VBAS

All planetarium shows begin at 7:30pm.

Admission opens at 7:00pm; $5/adult, $3/student, 6 and under free.

Telescope viewing afterwards on clear nights.

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October 3rd – The Science of Sci-Fi

Science fiction has always pushed the limits of imagination but how much of it could be real? We will dive into the science behind the best stories, from the alien biology of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars to the psychological and physical mysteries of Sphere, the survival driven physics of Project Hail Mary, and the visionary space travel of 2001: A Space Odyssey. We’ll break down what stories get right, where they stretch the truth, and how real-world science and engineering shape what’s possible.

Presented by Maggie Johnson

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October 10th – Magic Carpet

Our star projector can help us pretend to fly anywhere on Earth – like a magic carpet! See the motion of the stars across the sky at the equator, north pole, and southern hemisphere. Watch how the sun changes positions at these locations. Y ou may be surprised if you haven’t actually been to the equator or the north pole in person! We will put the star projector to work and use it to show its unique educational capabilities.

Presented by Gena Crook

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October 17th – Astronomy Night!

Special Guest Speaker, Dr. Heidi Haviland, Planetary Scientist of NASA, will talk about Lunar Science from Artemis I, II & Commercially Landed Payloads. Dr. Haviland will highlight the science gained during the recent Artemis and commercial lander missions. Test flight Artemis I included several biology payloads and deployed ten Cube Satellites. Come learn more about these historic missions!

Presented by Dr. Heidi Haviland

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October 24th – Spooky Skies!

Join us for a fun and child-friendly look at the scarier side of the autumn night sky. Learn about ancient traditions based on observations of the night sky and take a look at some scary nebulas! Costumes for ages 12 and under welcome. Treats available after the show.

Presented by Beth Bero

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October 31st – Spooky Skies!

Join us for a fun and child-friendly look at the scarier side of the autumn night sky. Learn about ancient traditions based on observations of the night sky and take a look at some scary nebulas! Costumes for ages 12 and under welcome. Treats available after the show.

Presented by Beth Bero

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All planetarium shows begin at 7:30pm.

Admission opens at 7:00pm; $5/adult, $3/student, 6 and under free.

Telescope viewing afterwards on clear nights.

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September 5th – Red Planet

From the time unknown humans were obsessed with the red dot moving across the sky. Mars, the Red Planet was woven into myths, religion, literature, and art across various civilizations and cultures over millennia. Technological advancements and space exploration in the 20th century reignited our fascination with the planet that resulted in learning a lot about our neighbor in the solar system. Join us on a brief journey to the Red Planet, our cosmic neighbor.

Presented by Naveen Vetcha

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September 12th – Bird Brained Astronomers

Birds can be remarkable astronomers despite their tiny brains! Some birds journey thousands of miles every year relying heavily on the stars to guide them. We will discover how they do it, what other animals watch the stars, and how do scientists know. Join us on a fantastic voyage as we use the planetarium stars to guide us as we migrate south with the birds.

Presented by Eric Silkowski

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September 19th – Fall Skies

The Summer Triangle hangs in the west and the less brilliant stars of fall are climbing high in the sky. The geometry of where the Earth is in its orbit around the Sun in the fall allows us a view out into the depths of the Universe. Come and learn what there is to see with your eyes, binoculars or a telescope.

Presented by Alex Hall

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September 26th – The Russian Space Program

Join us for a comparative history of manned Soviet spaceflight! From planes to capsules, we’ll learn about the successes and failures of heroes like Yuri Gagarin and Alexei Leonov!

Presented by Haley Rice

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All planetarium shows begin at 7:30pm.

Admission opens at 7:00pm; $5/adult, $3/student, 6 and under free.

Telescope viewing afterwards on clear nights.

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August 1st – How’s the Weather on the Moon?

Yes indeed there is weather on the Moon. There is no significant lunar atmosphere so this environment poses significant hazards to our astronauts and lunar bases. Dr. Rob Suggs, retired NASA scientist, spent most of his career providing specifications of space environments to spacecraft designers and he contributed to the specifications in use by Artemis mission designers. Rob will describe lunar “weather” and what spacecraft designers need to do about it.

Presented by Rob Suggs

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August 8th – The Life of a Star

Stars! Have you ever looked up into the night sky, and wondered: What are those bright colorful points of light doing? How did they come to be? What are they made of? How hot do they burn? Why do they come in different colors, and what does that mean? How might they end? And, do we come from the stars? We have answers. Join us on an exciting exploration of our stellar cosmos!

Presented by Cyril Bryan

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August 15th – The Life of a Star

Stars! Have you ever looked up into the night sky, and wondered: What are those bright colorful points of light doing? How did they come to be? What are they made of? How hot do they burn? Why do they come in different colors, and what does that mean? How might they end? And, do we come from the stars? We have answers. Join us on an exciting exploration of our stellar cosmos!

Presented by Cyril Bryan

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August 22nd – Celebrating Birds in the Sky

There are nine birds in the constellations of the night sky. Here in Alabama we can only see three of them. We’ll use our star projector to travel very, very far south and look for the southern birds. Perhaps you’ll learn something new about an exotic bird or two. Families welcome.

Presented by Gena Crook

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August 29th – Bird Brained Astronomers

Birds can be remarkable astronomers despite their tiny brains! Some birds journey thousands of miles every year relying on the stars to guide them. We will discover how they do it, what other animals watch the stars, and how scientists know. Join us on a fantastic voyage as we use planetarium stars to guide us as we migrate south with birds.

Presented by Gena Crook and Eric Silkowski

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All planetarium shows begin at 7:30pm.

Admission opens at 7:00pm; $5/adult, $3/student, 6 and under free.

Telescope viewing afterwards on clear nights.

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July 4th – Red, White, and Blue Stars

Join us on a patriotic tour of American Astronomy and Space Exploration to celebrate the USA’s 250th Birthday! From Benjamin Franklin to the Artemis II Astronauts, the USA has had a starring role in astronomical research and space exploration. We will explore the USA’s greatest achievements and many lesser-known facts as we marchacross space and time from 1776 Philadelphia to 2026 and interstellar space!

Presented by Eric Silkowski

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July 11th – Astronaut Art

The wonders of thecosmos have inspired numerous works of art in all forms and throughout history. Many astronauts have turned to creative expression to convey their profound experiences in space. Through exposure to these pieces, we can achieve a glimpse at what the universe has to offer, from our unique and creative human perspective.

Presented by Julia von Hermann

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July 18th – Sci Fi

Science fiction has always pushed the limits of imagination but how much of it could be real? We will dive into the science behind the best stories, from the alien biology of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars to the psychological and physical mysteries of Sphere, the survival driven physics of Project Hail Mary, and the visionary space travel of 2001: A Space Odyssey. We’ll break down what these stories get right, where they stretch the truth, and how real-world physics, biology, and engineering shape what’s possible.

Presented by Maggie Johnson

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July 25th – How’s the Weather on the Moon?

Yes indeed there is weather on the Moon. There is no significant lunar atmosphere so this environment poses significant hazards to our astronauts and lunar bases. Dr. Rob Suggs, retired NASA scientist, spent most of his career providing specifications of space environments to spacecraft designers and he contributed to the specifications in use by Artemis mission designers. Rob will describe lunar “weather” and what spacecraft designers need to do about it.

Presented by Rob Suggs

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All planetarium shows begin at 7:30pm.

Admission opens at 7:00pm; $5/adult, $3/student, 6 and under free.

Telescope viewing afterwards on clear nights.

---

June 6th – Magic Carpet

Our star projector can help us pretend to fly anywhere on Earth – like a magic carpet! See the motion of the stars across the sky at the equator, north pole, and southern hemisphere. Watch how the sun changes positions at these locations. You may be surprised if you haven’t actually been to the equator or the north pole in person! We will put the star projector to work and use it to show its unique educational capabilities.

Presented by Gena Crook

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June 13th – Birds of the Night

There are nine birds in the constellations of the night sky. Here in Alabama we can only see three of them. We’ll use our star projector to travel very, very far south and look for the “southern birds.” Perhaps you’ll learn something new about an exotic bird or two. Families welcome.

Presented by Gena Crook

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June 20th – Summer Skies

Join us on a cosmic journey, navigating our summer skies: the stars, the constellations, many beautiful deep sky objects, and perhaps even some historical tales about them. We will also use our sky dome simulation projector to show where in the sky all these are located.

Presented by Cyril Bryan

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June 27th – Red, White and Blue Stars

TBD

Presented by Eric Silkowski

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All planetarium shows begin at 7:30pm.

Admission opens at 7:00pm; $5/adult, $3/student, 6 and under free.

Telescope viewing afterwards on clear nights.

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May 2nd – Birds of the Night

Monte Sano State Park is hosting a “Feather Fest” at the lodge today. Maybe you can attend that event. VBAS will participate by celebrating all things feathered in the night sky. There are birds everywhere at night and we’ll look for them on our planetarium dome. Families welcome.

Presented by Gena Crook

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May 9th – Sci-Fi

Science fiction has always pushed the limits of imagination but how much of it could actually be real? We will dive into the science behind the most iconic and thought-provoking stories, from the alien biology of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars to the psychological and physical mysteries of Sphere, the survival driven physics of Project Hail Mary, and the visionary space travel of 2001: A Space Odyssey. We’ll break down what these stories get right, where they stretch the truth, and how real-world physics, biology, and engineering shape what’s possible. From alien life and artificial intelligence to relativistic travel and human survival in extreme environments, this show explores the line between fiction and reality and challenges you to decide for yourself: how far away is the future we imagine?

Presented by Maggie Sexton

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May 16th – Sci-Fi

Science fiction has always pushed the limits of imagination but how much of it could actually be real? We will dive into the science behind the most iconic and thought-provoking stories, from the alien biology of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars to the psychological and physical mysteries of Sphere, the survival driven physics of Project Hail Mary, and the visionary space travel of 2001: A Space Odyssey. We’ll break down what these stories get right, where they stretch the truth, and how real-world physics, biology, and engineering shape what’s possible. From alien life and artificial intelligence to relativistic travel and human survival in extreme environments, this show explores the line between fiction and reality and challenges you to decide for yourself: how far away is the future we imagine?

Presented by Maggie Sexton

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May 23rd – Magic Carpet

Our star projector can help us pretend to fly anywhere on Earth – like a magic carpet! See the motion of the stars across the sky at the equator, north pole, and southern hemisphere. Watch how the sun changes positions at these locations. You may be surprised if you haven’t actually been to the equator or the north pole in person! We will put the star projector to work and use it to show its unique educational capabilities.

Presented by Gena Crook

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May 30th – Summer Skies

Join us on a cosmic journey, navigating our summer skies: the stars, the constellations, many beautiful deep sky objects, and perhaps even some historical tales about them. We will also use our sky dome simulation projector to show where in the sky all these are located.

Presented by Cyril Bryan

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