San Juan College Planetarium, Community Events Highlight Late March Calendar

The San Juan College Planetarium is turning the night sky into Hogwarts on Friday, March 27, with a free AstroFriday presentation called "The Astronomy of Harry Potter" — and with only 60 seats per show, arriving early is the only reservation system on offer.

The Astronomy of Harry Potter

Showtimes are set for 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the San Juan College Planetarium, and admission is free for both. Because seating is limited to 60 people per show on a first-come, first-served basis, the Planetarium recommends planning accordingly. Spring sky maps will also be distributed while supplies last, giving attendees a tangible takeaway from the evening.

The program takes a clever angle on astronomy education: visitors will embark on a magical journey through the night sky, highlighting astronomical objects whose names appear in the popular Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling and the corresponding films. During this engaging sky tour, guests will learn how many characters in the series were named after real celestial objects.

The example the Planetarium uses to illustrate the concept is hard to beat. The character Sirius Black, Potter's godfather, takes his name from Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky as seen from Earth and the principal star in the constellation Canis Major, the Great Dog. In the stories, Sirius can shapeshift into a large black dog, making the astronomical connection especially fitting. Rowling applied that same logic across a wide cast of characters, and the show maps those connections against the actual night sky.

The San Juan College events page lists the overall event window as 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., while other sources show a 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. window. The most detailed breakdown across multiple sources places the two planetarium shows at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. and a public stargaze beginning at 8:30 p.m. Anyone who wants to confirm the full schedule can contact David Mayeux directly at (505) 566-3361 or mayeuxd@sanjuancollege.edu.

Free Public Stargaze at 8:30 p.m.

Weather permitting, a free public stargaze will follow the planetarium shows at 8:30 p.m. in the courtyard behind the Planetarium. Lasting up to one hour, the stargaze has no capacity limit and will feature a variety of spectacular deep-sky sights. For anyone shut out of the 60-seat shows or arriving later in the evening, the stargaze offers a second opportunity to spend time under the Four Corners sky without any ticket pressure.

The Planetarium notes that it reserves the right to substitute shows, and that it is also possible, though not probable, for there to be a change in a show's date due to unforeseen circumstances. Checking the SJC Planetarium Facebook page at facebook.com/sanjuancollegeplanetarium before heading out is a practical step for anyone making the drive.

More on Campus: Connie Gotsch Theatre and Beyond

The AstroFriday event sits alongside a busy stretch of programming at San Juan College. The Connie Gotsch Theatre is hosting several events worth noting on the campus calendar.

The Julia Keefe Quartet is scheduled for a 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. performance at the Connie Gotsch Theatre, billed under the Artists Series and Fine and Performing Arts categories. Keefe has drawn significant critical attention: "Her voice is of another era. One of the only jazz songbirds in Indian Country," wrote Revolutions per Minute.

A Movie Night and BINGO! event is also on the books at the Connie Gotsch Theater from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., drawing on what appears to be a Shrek theme given the verbatim line included in the SJC listing: "NO! Not the buttons! Not my gumdrop buttons!" The event is categorized under Student Events, though community members can check the SJC events page for participation details.

An author visit tied to the book "Wandering in the Clear Light of New Mexico," described as being about New Mexico's special places and subtitled "The Next Layer of Discovery," is also listed at the Connie Gotsch Theatre from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. under Community Events and Student Events.

Sherman Dugan Museum of Geology

Anyone visiting campus for the AstroFriday show and looking to make an afternoon of it beforehand might consider stopping by the Sherman Dugan Museum of Geology, located in the San Juan College School of Energy. The museum features a fascinating collection and is described as a must-see for fossil lovers and rock hounds. A groundbreaking for an expansion of the museum is also listed on the SJC events calendar, scheduled from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the School of Energy, under Community Events, Employee Events, and Student Events.

Other Campus Events Running Through 2026

San Juan College maintains a range of recurring community and student programming through the end of the year. The PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) program runs from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. outside the Student Resource Center, Room 1612, offering information on emergency shelter services and other resources. Food for Thought, a Food of the Month program, takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Sun's Lounge outside the TrailBlaze Cupboard.

Career development programming includes Mock Interview Madness, running from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Suns Room at the Career Center, and a Public Speaking Workshop offered through Showcase Prep Workshops from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. in Tutoring Center Room 1611 or via Zoom. A "Let's Get Ready for College!" session targeting high school seniors and their families is scheduled from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Student Sun's Lounge.

The Think and Grow Rich: The Legacy screening runs from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Connie Gotsch Theatre under Community Events, Student Events, and TRIO SSS programming.

Planning Your Visit

For the AstroFriday presentation specifically, the practical advice is straightforward: arrive before your chosen showtime, as the 60-seat limit is firm and no advance reservations are mentioned in any source. Spring sky maps are an added bonus for the first arrivals. For questions about the March 27 event, David Mayeux at the San Juan College Planetarium is the named contact: (505) 566-3361 or mayeuxd@sanjuancollege.edu.

Community organizations looking to list additional events in the Tri-City Record's weekly Best Bets calendar can submit details to events@tricityrecordnm.com. The Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau, located at 3041 E. Main St. in Farmington, can also be reached at (505) 326-7602 for broader regional event information.