UW-La Crosse Planetarium

UW-La Crosse Planetarium The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Planetarium presents programs to school groups, private groups and the public.

The Spitz star projector accurately projects about 2300 stars onto the dome, which represents a dark-skies view of the naked-eye sky. In addition, there are individual projectors for the Sun, the Moon, and the five unaided-eye planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn). Sixteen strategically placed Ektagraphic slide projectors provide panoramic horizons. In addition, there are three fixed

dissolver slide screens, a rotator projector, a single axis fly-over projector, a two-axis movable projector, and a two-axis movable zoom projector. Fifty-five "special effects" projectors display constellation overlays, aurorae, supernovae, pulsars, meteors, warp-speed, and many other lighting effects. A video projector rounds out and enhances the equipment. There is also a surround-sound audio system, which gives each participant the feeling of "being there" in space. An East Coast Control System computer automated control system greatly enhances each planetarium program.

06/28/2026

AR 4478: Giant Sunspot Group (APOD: 2026 Jun 28)
Image Credit & Copyright: Alfredo Vidal Pérez
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260628.html

Explanation: Right now, one of the largest sunspot groups in recent history is crossing the Sun. Active Region 4478 is not only big -- it's violent, showing tangled magnetic fields capable of throwing off huge clouds of particles into the Solar System. Some of these CMEs might impact the Earth. At the extreme, these solar storms could cause some Earth-orbiting satellites to malfunction, the Earth's atmosphere to slightly distort, and electrical power grids to surge. When impacting Earth's upper atmosphere, these particles can produce beautiful auroras. Pictured here, AR 4478 and its dark sunspots were captured in visible light a few days ago from Barcelona, Spain. Almost as large as AR 3664 was in 2024, the AR 4478 sunspot group is so big that it is visible just with glasses specially designed to view solar eclipses. This week, skygazing enthusiasts all over the globe will not only be tracking AR 4478 during the day -- but keenly watching night skies for its corresponding bright auroras.

Starship Asterisk* • APOD Discussion Page
https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260628

06/16/2026

Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury now form an equally spaced line in twilight, 7° from planet to planet. The thin crescent Moon joins them, hanging between Jupiter and Mercury.
https://buff.ly/4BlM8g0

06/15/2026
06/15/2026

Observe a new crescent join 3 !
Look WNW after sunset.

? Planet is a Greek word meaning wanderer.

06/11/2026

Mars has been gradually getting less difficult low in the dawn, and tomorrow morning the 12th, the waning crescent Moon helps point the way to it. The Moon will stand 6° or 7° above Mars.
https://buff.ly/PkPbrGF

06/09/2026

Venus and Jupiter are almost their closest together this evening, 1.8° apart . . . tomorrow they'll be in conjunction.
https://buff.ly/PkPbrGF

Address

20 Cowley Hall (Basement) Northwest Corner Of East Avenue And Pine Street. Look For The Smokestack, ,
La Crosse, WI
54601

Telephone

+16087858669

Website

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