Show Titles and Descriptions

• "The Friendly Stars" – perfect for preschool through 1st grade. Join our sun, Sol, as he talks about stars, his family of planets, his importance to life on Earth, and what makes him a star. Learn about night and day, rotation and revolution, and then, explore the current night sky.

• "Zubenelgenubi's Magic Sky" - a perfect show for preschool and kindergarten.  Use your magic paintbrushes to create a magic sky, learning about the Sun, Moon, Planets, Stars, and Constellations.

• "Our Place in Space" - a program new to our planetarium for later in 1st grade and throughout 2nd grade.  Take a tour of the solar system, then travel into space beyond, learning about space while completing a crossword puzzle.  Concepts taught include day and night, the Sun as a star, the planets, and the Milky Way.  Electronic versions of the crossword puzzle are available as a pre- or post-field trip activity.

• "Blast Off With Spitzie" - for 1st and 2nd grade.  Join us as Spitzie, our star projector, takes you on a spaceship ride through the solar system, learning the concepts of rotation and revolution, observing the phases of the Moon, and visiting each of the planets.  Return to the Earth for a tour of the current night sky!

• "Follow the Drinking Gourd" - Especially suitable in conjunction with multi-cultural studies and designed for students in grades two through six, this program traces the flight of the American slaves from the South to the  North, as they followed the direction of the sky's "drinking gourd, or Big Dipper."

• "SkyTellers" - choose two or three topics from the list below, and listen to a Native American story about the topic, followed by a scientific explanation of the same topic.  Astronomical topics include:  Day and Night, The Seasons, Moon Phases, Meteors, The Sun, Stars, Galaxies (Milky Way), Constellations, Polaris the North Star, and the Solar System.  Suitable for audiences of all ages. **NOTE - when filling out the electronic reservation form, include the requested topics in the notes section of the form.

• The Solar System Adventure Tour - join Dennis and Ralph on a tour of the solar system aboard the Star Traveller.  Guests participate in the show, serving as Math Experts, Flight Engineers, and Math Experts as we visit each of the planets and Pluto, and try to get all the way home.This old favorite has been updated with new graphics and an updated narration.  Perfect for later in grades 2, throughout grade 3, and the beginning of grade 4.

• "Honey, I Shrunk the Solar System" – This program takes viewers on a tour of a shrunken solar system via a student's science fair project. Perfect for students in grades three through six, the program includes a visit to each planet, as well as the Sun.  See how well you do correctly answering the quiz questions!

• “The Planets” - an exciting tour of the Solar System that looks at each planet as well as Solar System formation and extra-solar planets. The show includes either a Spring or Fall star-I.D. where constellations and the locations of extra-solar planets are pointed out. Excellent for grades 6 through adult.

•  "Journey to the Stars" - this fast-paced program, designed for seventh grade through adults, surveys all areas of astronomy, with a focus on the solar system and the life cycles of stars.

• "Bad Astronomy" - join Phil Plait as he takes a humorous look at the "bad" astronomy in popular culture.  UFOs, the Moon Landing Hoax, bad astronomy in movies, and astrology are all examined.  This program is based on the Bad Astronomy website and the book Bad Astronomy and is perfect for grades 6 and up.

• "The Explorers of Polynesia" – for grades seven through adult. Navigate the vast Pacific Ocean, using only positions of stars and careful observations of winds, waves and ocean currents. Consider great trips of the future – to Mars- or even beyond!

• "The Explorers of Mauna Kea" – for grades seven through adult. Discover Mauna Kea, from its volcanic birth and importance to early Hawaiians, to the cutting-edge astronomy being done with the world's best telescopes today.

• "Hubble Vision II" – view spectacular images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and learn the astronomy behind the images. Suitable for grades 7 through adult.

• "Stargazer" – designed for audiences in grades seven through adult. Join noted star expert, Dr. James Kaler, as he guides us through the life cycles of stars. Learn the history of how astronomers have come to know so much about objects so far away.

• "Stellar Extremes" - learn about the most extreme stars in the known universe.  This show discusses the biggest, smallest, hottest, least hot, oldest, youngest, brightest, faintest, and most dense stars known.

• "Black Holes" - join cartoon character Stella and learn about these stellar corpses and the physics of their workings.  See how they form and how they affect matter near them.

• "Point of No Return" - learn about black holes, especially the supermassive black holes found at the centers of most galaxies.

• "Dark Matter" -  find out more about this mysterious "matter" which only betrays its existence through its gravitational effects on "normal" matter.  Current theories about the nature of dark matter are discussed.

• "StarDate:  Ancient Horizons" - journey back to ancient Egypt and learn how their observations of the sky influenced their beliefs in their gods and goddesses, as well as the ruling priests and pharaohs.  This show is suitable for audiences in grade seven through adult.

• “George and Oatmeal Save Santa” – join George and Oatmeal on an around-the-world tour to find Santa and get him home to the North Pole. Learn how different star patterns can help us find out where on Earth we are, and hear stories about star patterns from around the world.

• " 'Tis the Season" - this show recounts the historical religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice - from Christian, Jewish, Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, and Mexican cultures.  It also takes a look at some of our more light-hearted seasonal traditions: from gift-giving to songs about lords a-leaping and ladies dancing, the custom of decking the halls with greenery and candles to Santa Claus.  The show also considers possible astronomical explanations for the star of Bethlehem.

• Astronomy badge programs can be scheduled for scouting groups to meet the planetarium requirements for earning an astronomy badge.  Call 773-3183 and leave a message and the planetarium director will get back to you to discuss your special show request.

• Special shows can be arranged to meet the specific needs of your class or group.  Call 773-3183 and leave a message and the planetarium director will get back to you to discuss your special show request.