'Season of Light' planetarium show Dec. 9-15

The John Deere Planetarium at Augustana College will present its annual holiday program, "Season of Light," on Dec. 9-15. The planetarium show will be offered weekdays at 7 p.m.; and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

The free program, which is not recommended for children ages 7 and under, requires reservations. Visit to register: https://seasonoflight2023.eventbrite.com. Tickets are available to the public beginning Nov. 20. Doors will open 15 minutes before each program; late-comers will not be admitted. The planetarium is located at 820 38th St., Rock Island.

“Season of Light” tells the story of how our holiday traditions are connected to the sky through a multimedia show that uses the planetarium sky projector, astronomical images, music and narration, all projected onto a 30-foot dome.

“December is the darkest month of the year, and people all over the world have held festivals, lit candles and tried to bring light to the darkness of the winter sky,” said Planetarium Director Dr. Lee Carkner. “‘Season of Light’ also explains the seasons, the winter constellations and speculates about the Star of Bethlehem.”

Visitors to the planetarium may also view the full-color images from the Hubble Space Telescope, and a quarter-ton piece of the Canyon Diablo meteorite will be displayed with interpretive information in the Getz-Rogers Gallery.

Adjacent to the planetarium, Augustana’s Fryxell Geology Museum will be open to visitors Dec. 9-10 from 1-4 p.m. and from 7:30-8:30 p.m. on the weeknights of Dec. 11-14.