Joliet Junior College planetarium hosts 2 upcoming free programs

Experience the wonders of the universe, and reach for the stars at Joliet Junior College's planetarium. Shows are free. — The Herbert Trackman Planetarium at Joliet Junior College hosts opportunities for summer stargazing and celestial events.

Experience the wonders of the universe, and reach for the stars at the JJC planetarium.

“Accidental Astronauts: An Earth, Sun, Moon Adventure” at 6 p.m. Thursday follows the journey of robo-friends Cy, Annie, and their dog Armstrong as they hop aboard a rocket ship and travel to the sun. Along the way, they explore asteroids, craters on the moon, and observe our home planet Earth. A great show for young astronomers.

“Cosmic Origins: Spectrograph” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 30. An instrument aboard the Hubble Space Telescope examines ultraviolet light and peers into the darkness of deep space. This full-dome show is a colorful journey into the depth of the cosmic web, revealing the mysterious origins of our universe. COS helps us understand the evolution of the cosmos and what it looked like billions of years ago. Glimpse into galaxies, quasars, black holes, supernova and more. Recommended for ages 8 and older.

The Trackman Planetarium is located in F-1001 on the Main Campus on Houbolt Road in Joliet. It holds 55 theatre-style seats in the dome, and no registration is required to attend.

For more information, contact planetarium coordinator Caitlin Lee at 815.280.2601 or at caitlin.lee@jjc.edu