UAA Planetarium

Make plans for a weekend of astronomy and family fun. Visit https://aac-uaa.evenue.net/events/PLAN now!

Friday’s double feature includes Mexica Archeoastronomy and Mayan Archeoastronomy — two immersive 20-minute films exploring how the Aztec and Maya civilizations understood the universe through astronomy, mythology, and stunning visuals.

Then on Saturday, join us for our Kids Matinee: Magic Tree House: Space Mission. Perfect for ages 5–11, this adventure follows Jack and Annie from the bestselling book series as they journey from an observatory to outer space to solve a mysterious riddle!

This weekend, come experience A Place Like No Other — plus our NEW show, Lila: Life Cycles and Connections! 🎬

A Place Like No Other adventures through Alaska’s remote wilderness, iconic wildlife, and breathtaking landscapes that define the Last Frontier. After the film, stay for our live presentation: Journey to the Moon! Explore the Moon’s phases, eclipses, and humanity’s return to the lunar surface through the Artemis missions.

🐛 Kids 6–13 can also enjoy our new 30-minute Kid’s Matinee: Lila: Life Cycles and Connections! Shrink down to caterpillar size and dive into a vibrant ecosystem while learning about photosynthesis, the water cycle, climate change, and how to become an “Ecosystem Hero.”

Head to https://aac-uaa.evenue.net/events/PLAN for tickets.

Our next show lineup just dropped! Check out what we're showing this summer, including our NEW feature, Lila: Life Cycles and Connections. Head over to https://aac-uaa.evenue.net/events/PLAN now to save your seat.

🚨🚨It’s your last chance to catch these films before the Spring Season ends! 🚨🚨 Don’t miss out this Saturday, April 25th.

Big Astronomy | 6:30pm
This planetarium show takes visitors to the extreme sites where astronomy happens in the most extreme environments and with some of the most interesting people. Discover Chile’s grand observatories and meet the people who push the limits of technology and what we know about the universe using world-class telescopes. Following the show, Planetarium manager Sera Shaughnessy will give a live presentation: Spring Stars!

Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity | 8pm
This full-dome show, narrated by Liam Neeson, uses advanced computer simulations to visualize black holes, exploring concepts like Einstein's theories, galactic collisions, and the formation of the early universe. Following the show, Planetarium manager Sera Shaughnessy will give a live presentation: Tour the Solar System!

Get your tickets at: https://aac-uaa.evenue.net/events/PLAN

Don’t miss our last kid’s matinee for the spring season this Saturday, April 25th!

One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure | 3pm and 4:30pm
Recommended for ages 0-5, this film brings you a brilliant spectacle of light and color as the furry friends watch the stars twinkle over Sesame Street. 🐣 Children attending the show can interact as they watch, drawing constellations and counting the time it takes the sun to set.

Get your tickets now: https://aac-uaa.evenue.net/events/PLAN

We are bringing the heat this June with summer camps for middle and high school students 🎨📚 With week-long fun learning in creative writing, dance, psychology, chemistry, fandom, forensic anthropology, and more, we’ve got something for every curious mind.

Even better: through a partnership with ConocoPhillips, eligible students from participating Title I schools can attend completely free — including tuition, lunch, and transportation.

Head to the link in our bio for more, or go to https://buff.ly/i2NnSJF.

We’re giving you two films for the price of one this Friday, April 17! ✨

Watch Aurora Storm and Above Alaska back-to-back—a combined 45-minute experience—at two separate showings: 6:30 PM or 8:00 PM.

Aurora Storm + Above Alaska | 6:30pm and 8pm
Aurora Storm is a spellbinding 360° short film about the Northern Lights, describing the cultural significance of the aurora and the science behind this beautiful phenomenon. With quotes from journals of past Arctic explorers and the words of indigenous people, we discover how humans living beneath these undulating lights are inspired by what they see. Above Alaska shows you the aurora running wild in the Land of the Midnight Sun! Visit the remote forests and mountains of Alaska for a night under the northern lights. Shot in vivid high-resolution 4k fulldome format, the show features some of the best aurora displays from the last two years as filmed from different locations throughout the state.

Following both the 6:30pm and 8pm showing, a 30-minute flame test will be performed by the ACS chemistry club with Dr. Jessica Knight’s live presentation: Why we see the colors we do in the Aurora.

Head to https://aac-uaa.evenue.net/events/PLAN to grab your tickets now.

We’ve got something NEW for you to see at the Planetarium this Saturday (April 11)!

Bella Gaia | 6:30pm and 8pm
Playing publicly at our PVT for the first time ever, Bella Gaia features amazing imagery of the Earth from space, data visualizations, and stirring live performances of music and dance from around the world. These topics are threaded by an orbiting flight path and stunning NASA imagery from the International Space Station. Bella Gaia is a globally recognized immersive experience created by award-winning director, composer, and violinist Kenji Williams.

Both showings will be followed by a presentation from Planetarium manager Sera Shaughnessy: Spring Stars and Tour of the Solar System.

Dinosaurs: A Story of Survival | 3pm and 4:30pm
This popular kid's matinee returns for your family or little learner to enjoy! This animated film takes viewers on a journey with characters Celeste and Moon. Together, we’ll see dinosaurs in the past– and maybe find out they’re here in the present too?

Both showings will be followed by a live presentation from Dr. Jess McLaughlin (UAA Biological Sciences) Modern Day Dinosaurs.

Get your tickets now at https://aac-uaa.evenue.net/events/PLAN

Here’s what’s showing at the UAA PVT this Friday, April 10 🔍

Chasing the Ghost Particle | 6:30pm
This show tells the incredible story of how an international team of scientists and engineers transformed one billion tons of Antarctic ice into a telescope. Building this tool was a titanic endeavor driven by a human passion for discovery. Audiences will witness stunning views of the South Pole and eye-catching views of the cosmos. Following the show, UAA Astrophysicist Dr. Katherine Rawlins will give a presentation: The latest results from the IceCube Observatory

8pm | Phantom of the Universe
From the journey of protons racing through the world’s largest particle collider in Europe to up-close views of the Big Bang and emergent cosmos, Phantom of the Universe is a full-dome planetarium show designed to immerse audiences in the search for dark matter. This film is narrated by Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton. Following this screening, Dr. Rawlins will give a live presentation: So, have we found Dark Matter yet?