Programs
We strive to provide programs that are designed to entertain the audience as well as educate them about the wonders of our universe. Shows are presented to the public on a regular basis during the school year. Special showings are very popular with schools, scouting groups and adult organizations. Most programs are presented by students at Olivet Nazarene University who have completed at least six semester hours of astronomy. General shows are often performed live so that each program can be easily adapted to a particular audience. Specialized shows dealing with specific astronomical topics are also available upon request.
Attack of the Space Pirates
This full-dome presentation by the creators of THE SECRET OF THE CARDBOARD ROCKET is educational fun for the entire family, a space thriller that puts the SCIENCE back in SCIENCE FICTION. Join the crew of the Starship Intrepid as they race against time to put together clues and assemble an ancient alien technology. Along the way they encounter various astronomical objects such as exoplanets, giant stars, pulsars, and black holes. Topics discussed include the life cycles of stars, supernovae, and the way planetary systems evolve over time. Suitable for middle school to adult learners, this show places the viewer in the cockpit for an out-of-this-world learning adventure. Running time approximately 35 minutes, including live star talk.
Dawn of the Space Age
Witness the full scope of the planetarium’s new digital projection capabilities with this full-dome video presentation outlining mankind’s exploration of space from the launch of Sputnik to space tourism and beyond. This computer-animated odyssey puts viewers in the cockpits of the first manned space missions and on the lunar surface with the Apollo astronauts. The incredible visualizations and a soundtrack that includes favorites like Coldplay make this an engaging program for all ages. Educational content geared toward middle school to adult ages. This show is available in 30 minute and 40 minute versions, plus a 10 minute live star talk.
DomeFest
DomeFest is an international film festival held each year featuring short films by independent artists, designers, and musicians created specifically for the planetarium dome. This show is a compilation of several of the best of these short films from the past five years of the festival. Art, light, music, visual poetry, and immersive film fuse for a planetarium presentation like you've never seen before. Take a trip through the streets of Chicago, surround yourself in a visual symphony, and explore the reaches of the imagination in this new planetarium experience. The show runs about 45 minutes and features eleven short films. Suitable for all ages.
One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure
Join Big Bird, Elmo, and a new friend as they explore the sky over Sesame Street and learn how the sky is the same in different parts of the world. Big Bird teaches the students about constellations, and Elmo uses his imagination to travel to the moon and learn the ways in which Earth and the moon are different. This show provides an interactive and musical introduction to the stars for the youngest stargazers. Topics include the sun as a star, sunrise and sunset, constellations, the North Star, and the moon. This show is for pre-school to early elementary school audiences and runs approximately 25 minutes. An optional 15-minute guided tour of the night sky can also be included for a total presentation period of 40 minutes.
ONE WORLD, ONE SKY is a production of Adler Planetarium, Sesame Workshop, Beijing Planetarium, and Liberty Science Center and was produced with major support from the National Science Foundation. ONE WORLD, ONE SKY is distributed by Loch Ness Productions.
Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
Blast off with two children as they use the power of their imaginations and the knowledge of a talking astronomy book to explore the planets of the solar system. Visit each planet in turn (including a certain well-known dwarf planet) to get a close-up look at their surfaces and learn more about their environments.Though the show is aimed primarily for children pre-K to early middle school level, full-dome video effects make this an exhilarating educational ride for all ages. Topics treated include the nature of the Sun, the inner planets, the gas giants, Pluto, temperature and pressure, and asteroids. This show is available in 30 minute or 40 minute versions, with the addition of a 10 minute live star talk. Spanish-language versions of this show are available as well.
STARS
Narrated by Star Wars' Mark Hamill and with a soundtrack performed by the Nashville Orchestra, this show explores the dynamic life and death of stars, the powerhouses of the universe. This show is suitable for general audiences and educationally geared toward middle school level and above. STARS explores star birth, giant stars, pulsars, and black holes as well as a providing a brief history of astronomy and an introduction to our solar system, the galaxy, and the nature of light. Running time approximately 35 minutes, including live star talk.
STARS is a production of Adventure Science Center, Sudekum Planetarium, Nashville, TN
Strickler Holiday Special: The Stars of Christmas
Explore the holiday sky in this live presentation that introduces the brightest stars of the Christmas sky. Then take a trip back in time to speculate on the nature and origin of the most famous star of Christmas: the star of Bethlehem. Running time approximately 30 minutes.
The Haunted Planetarium
A community favorite is back! Visit the planetarium for a spook-tacular presentation that includes a virtual trip through a haunted castle and a wild ride on a space coaster. Show time is approximately 25 minutes and is appropriate for all ages. The cost is only $1 per person, though seating at each show is limited to 50.
Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope
This show is a celebration of the International Year of Astronomy and the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first observations through the telescope. Viewers visit a night-sky party with two young astronomy enthusiasts as they learn about the history of the telescope, the nature of light, and current frontiers of astronomy research. High-quality digital and video effects allow the viewer to travel in time and space, visiting Galileo and Newton as they make their historic discoveries and witnessing the frontiers of astronomy that have come from their work. Suitable for middle school and above, this show is an excellent introduction to astronomy and optics. Running time approximately 35 minutes, including live star talk.
Wonders of the Universe
Peer deep into space through the eyes of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and travel back billions of years in time to witness the birth of the universe. On this breathtaking excursion you'll witness the formation of galaxies and explore some of the most wondrous nebulae and astronomical structures yet discovered. As your travels continue, you'll fly deep into our own Milky Way galaxy and return home to Earth on a spectacular tour through the solar system. Appropriate for middle school to adult audiences. Show time approximately 45 minutes.
Wonders of the Universe is available with closed-captioning upon request.