| 8/3/2019 | Skylab/Long Term Human Presence in Space | Beth Bero |
| 8/10/2019 | Skylab/Long Term Human Presence in Space | Beth Bero |
| 8/17/2019 | Celestial Navigation | Bill Hanson |
| 8/24/2019 | Skylab/Long Term Human Presence in Space | Beth Bero |
| 8/31/2019 | Skylab/Long Term Human Presence in Space | Beth Bero |
| 9/7/2019 | Star Projector Show | Gena Crook |
| 9/14/2019 | Star Projector Show | Gena Crook |
| 9/21/2019 | Fall Skies | Brenda Rogers |
| 9/28/2019 | Star Projector Show | Gena Crook |
| 10/5/2019 | Moon | Frank Schenck |
| 10/12/2019 | Deep Skies | Jared Cassidy |
| 10/19/2019 | Astronomy Day | Various |
| 10/26/2019 | Spooky Skies | Beth Bero |
| 11/2/2019 | Space Shuttle | Gena Crook |
| 11/9/2019 | Space Shuttle | Gena Crook |
| 11/16/2019 | Leonid Meteors | Brenda Rogers |
| 11/23/2019 | Space Shuttle | Gena Crook |
| 11/30/2019 | Star of Wonder | TBD |
| 12/7/2019 | Star of Wonder | Don Reed |
| 12/14/2019 | Star of Wonder | Don Reed |
| 12/21/2019 | Star of Wonder | Beth Bero |
| 12/28/2019 | Goldilocks Zone | Gena Crook/Don Reed |
October 2019 Planetarium Shows
We Host a Public Planetarium Show Every Saturday in the Wernher von Braun Planetarium that Begins at 7:30 PM
The Moon - Saturday, October, 5 at 7:30 PM
Come learn about Earth's own Moon. Frank Schenck, VBAS Director of Facilities and Equipment will discuss the Moon, its make up, phases, craters, and more.
Deep Skies - Saturday, October 12 at 7:30 PM 
Join our Planetarium Director, Jared Cassidy, as he takes us on a journey outside the solar system to explore some of the objects beyond our “neighborhood” that astronomers refer to as Deep Sky Objects. In addition to talking about nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies, we will also look at some basic astronomical distances and hopefully get a grasp of how big space is.
Astronomy Day - Saturday, October 19 at 7:30 PM
Join us on October 19 beginning at 1:00 PM for four FREE planetarium shows in the afternoon and a special presentation at 7:00 PM. Here is the tentative lineup:
- 1:00 The History of Space Flight - Mr. Michael Buford
- 2:00 The Milky Way - Dr. Naveen Vetcha
- 3:00 Meteorites - Mrs. Beth Bero
- 4:00 The History of Space Flight - Mr. Michael Buford
7:00 PM The Past, Present, and Future of Astrophysics: Chandra, IXPE, and Lynx
Presented by Dr. Martin C. Weisskopf NASA/MSFC, Chief Scientist for X-ray Astronomy, Project Scientist for the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and Principal Investigator for the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and Dr. Jessica Gaskin, NASA/MSFC, Research Astrophysicist and Study Scientist for the Lynx Mission, a proposed replacement for the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
For more information regarding Astronomy Day, please click the link in the menu on the left side of the page or click here.
Spooky Skies - Saturday, October 26 at 7:30 PM 
"Asteroids and constellations and meteors, OH MY!"
Part of the fun of Halloween is being scared and this show is all about that! What could be scary about the sky? Come and find out why this season of the year has historically been devoted to death and the dead......We will also look at the many scary things to be found in the sky! Guests under 12 are invited to wear their costumes. Presented by VBAS President, Beth Bero.
Admission for Saturday Planetarium Shows:
Admission is $5 for Adults, $3 for Students, and free for children under 6, as well as VBAS members. All seating is general admission payable at the door. We are unable to offer pre-sale admission. Weather permitting, you will have the opportunity to look at some of the wonders of the universe through our telescopes following the planetarium program with the help of our experienced and knowledgeable observing crew.
