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Planetarium Programs
Vermont's only public planetarium Planetarium Presentations (50 minutes):
July & August: Monday - Friday, 11:00 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, 1:30 PM
For groups of 10 or more, please call ahead to reserve tickets.
The most amazing experience in any planetarium is to see the night skies, and to get a guided tour through the planets, constellations, and their enchanting dance through the seasons. The Fairbanks Museum’s planetarium offers this experience each and every time with live, experienced presenters imparting their sense of wonder, and increasing everyone’s awareness and understanding of astronomy, especially the kind you can enjoy in your own backyard.
Under Our Dome-Sweet-Dome
Summertime means warm nights -- perfect for stargazing in our clear, uncluttered skies. Our daily planetarium shows are live presentations by the Museum’s professional staff. We'll introduce you to the night skies, including constellations and stars that are prominent, the planets currently visible, the Moon, and other current astronomy information. In addition, the program highlights a particular aspect of astronomy.
In July, we'll focus on one of the following topics during each presentation:
Super Stars!
Our Sun is the nearest and most familiar star, but our views of the summer night sky are filled with fascinating stars. This presentation will feature a look at some of the real solar powerhouses that beam their energy across the Galaxy.
New Eye on the Sun: NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory keeps a close eye on the Sun
It's been less than a century since the existence of black holes was postulated; fewer than 40 years since the observation of theorized phenomena associated with these strangest of objects. What do we know about these mysterious objects? What do they tell us about the nature of the universe? | Feed Your Head: The Hubble Space Telescope’s Exploration of Time and Space
It is hard to imagine the Hubble Space Telescope has been feeding us amazing images and valuable data for 20 years. Positioned in orbit just above the Earth’s atmosphere, it can peer into the deepest regions of space. The light traveling these vast distances is so old that the Hubble is also peering back in time. Along with viewing the night sky, this show helps to make the connection between time and space.
Ancient Eyes, Ageless Skies
In spite of our technology and the wonders of our modern age, the stars we see are the same ones our ancestors gazed at centuries and millennia ago. Their attempts to explain what they saw have given us the rich collections of myths and lore the bring these ancients stars and stories to life.
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Exhibit Hall
Explore the cosmos - without the need of a space suit! Adjacent to the Planetarium is an exhibit hall with a scale model of the Solar System, displays on stellar evolution, double stars, gravity, and more! The hall is open during the Museum's open hours, except during planetarium show times (see above).
Planetarium History
The Fairbanks Planetarium opened in 1961 to stimulate interest in astronomy. The pursuit of this mission continues today through the Museum's ongoing astronomy programs, including Eye on the Night Sky radio broadcasts on Vermont Public Radio, Star Quest astronomy outreach programs, and our annual Perseid Star Party in August. The planetarium welcomes about 15,000 visitors annually through programs for schools and the public.
The projector is the original Spitz model A-2 installed in 1961, with bench seating for 45 people under a 24-foot domed ceiling enhanced by sound and image systems. Immediately adjacent to the Planetarium is the Exhibit Hall, featuring displays on many aspects of astronomy and space travel, including the exploration of the Solar System, and a diorama of the Moon's surface and the Apollo Lunar Lander from 1969. |
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