The month of September is an active one for stargazers on the Michigan State University campus.
Two new shows beginning this weekend at MSU’s Abrams Planetarium will offer visitors of all ages a chance to discover the solar system and expand their understanding of the universe.
The planetarium’s new feature show, “Two Small Pieces of Glass,” premiers at 8 p.m. on Friday and will play every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 4 p.m., until late November.
“This is a very exciting show being run in honor of 2015 being declared the International Year of Light,” said Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium. “Prior to the feature there will be a short show about light pollution.”
Visitors will learn how the telescope has helped us understand space and learn about discoveries they’ve made while viewing the Galilean moons, Saturn’s rings and the spiral structure of galaxies.
The planetarium’s new family show, “Perfect Little Planet”, begins this Sunday at 2 p.m., and will show at that time every Sunday through early March. The show follows a family from another star system as they explore some of the features of our galaxy’s planets.
“This is a very fun and energetic show, and great for the little ones,” Schmoll said.
In addition, on Saturday from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., the MSU Observatory will be holding an event for International Observe the Moon Night. Admission is free to this public event that encourages observation, appreciation and understanding of the moon.
Finally, on Sept. 27 the planetarium will be holding a special event to mark the last lunar eclipse occurring for several years.
For more information, please visit the websites for the Abrams Planetarium, the MSU Observatory and International Observe the Moon Night.