Welcome K-12 Schools! Our planetarium shows and the outreach activities we offer are special and so are we. Why? Because we are passionate about outreach and education, and we bring an enthusiasm for science and learning that is unmatched in the community! 

Keep in-mind, too, that our shows and activities incorporate Michigan State Educational Standards. What better way to inspire learning than by combining educational curricula with fun activities!

Our planetarium shows include more than just a fulldome film. We begin each one of our shows with an Interactive Demonstration. That’s right! You participate! After the lights come down, we continue with the Current Night Sky, and then show your group a Fulldome Film. 

If you want to extend your visit, why not plan a “Science Day” and add our Phantastic Physics Phenomena and/or a Science Activity! 

Here is a sample of our Interactive Demonstrations, Current Night Sky, and Fulldome Films:

We begin our planetarium shows with Interactive Demonstrations:

• Learn about “size and distance” in our Solar System.  Compare the diameters of Earth, Mars, and our Moon, and get a feel for the distances between these celestial objects.  We accomplish this with the help of balloons, an inflatable globe, and our visitors!
• Learn about the visible spectrum and the discrete spectra  of hydrogen and helium.  Find out why there is so much “red” in the Hubble Space Telescope images. Wear “cool” diffraction glasses and see a rainbow emerge before your eyes!

After the Interactive Demonstration, we continue with the Current Night Sky:

• Learn how to find constellations (regions of the night sky) and famous star patterns (also called “asterisms”) like the Big Dipper. 
• Learn how to navigate the night sky by using clever tactics like “arcing to Arcturus.”
• Learn about “light years” and why this term is actually a measure of distance.
• See a “stellar nursery;” and, learn about the fate of massive stars.  

Once you have traversed the Current Night Sky, sit back and relax and enjoy a Fulldome Film: 

• Learn about the development of the telescope and the discoveries made since the advent of the telescope in Two Small Pieces of Glass.
• Learn about the birth of the universe and travel back to moments after the Big Bang in Wonders of the Universe.