Radford University Physics

09/28/2026

09/28/2026

The full dome show at the Radford University Planetarium for this week's 7 p.m. Thursday and 10:30 a.m. Saturday shows (October 1 & 3) is "Unveiling the Invisible Universe."

For thousands of years humans observed the light coming from the night sky with their eyes. In the beginning of the 17th century, the invention of the telescope by Galileo revolutionized our knowledge of the Universe. Finally, in the 20th century with the advent of rockets, it became possible to go above the earth’s atmosphere and observe X-ray and gamma ray radiation which are the marks of the hot and violent Universe. But it is not only light that can give us information about the cosmos. Neutrinos and cosmic rays also provide vital information. Finally, the detection by the LIGO experiment of gravitational waves from two merging black holes opened a new window in astrophysics. This show presents images of the cosmos as revealed by all these different messengers.

This show was produced by Integrated Activities in the High-Energy Astrophysics Domain (AHEAD2020) and funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871158.

The Radford University Planetarium 2026 fall semester shows are Thursday and Saturday @10:30am.
https://www.radford.edu/planetarium

09/24/2026

The Radford University Planetarium will have our 10:30am Saturday shows for the rest of the semester with the exception of Fall Break and Thakksgiving Break. The show for Saturday, September 26 will be "Voyage to Distant Worlds."

Come with us on a tour of the planets in our solar system. Discover facts you never knew about our neighboring worlds and how they differ from our familiar home. This immersive tour of our solar system starts with our own star and travels to the far reaches of our solar system, even beyond the distant Kuiper Belt.

This show was produced by the Casper Planetarium and lasts for 36 visually stunning minutes.

More shows will be added in the near future as we continue to settle on our regular schedule for the fall.
https://www.radford.edu/planetarium

09/18/2026

Yes, she really does all of this. And more!

Physics major’s extensive resume lead to prestigious summer internship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C.

09/18/2026

The Radford University Planetarium is starting our Saturday shows with a soft opening this Saturday, September 19 at 10:30am. The show will be "Voyage to Distant Worlds."

Come with us on a tour of the planets in our solar system. Discover facts you never knew about our neighboring worlds and how they differ from our familiar home. This immersive tour of our solar system starts with our own star and travels to the far reaches of our solar system, even beyond the distant Kuiper Belt.

This show was produced by the Casper Planetarium and lasts for 38 visually stunning minutes.

More shows will be added in the near future as we continue to settle on our regular schedule for the fall.
https://www.radford.edu/planetarium

09/09/2026

We're back!!! The Radford University Planetarium is gently restarting for the fall semester with - so far - our Thursday night shows. We are working to add more shows but this will give us a chance to get things going again after the long layoff.

The upcoming shows for the Radford University Planetarium for this coming Thursday, September 10, and the following 2 Thursdays is "Secret Lives of Stars."

Not all stars are created equal. Some are massive. Others are tiny; almost insignificant. The specific characteristics of a star will determine what type of life it will lead, how long it might live and even the type of death it will die. We will witness the amazing variety of stars and peer into their secret lives. Every star has a unique story to tell. Come join us as we listen to their stories.

This 27-minute show is narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart of TV's Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men films. This show was produced by Evans & Sutherland, a Cosm company.

The Radford University Planetarium shows will start with our Thursday night 7pm shows. More shows will be added in the near future.
https://www.radford.edu/planetarium

05/03/2026

One of the great traditions that we have is our Graduates' Breakfast on the morning of Radford University's Commencement. This gives everyone a chance to gather one last time, this time including their families and friends. And, other graduates who are permanent members of the "Physics family" who were able to join us. This gives the Physics faculty a chance to meet (often again) the families who have done such a great job getting their graduates to this milestone. And, it gives the families a chance to talk more with the faculty members who have been so involved with their grads over the years. It's often bittersweet since we (faculty) have invested so much in these students who we will miss so much.