October 6, 2020

As Mars comes around for its closest approach to Earth in early October, the Delta College Planetarium will host a Facebook Live event about the Red Planet on Thursday, October 8 at 7pm. 

The 30-minute program, “Dateline: Mars,” will offer a guided tour of Mars, including the latest spacecraft and tips on how to observe the planet.

“Even though Mars and Earth approach each other every 26 months, some of those close passes are better than others,” said Mike Murray, Planetarium manager. “Mars won’t get this close to Earth again until 2033, and so it’s a good time to enjoy it through telescopes or the many virtual events being offered online.”

While the Planetarium theater is not yet open to the public, this live online program will feature imagery and animation created with its Digistar dome system, providing viewers with an engaging visual experience. Visitors can post questions and Planetarium staff will be on hand to answer them in real time.

“Dateline: Mars” is free and open to anyone on the Planetarium’s Facebook page, located at http://bit.ly/DatelineMars. The presentation will be recorded and available at www.facebook.com/DeltaPlanetarium/videos.

For more information, visit delta.edu/planetarium, email planetarium@delta.edu or call 989-667-2270.