Astronomy Live: The Hidden Worlds of Asteroids

A cube-shaped grey meteorite floats in space, Earth's cloudy surface below, framed by the window of the International Space Station.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

7 pm

Hayden Planetarium Space Theater

Enter at 81st Street/Rose Center for Earth and Space

$20 General Public
$15 Members

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Please note: Due to this program’s format, guests who arrive after 7:15 pm will not be allowed to enter the theater.

Join planetary scientist Marina Gemma, postdoctoral researcher in the Museum’s Division of Physical Sciences, to explore the hidden bodies of our solar system: asteroids.

In this Astronomy Live, venture beyond the familiar eight planets to reveal the vast populations of these small bodies scattered throughout our solar system. From rocky, silicate-rich rubble piles to dense, metallic planetesimal cores, each asteroid tells a different story about the history of our planets.

Hear how NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) has transformed our understanding of planetary defense and how cutting-edge computed tomography imaging is unlocking the secrets of meteorites in the Museum’s scientific collections. From the asteroid belt to your backyard, discover what these space rocks can teach us about the complexities of our solar system.

This program utilizes OpenSpace software supported by NASA under award No NNX16AB93A. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.