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.

Geology Rocks!

Next Super Stellar Friday - Friday, August 1st, 2025

Presentation Description:  We spend every day of our lives in the presence of rocks, often without even thinking about it. Beneath our feet, the Earth has a fascinating history that it describes to us through the medium of batholiths, fault lines and sedimentary structures, answering questions that many people never pause to ask: why is New Hampshire called the "Granite State"? What is a mineral, beyond something you want in your breakfast cereal? And what crazy things are going on in the massive cliff-like roadcuts that you see every time you drive down I-93? This Super Stellar Friday, we’ll delve into not only the basic building blocks of geology that will allow you to appreciate the rocky world around you, but also into some of the more specific history of our state, and some of the deep history that has made it the way it is. 

Recommended for all ages.

Ollie Fletcher is an Education Specialist at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. They hold a Bachelor of Science in Geoscience and have contributed to research on the age and geologic history of the igneous rocks in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Their work includes studies of the iconic Conway Granite—an important formation that helped earn New Hampshire its nickname, “The Granite State.”

Please note before purchasing your planetarium 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!