Sci-Fi Weekend features "Edge of Darkness" and "Laser Led Zeppelin" on Friday and "Distant Worlds, Alien Life?" and "Laser Beatles" on Saturday.
“Sci-Fi Weekend” is the theme for Wayne State College’s free planetarium and laser shows Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27-28, in the Fred G. Dale Planetarium. Admission is free and open to the public, but free-will donations are accepted.
The planetarium has been upgraded with a new single-lens ultra-high-def projection system and the immersive Digistar Astronomy software. The planetarium has once again become the most technologically advanced and educationally versatile planetarium in the region.
On Friday, Feb. 27, the planetarium show “Edge of Darkness” will be at 7 p.m., followed by the laser show “Laser Zeppelin” at 8 p.m.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, the planetarium show “Distant Worlds, Alien Life?” is at 1 p.m., followed by the laser show “Laser Beatles” at 2 p.m.
"Edge of Darkness" features amazing scenes of places never before seen, gathered by key space missions, culminating with groundbreaking discoveries in 2015. It features a spectacular flight though the great cliffs on comet 67P, a close look at the fascinating bright "lights" on Ceres, and the first ever close-ups of dwarf binary planet Pluto/Charon and its moons.
“Distant Worlds, Alien Life?” gives audience members get a glimpse of the night sky – a view of infinity. Does alien life exist out there? Are such aliens perhaps traveling through space, and visiting Earth? Many people believe in UFOs: visitors from space. But such extraordinary claims demand clear evidence. Evidence for alien visitors, however, does not exist. Join us as we search deep space for extraterrestrial life.
“This spring features five new planetarium shows that add to our growing and diverse library of planetarium shows,” said Dr. Todd Young, director of the Fred G. Dale Planetarium. “They are ‘Dynamic Earth,’ ‘Liquidverse,’ ‘Edge of Darkness,’ ‘Living Worlds,’ and ‘Tales of a Time Traveler.’ We will also have Sci-Fi Weekend and an Earth Day Celebration. And after a planetarium show, everyone is welcome to enjoy the lights and music of our many laser shows, including Classic Rock, Laser Zeppelin, Laser Beatles, and our new laser show Women Who Rock!”
The planetarium is located on the lowest level of Wayne State’s Carhart Science Building. Guests should use the southwest doors to enter. Once inside, go to the stairs at the south end of the building and go down to the lowest level. You may also take the elevator. Carhart Science and the planetarium are handicap accessible.
All shows last about 45 minutes. Doors open 20 minutes prior to the start of a show and shows generally include a tour of the current night sky, how to find the constellations, and current events in astronomy.
The shows will cycle through the planetarium’s vast library of shows, and each planetarium show will be followed by a laser show.
For more information, or to view a complete schedule of planetarium and laser shows for the Spring 2026 semester, visit the planetarium, or contact Dr. Todd Young, director of the Fred G. Dale Planetarium, at 402-375-7471 or [email protected].
Those wanting to book a private planetarium show should also contact Young. School and community groups and organizations are always welcome to book private shows.