The Marie Drake Planetarium

Where the stars always shine in Juneau, AK

2007 Shows and Events

Lunar Eclipse Event

On August 28 (around midnight) Juneau will be an excellent location to view a total eclipse of the moon.  Planetarium volunteers will be the at Mendenhall Visitor's Center. Bring your telescopes, binoculars and cameras.


Lunar Eclipse

Find out what causes lunar eclipses and how they differ from solar eclipses. 
Click to learn more

July 4th Parade

Planetarium participated with theme: The Plight of the Plutonians. At that time there was discussion about the issue of perhaps moving capitol outside of Juneau to a more populous locaton.

Photo by Cristina Della Rosa

Nutty Professor Night

What is the Moon?


Is the moon really a cheesey ball? How does the intergalactic space cow travel to the Milky way? Is there a galactic processing plant for cheese? Find out and explore with us.

If you want the answer to any question, google it.

The New Planets

Learn why we now have eight planets and poor Pluto's demotion. The definition of a "planet" has changed.

Gas Giants

Learn about Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune 

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are known as the gas planets because they are large spinning bodies of gases with no solid surfaces. These planets are located far from the Sun, and have rings made of rock, ice, and dust. If we could weigh these large planets, we'd find they have a very low density compared to their gigantic size. In other words, they're light.  


NASA image of Neptune

Romance Under the Stars 
Enjoy Valentine's Day with the stars. Live music with George Wallace. Bring your sweetheart, pillow and a blanket and watch the stars slowly pass by on our 30 foot dome. Select a star and name it after your special someone by certifying it with the Marie Drake Planetarium registry.
Star map photo 
Seeing through Binoculars, Books and Telescopes
Image from bigstock.com
Wallace and Grommit Movie - a Grand Day Out 

Find out if the Moon is made of Cheese in this short family film.

Summer movies for children (June, July and August)

Isn't the MOON made out of cheese? Wallace and Gromit decide to visit the Moon to get some yummy cheese. This is 25 minute movie that will be shown on the dome. 

Northern Lights of Juneau

Photos by Juneau photographer Joe McCabe

Visit his website for photos of wildlife and the norttern lights.
Yoga Under the Stars

 (January and December) with Cynthia Pring-Ham
For all ages and all levels. Start the New Year with Yoga

Webs stock image

Colliding Galaxies 

Learn what happens when billions of stars fly at each other at hundreds of miles per second. Also see surprise winter constellation. 

NASA image:  When galaxies collide.

Equinox, Solstice and Seasons 

Are you confused? Learn the planetary secrets about this trio. Are they inter-related" What makes the world go round?. Excellent explanations to provide you what you need to know. Come and explore with us.
Internet Astronomy 

There are lots of new way to learn about our solar system.  Find out the best ways to get access to the information you desire. View fascinating solar action. Check out your horoscope for Libra.
Northern Lights

Get updated about auroras. What causes their different colors? . Shows in March and September.
Rainy Day Stars
In the summer we will use the starball on Tuesday evenings ONLY if the weather is bad. 

Nebulas

Nebulas are clouds of gas and dust in space. Some are regions where new stars are being formed., others are the remains of dying or dead stars. They have amazing shapes and colors. Learn about the types of nebulas and enjoy their beauty. 

NASA image of Helix Nebula

Rocky Planet Picture Show

Learn about Earth, Venus, Mars and Mercury which are also knows as terrestrial planets.
Also visit the asteroid belt, Ceres and the planet Pluto.
This is your chance to get all the big information about the solar "rocky" stuff.
NASA image. This artist's concept shows the approximate relative sizes of the terrestrial planets of the inner solar system. Correct distances are not shown.