Public Shows and Events
Radiohead Black Star
Sundays @ 4:00 pm throughout September
The only thing better than exploring the Universe, is doing so with a collection of the most beautiful and cinematic Radiohead songs from their discography! Radiohead: Black Star will take you from the powerful Paranoid Android to the melancholic How to Disappear Completely with stunning visuals and immersive stories.
Styx: Mission to Mars
Sundays @ 4:00 pm throughout October
Strap into our planetarium seats to go on a trip to Mars with Styx! Take a dazzling journey with fulldome visual effects set to songs from this mega-band including Come Sail Away, Mr. Roboto, The Grand Illusion, and more! Go on an epic space saga with the musical craftsmen of Styx!
Monster Mash: A Halloween Spooktacular
Mischief Night (Oct. 30) @ 8:30 pm
All Hallow’s Eve (Oct. 31) @ 2:00 pm
Wait not until 3 a.m. to experience the true terror of the witching hour! Take your “Spooky Scary Skeletons” out of the closet and join us in the “Time Warp” at the Versant Power Astronomy Center for a “Monster Mash”! Surely, we will “Put a Spell on You” and “Bring You to Life” with a menacing myriad mix of modern and classic Halloween tunes set to planetarium visuals that will surely haunt the very depths of your soul! Muahahahaha!
Tickets are $11 per person.
Music programs may contain explicit lyrics, and are intended for adult audiences. All music programs may contain bright flashing lights and fast-moving images, which have been known to trigger seizures with those with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Tickets for planetarium programs are $9 for Adults, $8 for UMaine Students/Veterans/Senior Citizens, and $7 for children under 12.
Tickets for the Music Shows are $11 for general admission.
Tickets may be purchased online, at the door, or by phone at 207.581.1341.
The University of Maine is a park by permit only campus. There are several visitor pass options including using our 24-hour lobby kiosk. https://umaine.edu/parking/order-permit/#tab-tempdaypass
For planetarium programs requiring a parking pass, ticket holders will be emailed a link or may access a QR code when checking in at the box office. These digital passes will require the vehicle license plate number, name, and email address.
September
Fridays @ 7:00 pm – Living Worlds
Sundays @ 2:00 pm – Magic Globe: Story of the Seasons*
Music Show – Radiohead: Black Star Sundays @ 4:00 pm
Sept. 8 @ 10:00 – Legends of the Night Sky: Perseus and Andromeda**
*This show is designed for younger audiences.
**Monthly Homeschool Show – Open to the General Public as well.
October
Fridays, @ 7:00 pm- Time
Sundays, @ 2:00 pm – 3-2-1 Liftoff*
Music Show – Styx: Mission to Mars Sundays, @ 4:00 pm
Oct. 13 @ 10:00 – H2O: Cosmic States of Water!**
Monster Mash: Halloween Spooktacular! Oct. 30 @ 8:30 pm & Oct 31 @ 2pm
*This show is designed for younger audiences.
**Monthly Homeschool Show – Open to the General Public as well.
Friends & Family Weekend 2026
Friday, October 2, 2026
7:00 pm – Time
Saturday, October 3, 2026
10:00 am – Messengers of Time and Space
11:30 am – SPARK: The universe in Us!
1:00 pm – MoonBase: The Next Steps
2:30 pm – The Chemistry of Life
4:00 pm – World’s Beyond Earth
7:00 pm – Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
Sunday, October 4, 2026
11:00 am – God, Science and Our Search for Meaning
12:30 pm – The Arctic
2:00 pm – 3-2-1 Liftoff*
4:00 pm – Styx: Mission to Mars
*This show is designed for younger audiences.
List of Music Shows
- The Beatles: A Day in the Planetarium
- Coldplay: Sky Full of Stars
- Cosmic Love Songs
- David Bowie Dreams
- Enchanted: A Taylor Swift Musical Journey
- Elton John: Crocodile Rockin’ Under the Dome!
- ELO: Ticket to the Moon
- Fleetwood Mac: Tango in the Dome
- Foo Fighters in February
- Killer Queen
- Led Zeppelin: The Planetarium Experience
- Let it Snow: A Holiday Music Journey
- Madonna: Ray of Light
- Monster Mash: A Holiday Spooktacular!
- Ozzy Osbourne: Tribute to the Prince of Darkness
- Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
- Prince: Purple Rain Planetarium
- Radiohead: Blackstar
- Rihanna: Diamonds in the Sky
- The Rolling Stones: Living in a Ghost Town
- Rush: Moving Pictures in a Planetarium
- Styx: Mission to Mars
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Learning to Fly
- U2: The Planetarium Experience
- Van Halen: A Tribute to Eddie
- The Wall – Pink Floyd
Special Event
Meditations on Perihelion
Saturday, September 19th at 7:00pm
“Meditations on Perihelion” is an immersive experience featuring full-dome video, music, and live performance by Tom Luther. The work is presented in 7 movements that explore the different possibilities of connections between science and art. It explores the world of science through the world of art by immersing the viewer in 3d visuals and sound. Inspired by astronomical data the images are intended as a starting point for the audience’s imagination. The focus of this iteration has been on the three background cycles (Milankovitch Cycles) that govern our planet’s orbital alignment and seasonal changes.
Tom Luther is a performer, composer, improviser and audio-visual artist. His work ranges from solo and small group acoustic music to computer based interactive video projects. He draws on his experience in Western European art music, jazz, and modern composition styles to create a unique hybrid language. He teaches piano, composition, and digital music at Midcoast Music Academy in Rockport, Maine. He can be found online at his webpage tomlutherpiano.com, LinkedIn, and Youtube.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for Seniors/Veterans and $10 for children 12 and under.
Special Event
Sounds of the Ocean – Are you ready to take the Dive?
Sounds of the Ocean is an award-winning immersive experience that invites you and your family to the heart of the deep blue sea. In a society burdened with stress, this transformative project offers calm and rest. It is an invitation to forge a deep connection with the enchanting life that dwells beneath the waves. The experience combines sounds of whales & dolphins, original music, immersive visual art and ocean imagery to guide the audience on a mindful underwater odyssey.
Music programs may contain explicit content, and are intended for adult audiences. Parental discretion is advised. All music programs may contain bright flashing lights and fast-moving images, which have been known to trigger seizures with those with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
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Donations help secure the future of the Jordan Planetarium and observatory here at the University of Maine. They assist in acquiring new programming, keeping our technology up to date, and providing numerous astronomy and science opportunities for students of all ages and the general public.
