Celebrate and explore holiday lore at the RU Planetarium

The celestial origins of the legends and celebrations surrounding the Christmas holidays are explored in Tis the Season, the Radford University Planetarium’s traditional holiday offering.

Tis the Season will be shown through Dec. 19 on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. All shows are free and open to the public.

The 35-minute feature describes the holiday-related legends associated with the stars and constellations that appear during the Christmas season, including the Star of Bethlehem. From Loch Ness Productions, the planetarium show features Saint Nick and his origins, as well holiday lights and candles. The festive show, narrated by Noah Adams of NPR's "All Things Considered," delves into the annual traditions of gift-giving and holiday celebrations and festivals.

The planetarium is located in Curie Hall 43. Enter through Reed Hall from the main campus and follow the signs in the building. A complete RU Planetarium schedule can be found at the planetarium website.

The RU Planetarium offers 32 reclined planetarium seats within its 24-foot diameter dome and can accommodate up to 45 people. To visit the planetarium at times other than its regularly scheduled showtimes or with a group, contact  Rhett Herman at rherman@radford.edu.