Super Stellar Fridays

On the 1st Friday of the month, enjoy an evening exploring science with Discovery Center educators and special guest speakers through live programs, planetarium shows, and sky viewing with the NH Astronomical Society.

Updates from NASA's IMAP Mission

Next Super Stellar Friday - Friday, September 5th, 2025

Presentation Description:  Join us this month for an in-depth overview of the IMAP mission and its upcoming launch from the deputy principal investigator for the mission, Professor Nathan Schwadron of UNH.

The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, or IMAP, will explore and map the very boundaries of our heliosphere — a huge bubble created by the Sun's wind that encapsulates our entire solar system — and study how the heliosphere interacts with the local galactic neighborhood beyond.

As a modern-day celestial cartographer, IMAP will also explore and chart the vast range of particles in interplanetary space, helping to investigate two of the most important overarching issues in heliophysics — the energization of charged particles from the Sun, and the interaction of the solar wind at its boundary with interstellar space. Additionally, IMAP will support real-time observations of the solar wind and energetic particles, which can produce hazardous conditions in the space environment near Earth.

Recommended for all ages.

Graphic with space background featuring information about the Discovery Center's Super Stellar Friday special guest presenter, Professor Nathan Schwadron of UNH.

Nathan Schwadron, Ph.D, is a Presidential Chair and the Norman S. and Anna Marie Waite Professor of Physics at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Dr.  Schwadron has served on numerous NASA and National Academy of Sciences (NAS) committees such as the NASA Sun-Earth Connection Advisory Subcommittee, the 2009 Heliophysics Mission Planning Working Group, the NAS Committee for Solar and Space Physics, and the NAS Geospace Portfolio Review Committee. Dr. Schwadron chaired the NASA Living with a Star Steering Committee and is the creator and lead of the New England Space Science Consortium. Learn more about this month's speaker here: https://spacephysics.princeton.edu/people/nathan-schwadron-phd

Please note before purchasing your Super Stellar Friday tickets:

Ticket costs include admission to the presentation, exhibit galleries, and a planetarium show. Tickets for this event can be purchased at the front desk on the night or before the event online.

Schedule

  • 6:30 pm: Discovery Center opens, exhibit galleries available for exploration

  • 7:00 pm: Speaker Presentation

  • 8:00 pm: Planetarium Show

  • 9:00 pm: Sky Viewing with New Hampshire Astronomical Society (weather permitting)

Ticket Pricing

  • Adult: $13.00

  • Child (3-12): $10.00

  • Senior (62+): $12.00

  • Students (13-college): $12.00

  • EBT/SNAP/WIC Card Holders + Up To 5 Guests: $3.00 (Use code “4ALLSSF” at checkout!)

  • Members and Child Under 2: Free!

A promotional poster for 'Ask the Astronomer,' offering free telescope guidance every Friday, featuring a starry night sky background, orange text, and an illustration of a person looking through a telescope, with a New Hampshire Astronomical Society logo.

In addition to NHAS’s monthly sky watch, get your telescope questions answered by a professional astronomer, whether you need help with your current scope, advice on purchasing one, or tips on how to observe celestial wonders. In the event of inclement weather, an NHAS member will still be present to assist with astronomy or telescope related inquiries. This program is free to attend, but regular admission applies for the featured Super Stellar Friday program.

Can’t make it in person?

We are no longer offering a livestream of the presentation portion of Super Stellar Friday presentations. We apologize for the inconvenience! Presentations will be available on the Discovery Center’s YouTube channel within a few days.

Please consider making a donation to support future programming like this—thank you!