Emil Buehler Planetarium at Seminole State College

10/16/2026

🎃🔭 SPOOKY STAR PARTY 🔭🎃
📅 Saturday, October 24 | 5–10 PM
📍 Emil Buehler Planetarium at Seminole State College

Join us for a night of stargazing, spooky activites, hair-raising science, and of course… CANDY! 🍬

✅ FREE and open to all
✅ No tickets needed, just show up!
✅ Costumes encouraged, so dress in your Halloween best 👻

🕔 5–8 PM: Hands-On Fun
Science and engineering demos, live animals, theater performances, spooky storytime and more!

🌙 8–10 PM: Night Sky Observing
Look through telescopes with the Emil Buehler Planetarium and Central Florida Astronomical Society.

🍕 Food and drinks for purchase (while supplies last)
🎒 Bring your trick-or-treat bag! We will be handing out lots of candy (while supplies last).

Special thanks to our partners: SSC Physical Science, Nerdbirdssc , Center for Fine and Performing Arts at Seminole State College, Biology, Nursing, Grindle Honors Institute, Seminole County Public Schools, plus the Avian Reconditioning Center, Bat Conservancy, and Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens! 🦉🦇🦎

👉 Tag a friend you’re bringing!

10/16/2026

Space on Tap at Hourglass Brewing was a huge success. The team at Central Florida Public Media did an outstanding job putting this event together. The place was packed and people were eager to learn and explore the wonders of the cosmos. Planetarium director Derek Demeter was featured on a live recording of CFPM's Are We There Yet? Podcast talks about the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and his work on capturing the launch. Thank you for having us out.

10/13/2026

Join planetarium director Derek Demeter this Thursday, October 15 at 6 pm for Space on Tap and Hourglass Brewing in Longwood. There will be a live recording of Central Florida Public Media "Are We There Yet? Podcast", as host Brendan Bryne and Derek talk about the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

The event is FREE to attend and all are welcome. Details about the event can be viewed in the link below.

Space on Tap is a live, semi-scripted space-science show touring Central Florida, mixing comedy, audience interaction and big cosmic questions.

10/08/2026

Hurricane Isaias is bringing rain to the Central Florida area this weekend. We reluctantly have to make the decision to cancel our Geneva Dark Sky Night for this month.

We still have two more opportunities coming up in November and December so be sure to check out our future events on our website: www.seminolestate.edu/planet

10/01/2026

We were honored Dr. Sian Proctor joined us at the planetarium this week as part of the college's Speaker Series. Dr. Proctor explored her journey of becoming an astronaut for Inspiration 4 and how that journey transformed her perspective of seeing our planet Earth. Dr. Proctor is also a poet, artist, and educator and we got to view her new planetarium show, "Earthlight World", inside the Planetarium.

Thank you Dr. Proctor for sharing your knowledge and passion with our students and the Central Florida community.

09/29/2026

Planetarium director Derek Demeter was invited to speak at two events this past weekend down in Miami. Derek spoke to astronomy and physics students and faculty at Florida International University about using the planetarium for data and content visualization as well as how to do astronomy outreach. Derek also spoke to the Miami Mineralogical Society and Miami-Dade school students about Florida minerals and fossils.

09/25/2026

Seminole State students, faculty, and staff,

Have you ever wanted to see the darkest skies on Earth? Next summer (June 26-July 5) we will be leading a study abroad experience to the Atacama Desert in Chile.

Take your astronomy lab to one of the world's premier locations for studying the night sky. Students will explore Southern Hemisphere astronomy, deep-space telescopes, ancient astronomy, Earth's formation and evolution, operational astronomy, and hands-on astronomical data collection.

The experience is designed for students interested in astronomy, space, scientific exploration, and related workforce opportunities. Students will experience some of the world's most important astronomical research and observatory sites while studying the Southern Hemisphere sky.

Estimated maximum student cost: $6,200 (including flights)
Non-refundable deposit: $2,000

📝 Ready to Apply?

Complete the Faculty-Led Study Abroad Student/Traveler Application by October 12, 2026.

Please take your time completing the application and be thoughtful about which program is the best fit for your academic and personal goals.

🎓 Scholarships & Financial Support

Scholarship information will be sent directly to students selected for a study abroad program so that the scholarship opportunities shared are relevant to their specific trip.

In the meantime, you can find general study abroad scholarship and funding resources on the Seminole State Faculty-Led Study Abroad website. Available resources include Seminole State Foundation scholarships, the Gilman Scholarship, the Fund for Education Abroad, and other funding and fundraising ideas.

09/01/2026

Our summer break is done and we're ready to share the wonders of the cosmos with you. Come join us for several amazing planetarium programs this month.

Tickets and information can be viewed at

www.seminolestate.edu/planet

08/31/2026

The planetarium isn't just a place to learn about outer space, but it can also help us learn about inner space! Our Seminole State College of Florida Emergency Medical Services students came out to explore the human body in a way they can't do in a traditional classroom setting. This immersive learning experience will help them obtain the skills they need to prepare for a future in caring for the members of our community.