The Planetary Society: Cosmic Shores Gala

The Planetary Society is thrilled to announce the celebration of its 45th anniversary on April 5, 2025. We will mark this occasion aboard the historic Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach Harbor. Since our founding in 1980, we've been advocating together, shaping the future of space exploration, and supporting the missions that matter. There is no better way to celebrate than with you, our members.

Our evening, the Cosmic Shores Gala, features a keynote address and discussion panel, a reception with a silent auction, a gala dinner and cocktails, and an awards presentation. Our Master of Ceremonies, Robert Picardo, will be joined by our CEO, Bill Nye.

Please note: you must arrange your travel and lodging. A limited block of rooms is available on board the Queen Mary as an additional ticket option. We also recommend the Residence Inn Long Beach and Hotel Maya near the Queen Mary.

If you have questions, please ask them in the comments or by email to [email protected].

Info: The Planetary Society is thrilled to announce that on April 5th, 2025, we will celebrate our 45th anniversary and the completion of our Beyond the Horizon fundraising campaign. We will mark this occasion aboard the historic Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach Harbor. Since our founding in 1980, we've been advocating together, shaping the future of space exploration, and supporting the missions that matter. There is no better way to celebrate than with you, our members.

Info: Bob Pappalardo is a project scientist for the Europa Clipper mission and a JPL fellow and senior research scientist in the planetary science section of the science division. Dr. Pappalardo will provide an update on the Europa Clipper mission and its role in the more extensive search for life in our solar system and beyond. Following his talk, he will join colleagues from the Planetary Society's board of directors for a panel discussion of the state of the field of astrobiology and the search for life.

Info: Savor out-of-this-world hors d'oeuvres with celestial cocktails and mingle with Planetary Society stars while you place your bid on some specially chosen pieces of Planetary Society history.

Info: Our celebratory dinner will be led by board member and Master of Ceremonies Robert Picardo, with special talks by our CEO, Bill Nye, and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Vaughn. We also honor the visionary philanthropy of the lead donor of our Beyond the Horizon campaign, Taner Halicioglu, by presenting the C. Wallace Hooser Award in recognition of Taner's deep commitment to investing in humanity's future through space exploration.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, United States