The following is a submission from SMC:
The Santa Monica College (SMC) Planetarium will resume its live, on-campus Friday Evening shows on Nov. 14 with two inaugural shows — the Night Sky Show and the Feature Show “Welcome to the Universe,” a show that explores the cosmic web and the Milky Way.
The planetarium is now located in room MSB 126 of the recently opened LEED Gold-certified Mathematics + Science Building on the SMC Main Campus at 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. The new planetarium features a 9-meter diameter dome and an Evans & Sutherland (E&S) Digistar 4K System with full multimedia show capabilities.
The Friday Evening shows start at 7 p.m. with the weekly Night Sky Show, presenting the latest news in astronomy and space exploration, a family-friendly “tour” of the currently visible constellations and other night-sky celebrities, and the chance to ask the planetarium lecturer astronomy-related questions.
At 8 p.m. the planetarium presents the evening’s Feature Show, which explores a particular topic of interest in more depth. From time to time — weather permitting — the planetarium’s Feature Show will be a telescope viewing session in the new SMC Observatory, which features a 0.7-meter CDK700 telescope, one of the largest available for public viewing in the Greater Los Angeles area. The planetarium also plans to schedule occasional Sunday afternoon matinees in the near future. Details will be posted on the planetarium’s webpage at smc.edu/planetarium.
The November 2025 Feature Shows are:
• Friday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. (following the Night Sky Show at 7 p.m.): “Welcome to the Universe!” — PlanetariumLecturer Sarah Vincent. The solar system is one tiny piece of the universe. Tonight’s show explores the large-scale structure of the cosmic web, then takes a closer look at Earth’s little region of the Milky Way. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.
• Friday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m. (following the Night Sky Show at 7 p.m.): “Lunar Tour” — Planetarium Lecturer Sarah Vincent. All aboard the Lunar Express! Tonight’s show tours Luna from orbit, then explores some famous craters and Apollo landing sites. A brief audience Q&A follows the show.
General admission tickets — currently available at introductory reduced prices — cost $7 ($4 for children ages 3 to 12) for a single show or telescope-viewing session. Tickets for a full evening with both shows cost $14 general admission ($8 for children ages 3 to 12). A $1 processing fee is charged for each ticket. Tickets may be purchased at smc.edu/tickets.
Ample and conveniently located free parking for planetarium shows is available on the SMC Main Campus. More information is available online at smc.edu/planetariumor by calling 310-434-3005. All shows subject to change or cancellation without notice. Santa Monica College (SMC) is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).
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