Augustana College’s John Deere Planetarium and Fryxell Geology Museum will be open to the public on Saturday, April 25, 2026, for an evening of stargazing and space shows. The planetarium, located at 820 38th St., Rock Island, will be open from 8:30 to 10 p.m., with indoor and outdoor programs in the planetarium, observatory and geology museum. In the event of cloudy skies, the indoor planetarium programs will still be offered. There is no charge for admission.

This year’s open house will feature views of Jupiter and the mountains and craters of Earth’s moon through telescopes. Also on display will be a quarter-ton piece of the Canyon Diablo meteorite and a planetarium show with images and information about the wonders of the night sky.

The Fryxell Geology Museum, which features one of the best collections of minerals and fossils in the Midwest, will also be open to the public. Highlights include a wall of glowing fluorescent rocks, casts of a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, and a complete 22-foot-long skeleton of Cryolophosaurus, a large crested carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Antarctica.

The observing areas are unheated, so dress appropriately for the weather. In the event of cloudy skies, telescope viewing may not be possible, but the indoor programs will still be offered.