We may be physically closed along with the rest of the Gettysburg College campus but here’s a short Sky this Month video for April:
Planetarium Closed

As many will know, Gettysburg College has suspended its residential program and moved its classes online for the rest of the semester, which ends in May. For as long as that closure remains in effect, the Hatter Planetarium will not be offering any public or private programs. I will be reaching out to any teachers and group leaders who have shows scheduled. Once I get my online teaching figured out, I hope to post some astronomy content on instagram and twitter during this hiatus, as well as working on show development for when we can reopen. Keep looking up!
–Ian Clarke, Hatter Planetarium Director
Astro Afternoons March 1 and 22

Here’s the planned show line-up for our March Astro-Afternoons on March 1 and 22:
- 1:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
- 2:00 “Distant Worlds, Alien Life?” (originally “Ferne Welten – fremdes Leben?”, a joint production by the planetariums in Münster, Bochum, Kiel, Mannheim, Osnabrück und Wolfsburg, produced at LWL-Planetarium Münster, 52 min)
- 3:00 “Quandaries of the Cosmos” (a Hatter Planetarium original production, 30 min)
- 4:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
This edition of “The Sky this Month” will include sky highlights for March, a new version of Voyager 1’s famous “pale blue dot” image, and an update on Betelgeuse. The Hatter Planetarium is located in Masters Hall, Room 115, on the Gettysburg College Campus. Shows are free and all are welcome as seats remain. No admittance while a show is running. Full schedule is avalable here.
Astro Afternoon Feb 16
- 1:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~40 min)
- 2:00 “From Earth to the Universe” (Produced by Theofanis Matsopoulos & European Southern Observatory, 30 min, suggested for ages 8+)
- 3:00 “Gettysburgians Talk about Time” (a Hatter Planetarium original production, 50 min)
- 4:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~40 min)
This edition of “The Sky this Month” will include sky highlights for 2020 and the recent dimming of the star Betelgeuse. The Hatter Planetarium is located in Masters Hall, Room 115, on the Gettysburg College Campus. Shows are free and all are welcome as seats remain. No admittance while a show is running. Full schedule is avalable here.
Astro Afternoon Lineup for Jan 26
- 1:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
- 2:00 “Two Small Pieces of Glass” (good elementary to middle school show, 30 min)
- 3:00 “Gettysburgians Talk about Time” (a Hatter Planetarium original production, 50 min)
- 4:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
This edition of “The Sky this Month” will include sky highlights for 2020 and the recent dimming of the star Betelgeuse. The Hatter Planetarium is located in Masters Hall, Room 115, on the Gettysburg College Campus. Shows are free and all are welcome as seats remain. No admittance while a show is running. Full schedule is avalable here.
Spring 2020 Public Show Schedule
January 26 | 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 | Astro-Afternoon |
January 30 | 12:00 Noon | The Sky this Month |
February 14 | 7:00 PM | Stargazing: a Valentine’s Date Night |
February 16 | 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 | Astro-Afternoon |
March 1 | 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 | Astro-Afternoon |
March 5 | 12:00 Noon | The Sky this Month |
March 22 | 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 | Astro-Afternoon |
April 2 | 12:00 Noon | The Sky this Month |
April 5 | 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 | Astro-Afternoon |
April 26 | 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 | Astro-Afternoon |
April 30 | 12:00 Noon | The Sky this Month |
We are looking forward to a full spring semester of free shows at the Hatter Planetarium. First up, Astro-Afternoon on Sunday, January 26. Here are some further details of what to expect:
Typical ASTRO AFTERNOON Schedule
- 1:00 The Sky this Month LIVE
- 2:00 Recorded Show (e.g., “Oasis in Space”)
- 3:00 Recorded Show
- 4:00 The Sky this Month LIVE
Between shows we will play astronomy-related podcasts in the dome. Check our website for titles of the 2:00 and 3:00 shows as dates approach.
“The Sky this Month” is a timely live presentation on upcoming celestial events and astronomy news. Repeated presentations of this program in the same month will include minor updates for sky position on the current date but otherwise will be substantially the same. Breaking astronomy news will be held for the next month’s show.
The Hatter Planetarium is located in Masters Hall, Room 115, on the Gettysburg College Campus. Shows are free and all are welcome as seats remain. No admittance while a show is running.
The schedule is also available via the College’s events calendar and as a PDF.
Astro Afternoons Dec 1 and 15
Join us for an “Astro Afternoon” of planetarium shows. Come for as many shows as you choose. The lineup for both Dec 1 & 15 is as follows:
- 1:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
- 2:00 “Distant Worlds, Alien Life?” (originally “Ferne Welten – fremdes Leben?”, a joint production by the planetariums in Münster, Bochum, Kiel, Mannheim, Osnabrück und Wolfsburg, produced at LWL-Planetarium Münster, 52 min)
- 3:00 “Constellations across the Cultures” (a Hatter Planetarium original production, 31 min)
- 4:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
Between shows we will play astronomy-related podcasts in the dome. The Hatter Planetarium is located in Masters Hall, Room 115, on the Gettysburg College Campus. Shows are free and all are welcome as seats remain. No admittance while a show is running.
Astro Afternoon Sunday Nov. 3
Join us for an “Astro Afternoon” of planetarium shows. Come for as many shows as you choose. The lineup for Nov. 3 is as follows:
- 1:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
- 2:00 “Quandaries of the Cosmos” (a Hatter Planetarium original production, 30 min)
- 3:00 Oasis in Space (good show for elementary ages, 30 min)
- 4:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
Between shows we will play astronomy-related podcasts in the dome and set up a solar telescope outside if the sky is clear. The Hatter Planetarium is located in Masters Hall, Room 115, on the Gettysburg College Campus. Shows are free and all are welcome as seats remain. No admittance while a show is running.

Astro Afternoon Sunday 10/6

The Astro Afternoon line-up for Sunday is as follows:
- 1:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
- 2:00 “Gettysburgians Talk about Time” (a Hatter Planetarium original show, 50 min, suggested for ages 12+)
- 3:00 “From Earth to the Universe” (Produced by Theofanis Matsopoulos & European Southern Observatory, 30 min, suggested for ages 8+)
- 4:00 The Sky this Month LIVE (~45 min)
The Hatter Planetarium is located in Masters Hall, Room 115, on the Gettysburg College Campus. Shows are free and all are welcome as long as seats remain. Like most planetariums, there is no admittance once a show begins, so be sure to be there on time. In between shows we’ll have astronomy podcasts playing in the theater and a safe solar projection telescope set up outside the building, weather permitting.
Shows Thursday and Sunday


THE SKY THIS MONTH
Thursday, Sept 19,12:00 noon.
Immersive, live presentation on the current night sky, as well as recent astronomy news. General audience ~40 min.
ASTRO AFTERNOON
Sunday, September 22, starting at 1:00 PM.
Come for as many shows as you’d like. Weather permitting, we will set up a safe solar telescope near the fountain between shows.
- 1:00 The Sky this Month LIVE
- 2:00 “Constellations Across the Cultures” (a Hatter Planetarium original production) 30 min.
- 3:00 Two Small Pieces of Glass (good show for grades 4-8) 30 min.
- 4:00 The Sky this Month LIVE
The Hatter Planetarium is located in Masters Hall, Room 115, on the Gettysburg College Campus. Shows are free and all are welcome as seats remain. No admittance while a show is running.