Mesa Community College invites the public to explore the amazing Universe in our state-of-the-art Planetarium! Our Astronomy Nights are the first Friday of the month during the Spring and Fall semesters. Planetarium shows run from 6:00-10:00 PM, typically every 30 minutes.Tickets are FREE and available on a first come, first served basis.

Wonders of the Universehighlights astronomical sights like the Big Bang and colliding galaxies in the far-off Universe, then brings the audience on a tour of the sights in our amazing Milky Way galaxy.

Stars of the Pharaohsillustrates the interconnected relationship between the beliefs of the ancient Egyptian people and the starry sky above. Learn about their temples and tombs and how they understood and revered the stars and their motions.

Note: This show runs on a 45 minute schedule, so there will be fewer showings on this night. We will try to accommodate as many guests as possible.

On Monday, August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible from the U.S. mainland for the first time since 1979! The path of the Moon's shadow, known as the path of totality, will stretch from Oregon on the west coast to South Carolina on the east coast.

Details of the eclipse timing and path and information on safe viewing can be found at NASA's Eclipse website and Eclipse2017.org.

Here in Arizona, the Moon will not completely cover the Sun. But the Moon will still cover a maximum of 70% of the Sun at 10:34AM as viewed from Mesa. We are working on plans for an eclipse-viewing party at MCC. We will post additional information over the summer as the eclipse day draws near.

Stay tuned!

Please note that tickets are FREE andfirst come. first serve only. You are welcome to pick up tickets after5:30pm at the Planetarium entrance. Other activities are available for visitors waiting for their show time.

Groups of 25 or more are encouraged to click on the "Schedule a Private Visit" button on the left side of this page to schedule a customshow atthe Planetarium.

During Astronomy Nights, we also offer telescope viewing of the Moon, planets, and other celestial sights. Unlike the planetarium shows, telescope viewing will only occur if the skies are clear. The line starts 10 minutes before show time.

The planetarium is wheelchair accessible.

Astronomy Nights are held at the Physical Science Building (PS 15) just east of Dobson Road, on Planetarium Way between the Dobson-US 60 interchange andSouthern Avenue. Please see the map for our location on MCC's Southern & Dobson campus.

The Planetarium is located on the south side of the Physical Science Building and is labeled with "PLANETARIUM" in large black letters which are visible from Dobson Road and Planetarium Way.

Free parking is available in the lots south of the Physical Science Building. Please avoid parking in the spaces marked "EMPLOYEES" until after 6:00 PM.

Follow this link:

Astronomy Nights | Astronomy | Mesa Community College