Planetarium Program Options
Groups may choose from over 100 different programs, with options available for all ages from pre-school through adult. These options include full-dome video shows, digitized classic multimedia shows, live interactive programs, and workshops.
Full Dome Shows
Full-dome shows fill the entire dome with video and sound and immerse you in the cosmos other landscapes in a unique way. These shows are preceded by a live introduction and followed by a question-and-answer period, with the entire session lasting about an hour.
THE ALIEN WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS (Grades 1 and up)
In this full-dome video show for all ages, you’ll first take a tour of the winter sky. Then, a mysterious alien spaceship appears. Is Christmas about to be stolen? Follow Santa’s hijacked sleigh from planet to planet and back to Earth again in this science fiction twist on a Christmas tale. (31 minutes)
MAX GOES TO THE MOON (Grades K-4)
In this fictional story, Max the dog and a young girl named Tori take the first trip to the Moon since the Apollo era. Their trip proves so inspiring to people back on Earth that all nations of the world come together to build a great Moon colony. Adapted for the planetarium from the popular children’s book. (35 minutes)
ONE WORLD, ONE SKY (preschool through 1st grade)
For our youngest visitors, ONE WORLD, ONE SKY uses Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Elmo to delightfully teach about the Sun, Moon, stars and constellations. (27 minutes)
OUR PLACE IN SPACE (Grades 2-3)
Join Scarlett Macaw and her animal friends as she solves a crossword puzzle about the sky. Discover the cause of day and night, secrets of the Sun, the beauty of the constellations, and exotic places in space along the way in this playful full dome video show. (32 minutes)
RUSTY ROCKET’S LAST BLAST (Grades 2-5)
Follow along as Rusty Rocket makes his last trip touring the Solar System and training the next generation of rocket rookies about the wonders of the planets. (34 minutes)
SECRET OF THE CARDBOARD ROCKET (Grades 1-6)
Join two kids as they take their carboard rocket on an adventurous tour around the Solar System and learn the secret of the carboard rocket. This is a delightful and popular full dome video show. (40 minutes)
TRIP THROUGH SPACE (Grades 5 and up)
TRIP THROUGH SPACE leads visitors on a gentle tour of the Universe, starting with the winter evening sky and progressing through the Solar System and on to stars, nebulae, and distant galaxies. (28 minutes)
BIG ASTRONOMY: PEOPLE, PLACES, DISCOVERIES (Grade 5 and up)
Astronomy today is a diverse global effort to understand the Universe. Several of the world’s most important ground-based observatories are located in the high Atacama Desert of Chile. In BIG ASTRONOMY you’ll meet several of the astronomers, engineers, technicians, and support staff who use and operate these impressive observatories. (27 minutes)
CHASING THE GHOST PARTICLE: FROM THE SOUTH POLE TO THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE (Grades 5 and up)
CHASING THE GHOST PARTICLE, which tells the story of a unique astronomical observatory, IceCube, located at the South Pole. See how IceCube was built and how it searches for elusive neutrinos. These low mass, hard to detect particles help astronomers unlock many of the mysteries of the cosmos. (27 minutes)
COSMIC COLORS (Grades 3 and up)
Light on Earth and from space comes in many colors. See how these many colors of light are created and what they tell us about stars and the cosmos. Learn why the sky is blue and why Mars is red. See x-rays from a black hole, see the green in a plant leaf, and go inside the human eye. (31 minutes)
IBEX (Grades 5 and up)
With teenage guides, learn about the IBEX satellite that is studying the boundary between the Sun’s magnetic field and the interstellar magnetic field. This mission was originally planned to last for two years, but has now been collecting data for over 16 years. (29 minutes)
PHANTOM OF THE UNIVERSE – THE HUNT FOR DARK MATTER (Grades 9 and up)
Mysterious dark matter seems to vastly outweigh the visible matter we can see in the Universe. What is dark matter and how do we learn about this puzzling component of the Universe? PHANTOM OF THE UNIVERSE – THE HUNT FOR DARK MATTER explores these questions and showcases the search for the nature of dark matter using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. (27 minutes)
TWO SMALL PIECES OF GLASS (Grades 3 and up)
TWO SMALL PIECES OF GLASS tells the story of the invention of the telescope in the early 1600s and how astronomers have used telescopes from Galileo to the modern day. This full dome video show finishes by looking ahead to possible giant telescopes of the futures. (23 minutes)
ANIMALS OF THE SKY (Grades 3 and up)
Many of the sky’s constellations are animals, such as the great bear Ursa Major, Leo the Lion, Pegasus the winged horse, Scorpius the Scorpion, and more. Hear their stories in this delightful show. (24 minutes)
CONSTELLATIONS (Grades 3 and up)
Connect to the stars and constellations. From the classical constellations that fill our sky including their stars, the zodiac, and the mythology associated with them to constellations from cultures around the world and throughout history, including Greek, Mayan, Egyptian, and Chinese constellations. (25 minutes)
IT’S ABOUT TIME! COSMIC CYCLES WE ALL LIVE BY (Grades 3 and up)
Our lives are governed by cosmic cycles – from cycles of day and night, to cycles of the Moon and days of the week and motions of the Sun across the sky over the cycle of a year. Join friendly robots Tortoise & Hare as they explore these cycles of time along with longer geological time cycles and deep time. (26 minutes)
MY HOUSE HAS STARS (Grades 2 and up)
Constellations as seen from many countries around the world – Nepal, Japan, Brazil, and more. Hear children describe their houses – pueblos, round huts, stone lodges; the stars and constellations they see; and their sky stories. (30 minutes)
THE SKY WE DON’T SEE (Grades 4 and up)
THE SKY WE DON’T SEE begins with the stars and constellations we see from here and then heads south to the spectacular sky visible from the Southern Hemisphere. See southern stars and constellations, including the Southern Cross and Alpha Centaur, the nearest star past the Sun, and many more. Hear sky mythology of southern cultures and see spectacular sights through modern southern hemisphere telescopes. (25 minutes)
TOTALITY! (Grade 4 and up)
Total solar eclipses are beautiful and rare events, and the view of totality is a very different experience from even a very good partial eclipse. In “TOTALITY! you will learn how eclipses happen and how to view them safely as well as a bit of history about eclipse watchers along the way. (25 minutes)
TOTALITY (Grade 4 and up)
In this show, you’ll see how both lunar and solar eclipses occur and what you will witness during a solar eclipse. Additionally, the program looks back to how solar eclipses were used to test Einstein’s general relativity in the first half of the 20th century. This charming show is both educational and entertaining. (26 minutes)
DINO SOARS! CHANG OVER TIME (Grades 3 and up)
Birds are living dinosaurs! Follow the story of Malkia, a museum paleontologist, as she explores fascinating connections between birds and dinosaurs. (24 minutes)
NATURAL SELECTION (Grades 7 and up)
Join Charles Darwin on his voyage to the Galapagos where he developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. Hear Darwin explain it and see the sights and species that led him to his discovery. (39 minutes)
SPACE ALIENS (Grades 5 and up)
Is there intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe? A debate examines the pros and cons to the ultimate question: Are we alone? (28 minutes)
STARS TO STARFISH (Grades 5 and up)
The oceans are alive with life and color, revealed here with gorgeous underwater photography and videography. (20 minutes)
APOLLO 11: MAN’S FIRST STEP ONTO THE MOON (Grades 3 and up)
Experience the incredible story of Apollo 11, the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon, from launch, to landing, to the first walk on the Moon, to liftoff, and the enduring legacy. (26 minutes)
BACK TO THE MOON FOR GOOD (Grades 4 and up)
Learn the life story of our nearest neighbor in space and the challenge to private groups to land a rocket on the Moon, travel 500 meters, and return images and video for the Google Lunar XPRIZE. (25 minutes)
DAWN OF THE SPACE AGE (Grades 4 and up)
From the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, to early human spaceflight to Moon of the 1960s to today’s International Space Station. See the Moon landings as never before and peek at possible future missions to Mars in this immersive, historically accurate reconstruction of Humankind’s first steps into space. (40 minutes)
FORWARD! TO THE MOON
Will Humans return to the Moon this decade? Learn about NASA’s 21st century Artemis program, named after the Greek moon Goddess and twin of Apollo.
WE CHOOSE SPACE (Grades 4 an up)
Guided by the astronauts themselves, visit and tour the International Space Station. See its construction, re-live the Apollo missions to the Moon, and visit future Moon colonies. (22 minutes)
DEFYING GRAVITY: IT IS ROCKET SCIENCE (Grades 4 and up)
From footballs and amusement parks, to rockets and space flight, to a possible low-gravity Moon base, see how humans have tried to overcome gravity. Explore other extreme gravitational environments such as black holes. (23 minutes)
DID AN ASTEROID REALLY KILL THE DINOSAURS? (Grades 5 and up)
What took out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago? Was it an asteroid impact? See the evidence that the dinosaurs fell victim to an impact from space. (24 minutes)
FIREFALL (Grades 5 and up)
Throughout its history, the Earth has been hit by meteorites, comets, and asteroids. These impacts have shaped the planet we live on today and have changed the course of life on Earth. See these fiery impacts that still take place today. (34 minutes)
A TEENAGER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY (Grades 5 and up)
Inventive Milwaukee teens created this show that will take you on a dynamic journey through space and time. Discover the origins and fate of the Earth, Sun, Moon, and Universe. Visit black holes and closer to home, see how cosmic collisions and water have shaped our Earth. (30 minutes)
EDGE OF DARKNESS (Grades 4 and up)
The New Horizons mission returned spectacular pictures of faraway Pluto in 2015 and at the same time the Dawn mission sent home spectacular images of the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres. See the interesting landscapes of these dark and distant worlds. (25 minutes)
OASIS IN SPACE (Grades 4 and up)
Earth’s water makes it an oasis for life. Discover how water came from space and tour other worlds in the Solar System where water has boiled away or has frozen as ice. (30 minutes)
THE SOLAR SYSTEM SHOW: PLANET FUN FOR EVERYONE (Grades 3 and up)
Join along with a group of kids, who narrate a tour of the solar system, from the Sun to the farthest planets, with moons, asteroids, and comets along the way, plus a look at planets around other stars. (23 minutes)
UNDISCOVERED WORLDS: THE SEARCH BEYOND OUR SUN (Grades 5 and up)
See how astronomers search for planets around other stars. Discover the characteristics of some of the first planets to be found orbiting other stars and how these characteristics were surprising to astronomers. (32 minutes)
A TO Z ASTRONOMY (Grades 3 and up)
Follow along on an alphabetical sampler of all things astronomical – A is for asteroids, B is for black holes, C is for comets, S is for stars, Z is for zodiac, and much more. (25 minutes)
BLACK HOLES (Grades 5 and up)
Mysterious black holes are among the most mystifying places in the Universe. Their gravity is so strong that nothing can escape, not even light. Learn all about the weird behavior of matter, space, and time in and around black holes and see how astronomers can detect them. (37 minutes)
COSMIC RECIPE: SETTING THE PERIODIC TABLE (Grades 5 and up)
“To make apple pie, you must first make the Universe.” Learn how the Universe made all its elements, those in the periodic table and in apple pie: from the Big Bang to the hot hearts of stars and the colossal explosions of supernovae. (24 minutes)
DARK MATTER MYSTERY (Grades 5 and up)
Beginning with the discovery of Neptune from irregularities in the motion of Uranus, this show traces the evidence of vast amounts of dark, unseen matter that seems to be the dominant form of matter in galaxies and the Universe. What is this dark matter made of? Many efforts to unlock what dark matter may be are described. (38 minutes)
EXPLODING UNIVERSE (Grades 5 and up)
Explosions fill the Universe, from the Big Bang that began it all, to exploding stars, black holes, colliding galaxies, the great collision that created the Moon, and even super volcanoes on Earth. Witness them all shaping and re-shaping the Universe during this show. (33 minutes)
FROM EARTH TO THE UNIVERSE (Grades 5 and up)
Take a spectacular tour of the Universe from Earth and planets to stars and faraway galaxies and to the edge of the Universe. (32 minutes)
HOT ENERGETIC UNIVERSE (Grades 9 and up)
Come along for a tour of many of humanity’s observatories and the Universe they unveil, with an emphasis on the exciting discoveries revealed by studying x-ray and gamma-ray light. Suitable for high school physics as well as astronomy classes. (30 minutes)
MAKING OF A STAR AND HER ENTOURAGE (Grades 3 and up)
This show traces the evolution of humankind’s understanding of the Universe. Discover the long journey beginning with the Earth-centered model of the Universe in which the Sun was considered a planet, to our current understanding that the Sun is a star at the center of the Solar System and is one of billions of stars that reside in the Milky Way. (30 minutes)
OUT THERE: THE QUEST FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL WORLDS (Grades 5 and up)
Join the quest for finding life on other planets and moons of the Solar System. See how astronomers search for planets around other stars and what some of these newly discovered worlds are like. Are some of these planets habitable? (25 minutes)
THE SUN: OUR LIVING STAR (Grades 3 and up)
Our life on Earth depends on energy from the Sun. We have built monuments such as Stonehenge that point to key directions of sunrise. We discovered that the Earth revolves in an orbit around the Sun and are now discovering planets around other stars. We now know how the Sun creates energy and how the Sun affects the Earth and how to harvest solar power from the Sun as well as past solar power in fossil fuels. (24 minutes)
SUNSTRUCK (Grades 3 and up)
The Sun is the source of life-giving energy. You’ll discover the layers of the Sun and energy production in the Sun. You’ll meet sunspots and solar storms, the solar wind, and threats to the Earth’s atmosphere. You’ll also discover the future of the Sun and the effects the dying Sun will have on the Earth. (21 minutes)
WE ARE STARS (Grades 5 and up)
The atoms that make us up were made in distant stars. Follow a group of time travelers back to a time just after the Big Bang when the first atoms were made. Watch as these atoms gather into stars and galaxies. See how stars made all the atoms needed for life and how these atoms found their way to Earth and into us. (35 minutes)
CLEOPATRA’S UNIVERSE (Grades 6 and up)
The life and times of the brilliant exotic Queen Cleopatra. Visit her palace and the wonders of her world. See the work of brilliant astronomers in her Egypt. (25 minutes)
THE FIRST STARGAZERS (Grades 5 and up)
Discover how the first stargazers around the world experienced the sky above. Watch the first stargazer create a Moon calendar 30,000 years ago. Discover how ancient peoples tried to understand the sky and how modern astronomy grew from their work. (24 minutes)
JULIUS CAESAR (Grades 5 and up)
The life and death of Julius Caesar. Learn about “Caesar’s comet,” which appeared in Earth’s sky after Caesar’s assassination. (33 minutes)
LIFE UNDER THE ARCTIC SKY (Grades 5 and up)
The Sami people of northern Scandinavia live by herding reindeer in the endless days of summer and under the aurora (northern lights) during the near-endless nights of winter. See it all in spectacular images! (41 minutes)
LIGHT YEARS FROM ANDROMEDA (Grades 8 and up)
Follow a light beam as it travels for over two million years from the Andromeda Galaxy to Earth. Watch the history of Earth as the light makes its journey. (30 minutes)
SISTINE CHAPEL (Grades 5 and up)
A spectacular tour of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s fabulous artwork from the Creation through many episodes of the Bible and on to the Last Judgement. (24 minutes)
SKY WARS: BATTLES OF DISCOVERY (Grades 5 and up)
From ancient Greece to the present day to space cities of the future, see how astronomers have observed the sky and disproved astrology and a flat Earth. See how it was discovered that the Earth moves around the Sun and figured out the structure of the cosmos and our place in it. (26 minutes)
SOCRATES (Grades 5 and up)
The life and philosophy, the trial, and the death of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates. (33 minutes)
SPOOKY SPACE: COSMIC CONNECTIONS TO HALLOWEEN (Grades 2 and up)
Get in the Halloween spirit with this entertaining show. We can imagine seeing things such as ghosts, faces, witches and vampires in our pictures of objects in space. See these along with other spooky phenomena in space and learn about the science behind them. (23 minutes)
STARGAZERS OF AFRICA (Grades 3 and up)
From the dawn of time, African people have looked to the skies above for inspiration and guidance. STARGAZERS OF AFRICA is a journey connecting the stars, moon, and planets to the people across this great continent - from long ago to the stargazers of today. (25 minutes)
STARS OF THE PHARAOHS (Grades 6 and up)
Ancient Egyptians knew the starry sky and its patterns and cycles. Learn how they brought this rich sky to Earth in their Pyramids, temples, and tombs that we can still see today. (36 minutes)
TALES OF MAYA SKIES (Grades 6 and up)
Discover how the mysterious Maya understood the patterns in the skies above – the Sun, the planets, the constellations – and how they tied their calendar and their earthly cities to that sky. (34 minutes)
Live Programs
These programs are live interactive presentations pitched to the grade level of your class. All involve at least some student participation. The emphasis is on the sky and use the planetarium to present concepts in a way that cannot be done in the regular classroom.
In order to encourage student involvement, the maximum group size for live programs is about 55 students, except for preschool through grade 1, where the maximum is about 25 students.
Live programs are about one hour long, including an introduction and time for questions at the end.
STAR SHAPES (Preschool and kindergarten)
An introduction to the planetarium and the sun and stars, using a format of storytelling, activities, and a look at the planetarium’s starfield. Maximum of 20 students. (30 minutes)
DAY AND NIGHT (Grade 1)
An explanation of day and night. The Sun’s motion across the sky is shown and the concept that it moves because the Earth rotates is demonstrated. Then, the current evening sky and some constellations are shown. Maximum of 20 students (30 minutes)
FIRST CONSTELLATIONS (Grade 1)
An introduction to constellations for first graders. Maximum of 20 students (30 minutes)
DIRECTIONS (Grade 2)
A demonstration of the meaning of directions: east and west as the directions of sunrise and sunset, south as the direction of the midday Sun, and north as the direction of the pole star. The seasonal variation in the Sun’s path across the sky is demonstrated and the current evening is also shown. (45 minutes)
CONSTELLATIONS AND THE SKY TONIGHT (Grades 2 and up)
Learn how to find and recognize constellations using star charts and the planetarium sky and practice in small groups. The emphasis is on learning a few constellations well so students can find them in the real sky. Other features of the sky such as colors of stars are also shown. Maximum of about 25 students. (45 minutes)
THE MOON AND MONTHS (Grades 3-6)
This session gives a lesson on watching the Moon, including its phases, when it is visible and how it moves across the sky. The connection between the moon and months and a short tour of the Moon area also included. (45 minutes)
THE SUN AND SEASONS (Grades 3-6)
This session gives a lesson on how the Sun moves across our sky in different seasons and why there are seasons. The Sun’s sky path at other latitudes is also shown in order to illustrate the midnight sun and the opposite seasons of the southern hemisphere. (60 minutes)
ASTRONOMICAL COORDINATES (Grades 7-12)
This session gives an explanation of the various coordinate systems and reference circles astronomers use to record and organize the motions of the stars and Sun in our sky. (45-60 minutes)
Workshop-Style programs
These programs are designed for small groups in a workshop/laboratory format. In each, the student keeps a quantitative record of the sky motions being demonstrated and learns the patterns by making predictions and comparing them with observations.
The maximum group size is 25 for workshop-style programs and most of these programs require 75 to 90 minutes to complete.
WATCHING THE SUN (Grades 7-12)
This workshop demonstrates the Sun’s path across the sky in different seasons and as seen from different places on Earth. Before each step, the student predicts the Sun’s motion, and thus over several steps learns the trends with seasons, the motion of the Sun and latitude.
WATCHING THE MOON (Grades 7-12)
This workshop demonstrates the Moon’s path across the sky at different phases and seasons and when it rises and sets. Before each step, the student predicts the motion and thus over several steps learns the trends.
WATCHING THE PLANETS (Grades 8-12)
Charting the movement of the planets against the backdrop of the constellations in order to understand why planets are seen in morning twilight, evening twilight, at night, or not at all.
Classic Multimedia programs
These programs combine narration, music, dozens or hundreds of images and other visuals and were originally multimedia slide shows that were combined with the starfield. When the Planetarium system was upgraded to a full-dome video system in 2013, these shows were digitized so that they can still be enjoyed today. These shows are preceded by a live introduction and followed by a question-and-answer period, with the entire session typically lasting about 60 to 75 minutes.
After each classic multimedia program description, the runtime as well as the number of images is listed. Programs created by Dr. Dale Smith at BGSU are also marked with ‘BG’.
DON'T DUCK, LOOK UP! (Preschool through 1st grade)
Meet Dudley, a bright little duck who hatches before your eyes and begins to learn about the sky with his barnyard of animal friends. (15 minutes, 89 images)
WILBEAR’S ADVENTURE (Grades K-1)
Wilbear (named for Wilbur Wright) is a teddy bear who wants to fly. (22 minutes, 169 images plus video)
ZUBENELGENUBI’S MAGIC SKY (Grades K-1)
An interactive program that helps the youngest students explore the daytime and nighttime sky. (22 minutes, 150 images plus video)
LARRY, CAT IN SPACE (Grades K-2)
The playful story of an inquisitive cat who takes a trip to the moon, told through a "cats-eye-view" of the moon, space travel, and living on another world. (30 minutes, 160 images)
GEORGE AND OATMEAL SAVE SANTA (Grades K-4)
George the wizard and Oatmeal the snowman show a lost Santa how to use stars to find his way home. (20 minutes, 98 images)
THE LITTLE STAR THAT COULD (Grades 1-2)
An introduction to stars and planets using the story of a little yellow star (the Sun) that wanders through space to meet many kinds of stars and finally discovers its own planets. (34 minutes, 147 images)
THE DAY THE EARTH TURNED THE WRONG WAY (Grades 1 and up)
A story-format program on the environment in which the Earth protests environmental abuses by rotating backwards. The program shows many of these abuses and their effects and appeals to children to respect the earth. (18 minutes, 212 images, BG)
HERCULES AND OTHER SUPERHERO STARS (Grades 1 to 4)
Watch Hercules and other heroes come alive to show how stars work, the difference between red and blue stars, and other stellar wonders in the sky above. (33 minutes, 206 images plus video)
WINTER WONDERS (Grades 1 and up)
Join two curious kids as they explore the mystery of the Star of Bethlehem and the Winter Solstice. Hear cultural stories about the Sun’s victory over winter from China, Africa, Polynesia, and other stops around the globe. (43 minutes, 188 images)
BEAR TALES (AND OTHER GRIZZLY STORIES) (Grades 2 and up)
An introduction to constellations using a grandfatherly character who teaches his grandchildren the star patterns and stories about them. (33 minutes, 72 images)
LIFE BEYOND EARTH (Grades 5 and up)
Explores the possibility of extraterrestrial life, the search for life-bearing planets, and the history of life on earth. (32 minutes, 375 images)
THE STELLAR THREAD (Grades 10 and up)
A look at DNA, explaining its role in our lives and the origin of its atoms in the stars. Suitable for biology, chemistry, or general science classes. (46 minutes, 155 images)
THE SEABIRD SHOW (Grades 2 and up)
A celebration of seabirds and their environment, including the colorful puffins which range from Alaska to Europe. Can be combined with The Day the Earth Turned the Wrong Way as a double-feature for the price of one show. (public show, 1993) (28 minutes, 363 images plus video, BG)
IN SEARCH OF PLANETS WITH LIFE (Grades 5 and up)
Describes the recent discoveries of planets around other stars and considers whether these newfound planets or any of the other planets in our solar system may be suitable for life. (public show, 1998) (32 minutes, 352 images plus video)
NINE PLANETS AND COUNTING… (Grades 3 and up)
A 21st-century tour of the Solar System, covering all the planets as well as asteroids and comets, with a special emphasis on the question of whether Pluto is or is not a planet. (public show, 2007) (42 minutes, 391 images plus video)
PLANET PATROL (Grades 3-5)
An imaginative and instructive tour of the whole solar system with Investigator Sam Snork who travels around searching for a mysterious radio transmission. Includes images and video of each planet. (public show, 2000) (40 minutes, 325 images plus video)
321 BLASTOFF (Grades 1 to 4)
Go with two young kids as they go on the adventure of a lifetime exploring the Sun and planets. (35 minutes, 223 images)
UNWORLDLY WEATHER (Grades 3 and up)
The most spectacular weather on the Earth, other planets and moons, and the Sun, including hurricanes, tornados, thunderstorms, floods, drought, and extreme hot and cold, as well as many types of clouds, rain and snow. (public show, 1994) (44 minutes, 517 images plus video, BG)
PLANET QUEST (Grades 5 and up)
The appearance of the planets in our sky, how the ancient Greeks thought all planets revolved around the earth, and an imaginary journey to each planet using space art and photography. (public show, 1986) (43 minutes, 358 images, BG)
OCEANS IN SPACE (Grades 4 and up)
The oceans of Earth and other planets. Explores the Earth’s oceans and their connection with life. Recreates possible ancient oceans on Mars and the probable present ocean on Jupiter’s moon Europa, and visualizes possible oceans on planets around other stars. (public show, 2007) (30 minutes, 186 images plus video)
FOOTSTEPS (Grades 4 and up)
A program about the moon, including the moon's origin and history, early myths and stories about the moon, the Apollo manned missions to the moon, and future uses of the moon. (41 minutes, 172 images plus video)
LUNAR ODYSSEY (Grades 3 and up)
An imaginary 21st century trip to the Moon that recounts the Moon's origin, tours its craters and other surface features, shows what it would be like to live on the Moon, explains the Moon's phases, and gives tips for watching the Moon in the sky. (public show, 2001) (42 minutes, 377 images plus video)
ONCE IN A BLUE MOON (Grades 2 and up)
A wide-ranging program about the Moon, covering the Moon's origin and surface features, the first Moon landing by astronauts, myths about the Moon from around the world, and an explanation of the Moon's phases. (public show, 2006) (37 minutes, 295 images plus video)
MAGELLAN: REPORT FROM VENUS (Grades 4 and up)
The planet Venus as revealed by the Magellan and other spacecraft, including the spectacular surface and thick atmosphere. (29 minutes, 160 images)
TRANSIT OF VENUS (Grades 4 and up)
All about the rare "transits" when Venus passes directly between the Earth and the Sun. Explains the astronomy involved and the fascinating stories of past transits. The June 2004 transit is the first since 1882. (public show, 2004) (35 minutes, 228 images plus video)
THE MARS SHOW (Grades 3 and up)
A look at Mars past, present, and future: as described in science fiction, as revealed by spacecraft missions, as colonized within a century. (public show, 1988) (41 minutes, 375 images)
MARSQUEST (Grades 4 and up)
Successor to the Mars Show. A new look at Mars past, present, and future: as described in science fiction, as revealed by spacecraft missions, as colonized within a century. (public show, 2002) (41 minutes, 357 images)
THE VOYAGER ENCOUNTERS (Grades 4 and up)
A tour of the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune), their moons, and their rings through the eyes of the Voyager spacecraft, and a look at how the spacecraft worked. (public show, 1990) (43 minutes, 420 images)
RINGWORLD (Grades 4 and up)
Saturn, its many moons, its magnificent rings, and the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft mission due to arrive at the ringed planet in 2004, go into orbit, and send a lander to the mysterious moon Titan. (public show, 2004) (35 minutes, 323 images plus video)
HALLEY: A COMET’S TALE (Grades 2 and up)
The saga of Halley's Comet, its birth, its trips around the Sun, its future, and its record in history. (public show, 1985) (37 minutes, 289 images, BG)
COMETS ARE COMING! (Grades 4 and up)
All about comets, including what they're like, how astronomers discover and study them, comet collisions with planets, Halley's Comet, and more. Can be combined with Cosmic Explorer for the price of one show. (public show, 1997) (34 minutes, 275 images plus video)
WATER WORLD (Grades 4 and up)
The marvelous story of planet Earth: its birth and life history; its drifting continents, mountains ranges, and volcanoes; its oceans, ice ages, and life; and its ultimate fate. (public show, 1992) (44 minutes, 566 images, BG)
NEW WORLDS? (Grades 4 and up)
To commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landfall, a story of human exploration of the Earth, including the first Americans, the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians, the Vikings, Columbus, and today's astronauts. Suitable for use with history and geography as well as astronomy classes. (public show, 1992) (49 minutes, 655 images, BG)
DINOSAUR LIGHT (Grades 5 and up)
A unique trip out in space and back in time. The light we now see from stars and galaxies left them long ago, when the events we record on human history and the Earth’s history were happening. The program weaves together a tour of the present-day Universe with a history of the Earth from recent events to the days of the dinosaurs. (public show, 1996) (51 minutes, 571 images plus video, BG)
AURORA! (Grades 5 and up)
Examines the science and folklore of the fascinating northern lights and includes superb video of their color and changing appearance. (public show, 2001) (35 minutes, 302 images plus video)
THEY FOUND A WORLD OF ICE AND BEAUTY: POLAR EXPLORATION AT THE ENDS OF THE EARTH (Grades 5 and up)
A showcase of the natural beauty and brave exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic as recorded by the eyes of modern cameras and as revealed in the adventures of early explorers. (public show, 1996) (44 minutes, 454 images plus video, BG)
COSMIC CATASTROPHES (Grades 4 and up)
A look at astronomical events that may threaten life on Earth, ranging from the explosions of massive stars to the impact of giant meteorites. Also includes human threats such as damage to the ozone layer and the danger of nuclear winter. (public show, 1993) (38 minutes, 377 images plus video)
THE ENDLESS HORIZON (Grades 5 and up)
The human exploration of Earth and space. Includes stone-age skywatchers, Columbus' voyage, the work of Darwin and Newton, the development of flight, and landing on the Moon. (public show, 1994) (46 minutes, 237 images plus video)
BLOWN AWAY: THE WILD WORLD OF WEATHER (Grades 3 and up)
The wild and wonderful weather of planet Earth. Covers hurricanes, tornados, thunderstorms, the cause of seasons, and the effect of seasons on weather. (public show, 2008) (38 minutes, 289 images plus video)
TO SHINE ALMOST FOREVER: THE INCREDIBLE LIVES OF STARS (Grades 4 and up)
The life cycles of stars, from their birth out of interstellar gas and dust, to their lifetimes of billions of years, to their expansion to become giant stars, to their final explosions and fading out. Emphasizes how stars work, the production of chemical elements in stars, and how to see the various stages of starlife in the night sky. (public show, 1995) (43 minutes, 465 images plus video, BG)
JOURNEY TO EARTH (Grades 5 and up)
A unique journey from the Milky Way to the universe at large and back to the earth to discover the place of the earth and humans in the universe. The hierarchy of structure (planets, stars, galaxies, clusters of galaxies) and vast distance scales of the universe are built up, and the creation in other stars of the elements comprising humans is revealed. One of our best programs. (public show, 1988) (38 minutes, 345 images, BG)
SPRINGTIME OF THE UNIVERSE (Grades 6 and up)
The life story of the Universe and its stars, including life cycles of stars, the future of the Sun and earth, and a glimpse at the far future of the Universe. (public show, 1985) (46 minutes, 125 images plus video)
COSMIC EXPLORER (Grades 5 and up)
A tour of the Universe through the eyes of artists, from the nearest planets to the farthest galaxies, and all the wonders in between. With images and music alone, the beauty of the Universe is revealed. Can be combined with Comets are Coming! for the price of one show. (public show, 1997) (13 minutes, 175 images)
DINOSAUR LIGHT (Grades 5 and up)
A unique trip out in space and back in time. The light we now see from stars and galaxies left them long ago, when the events we record on human history and the Earth’s history were happening. The program weaves together a tour of the present-day Universe with a history of the Earth from recent events to the days of the dinosaurs. (public show, 1996) (51 minutes, 571 images plus video, BG)
STAR STEALERS (Grades 4 and up)
A cosmic "whodunit?" in which detective Sam Snork investigates the mystery of the missing stars. Along the way he learns all about the lives of the stars. (public show, 1997) (46 minutes, 339 images plus video)
ALPHABET UNIVERSE (Grades 5 and up)
An astronomical sampler with a bit of everything. Twenty-six topics from A to Z cover the Universe from skywatching to planets, stars, and galaxies. (public show, 1998) (48 minutes, 541 images plus video, BG)
SPACE DREAMS (Grades 3 and up)
Ancient and modern dreams inspired by looking to the sky—the dreams and birth of space travel, the quest of astronomers to understand the cosmos, and the hopes of finding alien life. (public show, 2004) (35 minutes, 285 images plus video)
A BRIEFER HISTORY OF TIME (Grades 5 and up)
A time-lapse history of the Universe from the Big Bang beginning through the appearance of stars, planets, and people. (36 minutes, 145 images plus video)
STELLAR EXTREMES (Grades 9 and up)
Nature’s most extreme stars: bigger, brighter, and hotter than the Sun or stars that have gone small at the ends of their lives. (45 minutes, 308 images plus video)
THE COWBOY ASTRONOMER (Grades 4 and up)
The joys of watching the sky—stars, constellations, secrets of the Universe, and sky stories—all from a cowboy’s point of view. (public show, 2008) (37 minutes, 113 images)
THE STARGAZER (Grades 7 and up)
A curious child becomes an astronomer and learns how astronomers use light and gravity to decipher the lives of the stars. Based on a true-life story. (37 minutes, 159 images plus video)
AMAZING STARGAZING (Grades 3 and up)
A light-hearted and comprehensive guide to skywatching, covering constellations, the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and other sights of the night sky. (public show, 2002) (35 minutes, 196 images plus video) For older classes, the following program can also be included as part of this presentation: SAVING THE NIGHT (Grades 5 and up): A short show about the dangers of light pollution and what we can do to recover a dark and inspiring night sky. (public show, 2002) (11 minutes, 68 images)
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE (Grades 4 and up)
An introduction to stargazing, showing what can be seen with the eye, binoculars, and telescopes. Available upon request as part of the live program Constellations and The Sky Tonight. (see page 3) (17 minutes, 31 images)
THE LIGHT-HEARTED ASTRONOMER (Grades 5 and up)
An introduction to skywatching, both with the unaided eye and with telescopes. Upon request, a showing of the program More Than Meets the Eye can be included as part of this show. (public show, 1993) (31 minutes, 261 images)
STAR TRACKS (Grades 3 and up)
A guided tour of the winter sky and a just-for-fun "space journey" combining space music and motions of the starfield. (public show, 1985) (48 minutes, 28 images, BG)
GALILEO: the power of the telescope (Grades 5 and up)
Tells the story of Galileo, his pioneering discoveries with the telescope, and how the telescope has developed in the four hundred years since Galileo. (public show, 2010) (27 minutes, 223 images plus video)
HUBBLE VISION (Grades 4 and up)
The latest and best discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope, featuring dozens of Hubble’s best images and what we have learned from them. (public show, 2005) (30 minutes, 238 images)
HUBBLE’S UNIVERSE (Grades 5 and up)
The exciting discoveries of the Space Telescope from nearby planetary landscapes to the farthest sights we can see. Includes a description of how the telescope works. (public show, 2001) (39 minutes, 273 images plus video)
THROUGH THE EYES OF HUBBLE (Grades 5 and up)
A tour of the Universe through the eyes of the Space Telescope: comet collisions with Jupiter, sites of starbirth, stellar explosions and black holes, remote galaxies, and more. Includes a description of the Telescope. (public show, 1995) (42 minutes, 250 images plus video)
FIRST LIGHT (Grades 4 and up)
The story of the Space Telescope and a guide to the universe it will reveal, along with the history of telescopes. (public show, 1987) (33 minutes, 346 images)
ADVENTURES ALONG THE SPECTRUM (Grades 5-8)
Light and how astronomers use it to study the universe. Professor Photon leads from the familiar realm of visible light to the invisible realm of ultraviolet, infrared, microwave, and radio energy. (42 minutes, 147 images)
HOTTER THAN BLUE (Grades 9 and up)
How astronomers use the most energetic types of light to explore the Universe in colors the human eye cannot see. (41 minutes, 93 images plus video)
WORLDS IN YOUR WALLET (Grades 5 and up)
How the world’s money tells the story of science. Using dozens of images of scientists on the world’s money as textbook and tour guide, this interdisciplinary show covers topics in biology, math, astronomy, and physics, including electricity and magnetism, radioactivity, atoms and nuclei, gravity, and more, using an approach that combines science, history, and biography. Suitable for use with history or geography as well as astronomy or general science units. (public show, 2006) (50 minutes, 475 images, BG)
STAR-SPANGLED BANNERS (Grades 5 and up)
A world-wide tour of astronomical flags and the nations, states, and cities that fly them. Dozens of flags around the world float images of the Sun, the Moon, stars and constellations, and the northern lights. This interdisciplinary program shows all of these flags, explains the celestial sights they embody, and visits the places that fly them. Suitable for use with history or geography as well as astronomy or general science units. (public show, 2003) (46 minutes, 544 images, BG)
IT’S ABOUT TIME (Grades 5 and up)
The tale of astronomy's greatest effect on our everyday lives: keeping time. Our clocks and calendars record all the cycles of the sky, such as the rising and setting of the sun and stars, the phases of the moon, the passage of the seasons, and more. The program shows all of these celestial cycles and tells the story of how many early cultures based their calendars on them, thereby creating hours, days, weeks, months, years, and all the other ways we keep time today. Suitable for use with history or geography as well as astronomy or general science units. (public show, 1987) (47 minutes, 488 images, BG)
IS THIS THE END OF THE WORLD? (Grades 5 and up)
A wide-ranging astronomer's look at end of the world topics. Tells the saga of the race to be first to the South Pole, commemorates the Apollo moon landings a half-century later, and explains how the moon was made. Recounts "end-of-the-world" scares caused by comets, meteor showers, and calendar changes. Looks at meteorite and asteroid impact in the recent and distant past and forecasts the Earth's future. (public show, 1999) (48 minutes, 608 images plus video, BG)
I PAINT THE SKY (Grades 3 and up)
A guide to the beautiful colors in the sky: blue daytimes, red sunsets, vibrant rainbows, shimmering auroras, icy halos, and more. (public show, 1989) (34 minutes, 476 images, BG)
CENTURIES! (Grades 4 and up)
A bicentennial show that tells Ohio's history from the ancient ice ages to the modern space age. Covers Ohio's geological past, the legacy of native Americans, European settlement, Ohio's statehood, the Civil War, the Wright Brothers, and Ohio's famous astronauts. Suitable for history classes. (public show, 2003) (47 minutes, 396 images)
BAD ASTRONOMY: MYTHS & MISCONCEPTIONS (Grades 6 and up)
Debunks several popular myths and misconceptions about astronomy—the Moon Hoax, UFOs and alien visitors, and astrology—all with good humor. (public show, 2009) (38 minutes, 182 images plus video)
SKY STONES (Grades 4 and up)
An interpretive trip to Stonehenge, the pyramids of Egypt, the temples of the Maya, and several native American sites, all part of the legacy of ancient skywatchers who recorded the movement of the sun, moon, planets, and stars in their great stone monuments. (public show, 1991) (45 minutes, 462 images, BG)
SKYWATCHERS OF AFRICA (Grades 3 and up)
The legacy of African skywatchers. Includes the Pyramids and skylore of Egypt, desert traders using the stars as a roadmap across the sand, creation myths of the Dogon, prehistoric records of the Moon's phases, and more. (public show, 2005) (29 minutes, 380 images)
SPIRITS FROM THE SKY (Grades 3 and up)
The star world of the Pawnee Native American Nation. How Pawnee priests watched the appearance of planets, stars, and constellations, and used them to pattern their lives and culture. Told with authentic music and the voice of a Pawnee elder. (public show, 2005) (35 minutes, 350 images)
LAND OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS (Grades 2 and up)
A trip to Australia, covering the cities, land, people, animals, coasts, observatories, and the southern hemisphere skies. (public show, 1989) (45 minutes, 656 images)
SERPENTS OF THE SUN (Grades 3 and up)
Ohio's prehistoric mounds and their astronomical significance. Visits Serpent Mound, Fort Ancient, and other earthen mounds which are aligned with the Sun. (public show, 1994) (41 minutes, 257 images)
ISLANDS IN THE SKY (Grades 4 and up)
How the ancient Polynesians sailed vast distances of the Pacific Ocean in canoes navigating by the stars. (42 minutes, 149 images)
THE PEOPLE (Grades 3 and up)
A collection of American Indian myths about the sky told using the sun, starfield, and artwork. (48 minutes, 116 images)
NAVIGATING WITH LEWIS & CLARK (Grades 5 and up)
A trip with Lewis and Clark along the route they followed in exploring the American west over 200 years ago, with emphasis on how they used the sky to navigate and record their route. (public show, 2007) (35 minutes, 299 images)
THE WRIGHT WAY TO FLY (Grades 4 and up)
How the Wright Brothers developed and flew their first airplane. In an interview style, covers the principles of flight and the story behind the first flight in 1903. Suitable for history classes. (public show, 2004) (37 minutes, 150 images plus video)
HUMANITIES AND THE STARS (Grades 6 and up)
A series of 11 lecture-like programs relating the mythology of ancient cultures and the night sky those cultures saw. Programs are available on the following cultures: Polynesian-Hawaiian, Mayan, American Plateau, Eskimo, Norse, British Celtic, Chinese, Hindu, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Greek. Each program describes its culture and recounts several myths. Since these programs are shorter and less elaborate than our others, you may select any two as a single show. (approximately 30 minutes, 90 images each)
SECRET OF THE STAR (Grades 3 and up)
A program for Christmas. It shows the origin of many Christmas customs in ancient solstice festivals, retells the first Christmas story, and demonstrates several theories of the star of Bethlehem. (public show each year since 1989) (42 minutes, 594 images, BG)
THE UNIVERSE OF DR. EINSTEIN (Grades 5 and up)
A biography of Albert Einstein and a conversational approach to explain his revolutionary concepts of the Universe. (public show, 1986) (41 minutes, 258 images)
RELICS OF THE BIG BANG (Grades 9 and up)
The search for mysterious particles left over from the Big Bang and how they reveal the nature of the Universe. (34 minutes, 101 images plus video)
DESTINATION UNIVERSE (Grades 3 and up)
The future of space exploration and colonization from Space Station Freedom to planetary engineering projects thousands of years in the future. (public show, 1991) (37 minutes, 365 images)
ALL SYSTEMS GO! (Grades 3 and up)
The story of NASA from its inception to the development of the Space Shuttle, with emphasis on the Apollo manned missions to the moon. (public show, 1984) (43 minutes, 313 images plus video)
Updated: 01/07/2025 10:48AM