The Willard Smith Planetarium aims to inspire a lifelong interest in the science of astronomy, the culture of astronomy and the experience of the night sky. We do this by engaging visitors in a welcoming, interactive learning environment where their curiosity is embraced and their ability to continue exploring on their own is enhanced. The Planetarium is open to the public every day. See our →Visitor Info section for ticket prices. School groups and other private groups can also reserve the Planetarium for a show whose content is tailored to the ages of the group.

Planetarium Show Schedule
Children under 4 years are not admitted to the planetarium, except for Preschool All-Stars. There is no late seating.


Martian Adventures: A Tale Of Two Robots
Come hear stories about the adventures of NASA's Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Make your own decisions regarding some of the challenges they've faced and learn to find Mars in tonight's sky. View photos of the Martian surface that are less than a week old, and root for the rovers to keep on roving! Ticket required (FREE tickets for Pacific Science Center members!) 40 minutes - ages 4 and up. Children under 4 are not admitted.

The Halloween Show - Seasonal, Public Show
This show is a spooky exploration of some of the mythology and astronomy behind Halloween. This show is recommended for ages 7 and up, but everyone over 4 is welcome. Ticket required (FREE for Pacific Science Center members!).

The Star of Bethlehem - Seasonal, Private Bookings Only
The Star of Bethlehem is an important Christmas time image for the Christian faith. Your group will voyage through the night sky with one of our expert planetarians and learn what events were taking place overhead in the Judean sky that may have been interpreted by the Magi in the Gospel of Matthew as the Star of Bethlehem. This interactive show brings science, history, and religion together in one unforgettable evening! This show is recommended for ages 7 and up; call (206)443-3625 to book a showing for your group.

What's Up in the Sky?

Be sure to check out →AstroInfo for stories of what's happening out there, written by Planetarium Specialist, Alice Enevoldsen.

To see what's up in the night sky, check out our →Starmaps
If you are looking for information about moon phases, planets and other celestial objects, try these two sources:
  • From Sky and Telescope, →Sky at a Glance covers what's up in the sky on a weekly basis.
  • From ASTRONOMY magazine, check out the current monthly happenings in their →Sky Show.
If more metallic objects are your goal...
  • JPL publishes a →Space Calendar with all the month's launches plus other astronomy/space details.
  • To find a satellite or other object, try →Heavens-Above especially for Iridium flares while they still exist!
  • And there's always →NASA's Marshall Space Center's site for tracking the ISS, space shuttle, Hubble, Chandra, GRO and more -- in real time! (Requires Java plug-in.)
Need more space-related links? We have plenty on our →Astronomy Resources Page.

For recorded information on what's in the sky this month, call (206)443-2920. For other help, contact the Planetarium Supervisor at (206)443-2385.