AstroFriday

The San Juan College Planetarium invites the community to its next AstroFriday presentation, “The Astronomy of Harry Potter,” on Friday, March 27, with showtimes at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, but seating is limited to 60 people per show and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Spring sky maps will also be distributed while supplies last.

Visitors embark on a magical journey through the night sky, highlighting astronomical objects whose names appear in the popular Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling and the corresponding films.

During this engaging sky tour, guests will learn how many characters in the series were named after real celestial objects. For example, the character Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather, takes his name from Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky as seen from Earth and the principal star in the constellation Canis Major, the Great Dog. In the stories, Sirius can shapeshift into a large black dog, making the astronomical connection especially fitting.

Weather permitting, a free public stargaze will follow at 8:30 p.m. in the courtyard behind the Planetarium. Lasting up to one hour, the stargaze has no capacity limit and will feature a variety of spectacular deep-sky sights.

Dominating the evening sky will be the waxing gibbous Moon and the bright planet Jupiter, with the possibility of spotting the distant planet Uranus. Observers will also look for the colorful double star Gamma Andromedae and Polaris, our famous binary North Star. Telescopes may also reveal several remarkable deep-sky objects, including the whimsical “E.T. Cluster” in Cassiopeia, the Seven Sisters star cluster, the magnificent Orion Nebula and the Beehive Cluster in the constellation Cancer.

“We hope you’ll join us for an evening of discovery and some truly marvelous celestial viewing,” said David Mayeux, Planetarium Director.

The planetarium reserves the right to substitute shows. It is also possible (though not probable) for there to be a change in a show's date due to unforeseen circumstances. 

For more information, please feel free to call David Mayeux at 566-3361, or e-mail at mayeuxd@sanjuancollege.edu. Further information about Planetarium presentations and policies are available on the web on the SJC Planetarium Facebook page, or on the Events page on the SJC website. 

2026 AstroFriday Schedule

• March 27 - The Astronomy of Harry Potter
• April 24 - FORWARD! To the Moon - Artemis Program (Fulldome)
• May 8 - Sunstruck (Fulldome) - 7:30 to 8:30 with Stargaze at 9:30

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