The Sky Tonight

Embark on a captivating tour of the night sky as seen from our area, featuring visible planets, bright stars, seasonal constellations, periodic comets, upcoming rocket launches, and more!

In September, you can see the Milky Way directly overhead just after sunset. We’ll look at the busy, dusty Galactic Center, with its frenetic dance of a dozen bright stars around the central black hole, out to the quieter galactic hinterlands and space beyond.

In October, Saturn becomes visible at sunset and appears earlier in the evening as the month progresses. One of the most spectacular sights in the Solar System, Saturn is especially striking when viewed through a telescope. Learn how to find the ringed planet in the night sky and get tips for spotting it on your own.

On Sunday, October 4, and Saturday, October 10, enjoy a special showing of The Sky Tonight celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Hudson River Museum’s Planetarium. On October 7, 1956, the Museum’s first planetarium opened its doors—in the Dining Room of Glenview! Things were a little different back then: the Moon was the only object orbiting Earth, Pluto was still a planet, and black holes were just a twinkle in Einstein’s eye. Travel back to 1956 to discover what we knew—and didn’t know—about the cosmos and how much our understanding of the universe, and our planetarium, have evolved over the past 70 years.

In November, the Pleiades, a cluster of young stars a little over 300 light-years away, will be visible all night long. It’s easy to spot the six or seven brightest stars in the cluster, but there’s more to the Pleiades than meets the eye. Learn all about these stellar toddlers, only about 100 million years old, and discover what makes this familiar cluster so fascinating.

Recommended for ages 8+; 60-minute live and interactive show. Advance ticket purchase is encouraged.