Are you a faculty member interested in showing one of our fulldome movies to your class but would like to view it yourself first? Are you curious what our planetarium can do for your group, event, or class? Or are you someone just interested in learning more about science through one of our entertaining and educational fulldome shows? If you answered “yes” to any one of these questions, our Fulldome Friday Series is for you!
Shows will generally begin with a brief orientation to the night sky and objects currently visible from HPU that time of year using our Starry Night software. Then we will screen one of our short (20-30 min) fulldome movies from our library. The entire experience will last approximately 40 min. Due to safety concerns associated with our low lighting conditions, we discourage people from entering or exiting the planetarium once the show has started, so please arrive on time.
At this time, Fulldome Friday shows are only open to HPU students, faculty, and staff. We look forward to seeing you under the dome!
Reservations are not required
March 6th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Expedition Reef
Learn about the secrets of the “rainforests of the sea” as you embark on an oceanic safari through the world’s most vibrant—and endangered—marine ecosystems. Narrated by Lea Salonga, ‘Expedition Reef immerses you in a spectacular undersea adventure. Discover how corals grow, feed, reproduce, and support over 25% of all marine life on Earth—while facing unprecedented threats from climate change, habitat destruction, and overfishing.
March 13th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Take Flight
Join Wilbur and Orville Wright on an adventure through the history and future of aeronautics! Learn about the four forces of flight with demonstrations by the Wright brothers, and share discoveries with Leonardo da Vinci as he creates his “flying machine.” In this film produced by UNC Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, you’ll also join Bessie Coleman, Chuck Yeager, and Amelia Earhart on their adventures!
March 20th @ 4pm
Natural Selection
Join Charles Darwin on his voyage with the HMS Beagle to the Galapagos Islands, where he was inspired to develop his later theory of transmutation by natural selection. Then from the comfort of Down House in Kent, Darwin himself will explain the mechanism of natural selection. Get ready to experience the thrill of a scientific discovery, the adventure of science, and the beauty of nature!
March 27th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Faster than Light: the Dream of Interstellar Flight
“Faster than Light: The Dream of Interstellar Flight” will take you on virtual rides aboard spacecraft of the future. As scientists race to discover new habitable worlds, they rely on new technologies to achieve ultra-high speeds, using exotic next generation rocket fuels and breakthrough concepts in physics. How far, and how fast, can our technology take us?
April 10th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Solar Superstorms
A fury is building on the surface of the Sun: high-velocity jets, a fiery tsunami wave 100,000 km high, rising loops of electrified gas. There are tangles of magnetic fields and superhot plasma that vent the Sun’s rage in dramatic flares, violent solar tornadoes, and the largest eruptions in the Solar System: coronal mass ejections. What’s driving these strange phenomena? How will they affect planet Earth? Find the answers as we venture into our star.
April 17th @ 4pm
Dynamic Earth
“Dynamic Earth” explores the winds, the oceans, and the forces of nature that shape our changing world. To learn about the systems that shape our climate, take a ride along on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a monster hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and gigantic whales, and fly into roiling volcanoes!