Planetarium Subjects: 

We have a wide range of capabilities with our digital Sci Dome projector.   It has three software components from which we can create programs.      

1.) Starry Night:  This software includes many different topics in space.  Our Solar System, galaxies, the moon, constellations, etc.   

2.) Layered Earth: This software would include Earth or the Geo Science topics.  We can go to any point on the earth’s surface using satellite imagery in the dome.  Real time earthquakes, plate tectonics, archaeological and cultural resources, population density, etc.   

3.) Zygote Body: This software allows us to look at the human body by system.  This would include skeletal, muscular, circulatory, nervous, and lymphatic systems.   We can also look at specific organs or groups of organs and connective tissue.  

*  If you would like a program other than what is listed here, please give us a call and let us know how we might help.  Creating new programs is time consuming and this is a new system for us so please allow a month’s notice to design your specific request.    

Planetarium Programs Currently Available: 

Jr Star Gazers: (15 minutes) Learn the basics about our sun, moon, and stars. This planetarium program is specifically designed for ages 6 and under. 

The Night Sky: (30 mins.) All ages.  Learn about the Earth’s place in our solar system and within our Milky Way Galaxy.  We then observe and discuss the planets and constellations that are currently visible from Iowa.   

Object Movement in Our Sky:  (30 mins.) Elementary students.  We will discuss the seasons, track the sun’s movement during the seasons, look at the details of the moon and its phases and see a quick overview of the current constellations.   

Fast and Slow Changes to the Earth’s Surface: (30 mins.)  Elementary students.  We will take a look at the layers of the earth and discuss plate tectonics.  See the results of plate tectonic movement by visiting some mountain ranges, deep sea trenches, volcanoes, and even real time earthquake locations.  Also see erosional forces at work by visiting a desert, river and glacial valleys, and the Grand Canyon.   

Our Place in Space:  (30 mins.) Middle School or Jr. High students.  Learn about Earth’s place in space. See why we have changing seasons and why we see different constellations at different times of the year. Gain an understanding of distances in space and why stars appear to us as they do (large, small, bright or dim).   

Skeletal System:  (30 mins.) High School students.  Learn about the human skeletal system.  Take a detailed look at the hands, feet, rib cage, spinal column and skull.  This program can be adjusted to the bones you want to discuss so please give us a call.  We encourage added teacher instruction with all human body programs!   

Circulatory and Lymphatic Systems: (30 mins)High School students.  Learn about the Circulatory System and Lymphatic System one area of the human body at a time: arm, trunk, leg, head, and heart. This program can be adjusted to the body systems that you want to discuss so please give us a call.  We encourage added teacher instruction with all human body programs! 

From the Stars to our Spinal Cord: A Journey in our Planetarium - We are excited to show off all the amazing educational tools our new planetarium projector is capable of! This program is a sampler of the three new programs: The Layered Earth, Zygote Body, and Starry night. We will fly into the human heart, around the earth to look at the layers beneath our feet, and then way out into space to look at our galaxy! 

Our Constant Constellations - There are six constellations that never set in the northern hemisphere. We’ll take a look at the earth from space to understand why this is and learn about the stories that surround those circumpolar constellations.   

Reason for the Seasons - Did you know that the earth is closest to the sun during winter in the northern hemisphere? Then why is it so cold!? Stop in to learn about the tilt of the earth and why it creates such unique seasons around the world!  

Boom, Clang, Swish: The Dynamic Earth - Even though the ground under our feet feels firm, the earth is always shaking, and sliding, and moving. In this program we’ll peel back the layers of the earth to understand plate tectonics, earthquakes, and some of the formations created by these processes happening within the earth. We’ll also discuss erosional forces and the features they sometimes create on this ever-changing planet of ours. 

Ancient Civilizations and the Cosmos - Ancient people were much more connected to the night sky than we are today. They used it as their compass, as their calendar, and as a canvas for their mythologies. Did you know some archaeological sites have astronomical alignments? We will travel to several archaeological sites around the world to watch the mysteries unfold! 

The Unknown Universe - There are so many weird mysteries about the universe that science still has yet to explain. In honor of Halloween and all things weird, we will feature astronomical oddities of the universe like double stars, black holes, worm holes, and aurora borealis. 

The Power of the Moon - The moon is our personal companion as we travel around the sun. It causes all sorts of phenomenon to our lives such as tides, eclipses, and more! This month we will land on the surface of the moon, study the phases of the moon, and learn about moons from other planets! 

Life on the North Pole - Celebrate the holiday season, by learning about life at the North Pole. We’ll see how the movement of constellations, sun, and moon differ from what we see at our latitude.  

Eclipses  - Travel the world and learn about the historic significance of eclipses, the different types, and object placement during an eclipse.  See who some of the first people were to observe and understand eclipses. The Mayans?  Aristotle?  Christopher Columbus?   

Heart of the Matter - The Human Body Using our Zygote Body software, we will discuss all of the different systems that work together in the human body.  Learn how Skeletal, Muscular, Circulatory, Lymphatic, Nervous, Endocrine, Respiratory, Digestive Systems each play an important part of the miraculous human body!   

Wonders of the World  - Travel the globe with us and explore the Seven Wonders of the World and other interesting places using our Layered Earth software.  Through the Americas, from Asia to Africa and nearly every continent in between, see what a wondrous world we are a part of!   

Human Digestion  - Take a tour of all the organs involved with human digestion and learn their functions.  Discover the “good guys” and the “bad guys” in our guts and what happens when they are out of balance.  We’ll also discuss the important relationships between the Nervous, Circulatory, Lymphatic, and Endocrine systems, and how those relationships create a healthy digestive system.     

Under Construction -  Earth and the Solar System In this Starry Night program, we’ll break down the origins of our universe and take a look at its components.  Learn about the formation of nebulas, stars and their life cycles, planets, comets, asteroids and gain understanding of how astronomers know what they know.   

Meteor Mania - We’ll begin in our very own Milky Way galaxy and move outward further into space to understand what meteors are and where they might come from.  We’ll discuss how and when meteor showers occur and why they appear where they do in our skies.  We will even visit some existing meteorite craters on the earth and moon with the help of our Layered Earth software.   

The Red Planet  - Learn about all of the unique characteristics our neighboring red planet, Mars.  Why is it red? How does it compare to earth? Does it have weather or moons?  We’ll discuss the history of past Mars missions and learn about future mission plans. See why our curiosity and excitement with the Red Planet continues to grow!   

The Eagle Has Landed  - Discover what fascinating things we have learned about our closest companion, the moon.  We will celebrate over 50 years of moon exploration with NASA and learn about the Apollo Program, details from the first moon landing, the astronauts and the jobs they had to do while on the moon, and what a future moon civilization might look like.     

Object Movement in Our Skies -  (30 min) Observe and learn about the objects in our skies, both day and night. Why do they move? Why does our moon look different through the month? Why do we have seasons? Rotation, revolution, constellations, a fly by of the moon and more!  Elementary ages.     

Full Dome Planetarium Movies: (All shows are around 25-30 minutes except Flight to the Moon) 

Oasis in Space: Oasis in Space transports the audience on a startling and beautiful voyage through our universe, galaxy and solar system in search of liquid water - a key ingredient for life on Earth. 

Astronaut - The exploration of space is the greatest endeavor that humankind has ever undertaken. What does it take to be part of this incredible journey? What does it take to become an astronaut? We will explore the International Space Station and experience a rocket launch and the incredible training an astronaut must go through! 

Two Small Pieces of Glass-The Amazing Telescope - This full dome show follows two students as they interact with a female astronomer at a local star party. Along the way, the students learn the history of the telescope from Galileo’s modifications to a child’s spyglass — using two small pieces of glass — to the launch of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy. 

IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System - Join scientists who are investigating the boundary between our Solar System and the rest of our galaxy. The show follows the creation of NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). Audiences will get an in-depth look at the mission and how IBEX is collecting high-speed atoms to create a map of our Solar System’s boundary. 

Flight to the Moon - The Clark Planetarium and NASA have partnered to create a 9-minute mini-show about NASA’s LRO and LCROSS missions to the Moon. In 2009, two unmanned spacecraft, the LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) and LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) launched together to explore the Moon in new ways. 

E-mail us at educator@sanfordmuseum.org for more information.