Events

Women have been leaders in the science of astronomy, many of them pivotal and pioneering in their field. Join us at the Adelaide Planetarium for this presentation and tribute to the incredible women in astronomy, both past and present.

Astronomy Lecturer - Mary Adam

Are you interested in buying a telescope but unsure of what to get?  Do you own a telescope and have trouble operating it?  Is it not aligning?  Is it not focusing properly? 

If the answer is yes then book in for our Telescope Clinic.

We are holding a dedicated session for those with telescopes who are having difficulty operating their equipment.  Bring your telescope (and everything that came with it) and we'll be setting them up on the rooftop of the university (weather permitting) or in the foyer area and our Astronomer will attend to each one, with the aim of resolving problematic issues.  It is also an opportunity to see the different types of telescopes available and how they differ.

For safety reasons, this event is for ages 12+.  Every paying adult may bring ONE child, between the ages of 12-18 years of age, free of charge.  Any child under 12 WILL NOT be permittied.

Every person attending MUST have their own small torch.

We will have professional telescopes set up and an evening of observation planned, weather permitting.

*this event is NOT accessible for wheelchairs

Are you keen to learn how to identify the current constellations in the night sky?

You will be taken through the constellations on the disc as our astronomer points them out in the night sky with a green laser.

Here’s what you’ll need to bring:

• a star disc ($20 each, available on the night prior to 8.15pm)
• a small torch with a red balloon/red cellophane over the light. This is an absolute must for anyone wishing to attend the night. (We find cutting a red balloon and stretching it over the torch works best. If using cellophane at least 2 layers needed. Secure in place with rubber bands instead of tape). WHITE LIGHT WILL NOT BE PERMITTED AT ALL
• a fold out chair for each person
• no food or drink allowed on the rooftop

Arrive 7pm to register, pay for tickets and purchase star discs (if required). Please be in the Planetarium foyer (Level 2) at 7.30pm sharp to make our way to the roof as we have to be seated during dusk, no late comers will be allowed on the roof after 7.30pm.

For safety reasons, this event is for ages 7+, anyone under this age will not permitted onto the roof and every person attending MUST have their own torch.

Reserve your seats through our booking system but payment will be taken on the day in case we need to cancel due to bad weather. Tickets $20 per person - payment on the night. Spaces are limited. Registrants will be notified of any cancellations 12-24hrs prior to event starting time.

*Weather permitting.

** THIS EVENT IS NOT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

We see the stars in our night sky as tiny twinkling dots, but how big are they compared to our Sun? What would happen to our Solar System if we swapped our Sun for any of these stars? Would our Earth still be habitable if we had a different sun? Find out in this fun and informative session with Astronomy Lecturer Mary Adam.

ages 8+

Session includes an intermission (light supper provided)

Black holes are the strangest objects in the universe. What exactly is a black hole? How big are they and how big can they get? There's only one way to find out...

ages 10+

Session includes an intermission (light supper provided)

Astronomy Lecturer - Mary Adam

The ancient Greeks contributions to astronomy is vast.

From the legendary mythology of the Olympian Gods and Heroes, coming to life in our nightly constellations, to the infamous Greek scholars who introduced the concept of physics to astronomical observations.

Join us for an informative and highly entertaining evening as we revisit these historic scholars and their celestial triumphs.

Session includes an intermission (light supper provided), a full dome movie and a planetarium tour of the current night sky.

Not to be missed!

A full dome journey across Australia celebrating the depth and diversity of Indigenous dance and song from the traditional to the contemporary. An exhilarating and visceral film that tells the expansive story of Carriberrie: Indigenous Australian song and dance. Beginning with a stunning passage from the highly acclaimed Sydney Opera House performance, Bennelong, by Australia's premier Aboriginal dance theatre group Bangarra, actor and performer David Gulpilil welcomes us on a concentric, snake-like journey through time and space. We travel from traditional ceremonial dance and song, towards intrinsically contemporary and modern expressions. Intimate, immersive and breath-taking, this documentary film showcases a stunning range of Australian locations and performances from iconic ceremonial traditional dance in Uluru, through to food gathering dances in the rain forest, war songs on the most northern tip of Australia and funeral songs in Arnhem wetlands.

As part of this presentation renowned ethnoastronomer Paul Curnow will introduce you to the night skies of Aboriginal Australia. He will take you on a fascinating tour of the night sky and compare how constellations are used today by astronomers, and how the sky is seen differently by Indigenous Australians.

The Man Who Changed the World.

Albert Einstein is unarguably the most famous scientist who gave us the most famous of equations: E=MC²

What is Relativity? How does Special Relativity and General Relativity differ? What is his Nobel Prize-winning Photoelectric Effect?

This session aims to present the genius of Einstein into a manner which can be understood by all.

Join us as we journey through his incredible life and understand for yourself why he single-handedly shook the foundations of science and changed the world as we knew it.

These sessions book out fast so get in quick

The stars have fascinated humanity since the beginning of civilization, from using them to track the different seasons, to relying on them to navigate thousands of kilometres on the open ocean. Our ancestors looked up in wonder at the night sky, the stars their constant celestial companions, and yet, nothing has captured the attention of mankind in history the way Stellar Death has. From the earliest Supernova in recorded history to present day, the life and death of stars continue to intrigue us. 

This November session focuses on the birth of stars, how they differ in life, and their colossal, spectacular death. After an intermission (supper provided) our astronomer will take you on an educational tour of the Constellations of the current night sky, followed by a 30-minute documentary presented on the planetarium dome.

*These sessions book out fast so get in quick*

Future dates TBA

The Ningaloo Reef is Australia's 'great barrier reef' in the west, facing the Indian Ocean near Exmouth on the 'shoulder' of the vast Western Australian coastline. Here is a combination of marine sea floor history that starts some millions of years ago, culminating in the growth of the modern 200km-long Ningaloo Reef is only a 'young' reef system that commenced building about 8,000 years ago. This was at the end of the last Ice Age and around the time when the ancient civilisation of Egypt began developing on the other side of the world, leading up to the building of the Pyramids. Both events were the results of extreme climate change. Ian will explain how the reef began and grew on the backs of its ancestors – previous reefs before the Ice Age and 'fed' by the source of the costal limestone – the Cape Range with its caves and sinkholes.

Bio: Ian D Lewis works as a hydrogeologist for the SA Department of Environment and Water in its Groundwater Team who assess and research underground water resources across the state. He has been completing a PhD studying the vast limestone coastal regions of South Australia, in particular the South East and the Nullarbor Plain, the forces acting upon them and the cave and sinkhole systems that result from groundwater movement. Cape Range in Western Australia is another such region but where the setting and development of Ningaloo Reef has occurred in sub-tropical latitudes compared to the cool-water conditions of the Southern Ocean.

Be taken on an immersive guided tour of the solar system and the universe as our highly experienced educator takes you on a journey through space. Learn about the stars and constellations and what you could see outside on a clear night.

Telescope viewing on the lawn area – weather permitting