Are you interested in learning more about the night sky? Are you curious about what the planetarium can do, and what it can show? Is there a specific fulldome movie you might be interested in showing your class, but what to view it yourself first? If you answered “yes” to any one of these questions, join us for our Fulldome Friday show series !
Shows will generally begin with a tour of the current night sky, highlighting visible objects to look for and focusing on one of our seasonal constellations 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 minutes. 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
August 28th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Birth of Planet Earth
Birth of Planet Earth tells the twisted tale of Earth’s origin. Scientists now believe there are many other solar systems within our own galaxy, with planets roughly our size. Using data-driven, cinematic-quality visualizations, explore some of the greatest questions in science today: How did Earth become a living planet in the wake of our solar system’s violent birth? What does its history tell us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like?
September 4th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
[New!] Encounters in the Milky Way
What if you could peer billions of years into the past and peer millions of years into the future? Thanks to data from ESA’s Gaia mission, you can travel through time to witness some of the chance encounters that have shaped our cosmos. In Encounters in the Milky Way, you’ll experience the paths of stars, comets, interstellar debris, and even the merger of our galaxy with a Sagittarius dwarf galaxy.
September 11th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Black Holes: the Other Side of Infinity
Black Holes: the Other side of Infinity features a high-resolution visualization of a black hole, using data generated by computer simulations to bring this cosmic phenomenon to life. Narrated by actor Liam Neeson, learn about the formation of the early universe, star birth and death, the collision of giant galaxies, and take a simulated flight through a supermassive black hole that lurks in the center of our own galaxy.
September 18th @ 4pm
Imagine the Moon
When was the last time you looked at the Moon? Not just noticed it, but really looked at it? To most of us the Moon seems like an afterthought, but the Moon’s place in our lives is so much more than just its physical presence. It is a constant companion in our collective imagination. Our view of the Moon, shaped and formed by the imaginations of the poets and artists, continues to be changed and renewed by the thinkers and visionaries of today. Imagine the Moon explores how the Moon has inspired human creativity, learning, and exploration ever since we have looked to the sky.
October 2nd @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Audio Universe: Tour of the Solar System
Audio Universe: Tour of the Solar System is a unique immersive experience that can be enjoyed irrespective of level of vision. With an emphasis on hearing rather than seeing, you’ll listen to the stars appear in the night sky, learn about the planets and hear them orbit around your head. By converting light into sound, you’ll experience the Solar System like never before!
**Closed captioning is not available due to the film format**
October 16th @ 4pm
Habitat Earth
Discover what it means to live in today’s connected world in Habitat Earth. Through stunning visualizations of the natural world, dive below the ocean’s surface to explore the dynamic relationships found in kelp forest ecosystems, travel beneath the forest floor to see how Earth’s tallest trees rely on tiny fungi to survive, and journey to new heights to witness the intricate intersection between human and ecological networks!
October 23rd @ 12:30pm and 4pm
We Are Stars
What are we made of? Where did it all come from? Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, our explosive origins, and humanity’s current understanding of where everything, including us, came from. Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon, and the molecules for life.
October 30th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Spooky Space
Looking for cosmic fun this Halloween season? Would you like to meet the spectacular stars of Halloween? Monsters, zombies, and ghosts – and their far more terrible counterparts in space? Oh yes, space has its monsters: Black holes, zombie stars, and spectacular ghostly nebulae! Explore these “spooky” wonders of the night sky here at the planetarium. Learn about the celestial origins of Halloween and how it is an astronomical holiday.
November 6th @ 12:30pm and 4pm
Spark! The Universe in Us
Spark: The Universe in Us explores our deep connection to stars millions of light years away—and billions of years in the past. We’ll travel across space and time to discover the celestial origins of the elements we all have in common. Along the way, you’ll enter the core of a giant star just before it implodes, experience the quiet demise of a star like the Sun, and see how colliding stars seed the universe with the building blocks of life!
November 13th @ 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.
November 20th @ 4pm
The Longest Night: A Winter’s Tale
The winter solstice provides the backdrop for this one-of-a-kind planetarium show. This original fable of courage, generosity, and renewal explores the concept that winter is a time for Earth to rest, waiting for new growth in the spring. Featuring a young girl born into a family of nomadic storytellers, she embarks on a simple quest that leads her to a dragon’s nest. What will she discover there, and how will it help her save her village?