HomePlanetarium Shows List

Planetarium Shows at New England Sci-Tech

Read carefully all the details before requesting a show.
Quicklink: https://nescitech.org/planetariumshows

Two Planetariums

We offer free Public Planetarium Nights on special occasions in our 4-meter planetarium at Sci-Tech.

We can also bring a traveling 5-meter planetarium to your school - see the Outreach Planetarium page.

Show Options

We have a variety of multimedia shows about planets, asteroids, Galileo, eclipses, NASA missions, telescopes, etc. Most shows are geared toward grades 4 and up.

We can also do a “live show” about constellations and the night sky using a star planetarium software. A 15-minute live show can be combined with a short multimedia show to fill a typical half-hour experience. However, please plan on a 35 to 45-minute block per “show” to allow time for a group to enter and get settled, for show orientation, and to exit at the end.

Additional Options

When you visit our planetarium, we often also show other educational items if time allows, such as meteorites, a dinosaur fossils, pieces of NASA space gear, or something pertinent to the topic you request. This could round out your visit to a full hour and add extra interest to your visit.

Journey To Mars

Prepare your students for exciting STEM-related career opportunities in the future.

Interest them in pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation.

NASA's fleet of Mars robotic explorers are paving the way for human exploration of the Solar System in the coming decades. Generate excitement for space agencies like NASA, ESA and the UK Space Agency - as humanity prepares for a monumental journey to Mars!

Produced by the NASA.

earth, space science; K-4 5-8 9-12 Higher Education Informal Education; 10 min

LOSING THE DARK

Starry skies are a vanishing treasure because light pollution is washing away our view of the cosmos. It not only threatens astronomy, it disrupts wildlife, and affects human health. The yellow glows over cities and towns - seen so clearly from space - are testament to the billions spent in wasted energy from lighting up the sky.

Losing the Dark is a "public service announcement" planetarium show, a collaboration of Loch Ness Productions and the International Dark-Sky Association. It introduces and illustrates some of the issues regarding light pollution, and suggests three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it.

Produced by Loch Ness Productions.

Light pollution; All ages; 6:24

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MILKY WAY

What lies at the heart of our galaxy? For twenty years, ESO's Very Large Telescope and the Keck telescopes have observed the center of the Galaxy, looking at the motion of more than a hundred stars and identifying the position of an otherwise invisible object — the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy.

Embark on a Journey to the Center of the Milky Way and travel faster than light, right to the center of our own galaxy, where a black hole is consuming anything that strays into its path. 84 million stars will appear in front of your eyes, each hiding mysteries waiting to be solved. Are there planets around them, perhaps with moons? Could they harbor life?

Produced by ESO Supernova Planetarium

Milky Way Galactic Center; All ages; 06:44

TWO SMALL PIECES OF GLASS

Beautifully photographed in 4K digital cinematography, the film is a visually stunning chronicle of the history of the telescope from the time of Galileo, its profound impact upon the science of astronomy, and how both shape the way we view ourselves in the midst of an infinite universe.

The film features interviews with leading astrophysicists and cosmologists from the world's renowned universities and observatories, who explain concepts ranging from Galileo's act of revealing the cosmos with a simple telescope, to the latest discoveries in space, including startling new ideas about life on other planets and dark energy - a mysterious vacuum energy that is accelerating the expansion of the universe.

Produced by ESO Supernova Planetarium

earth, space science; grades 4+; 23 min

FLIGHT ADVENTURES

Discover the science of flight through the eyes of a young girl and her grandfather as they explore how birds, kites, planes and models fly.

Learn about the history and future plans of flight and how NASA is discovering new and safer ways to travel with the help of future engineers and aviators - like YOU!

FLIGHT ADVENTURES is only available for FREE in the USA.

Produced by Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

physics of flight; All ages; 25 min

SATURN THE RING WORLD

Saturn is the true "Lord of the Rings." After nearly seven years in transit, the two-story Cassini-Huygens spacecraft began orbiting Saturn on July 1, 2004. Cassini continues to explore Saturn and its moons during its extended mission, while the Huygens probe had landed on the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

Narrated by Star Trek's John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox on ENTERPRISE) and produced by the Houston Museum of Natural Science and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Additional Music by Shai Fishman - www.shaifishman.com

space science; general audiences, grades 2-8; 22 min

FROM THE EARTH TO THE UNIVERSE

The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has been the subject of campfire stories, ancient myths and awe for as long as there have been people. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos.

This stunning, 30-minute voyage through space and time conveys, through sparkling sights and sounds, the Universe revealed to us by science. The audience will learn about the history of astronomy, the invention of the telescope, and today’s giant telescopes that allow us to probe deeper into the Universe.

Produced by ESO Supernova Planetarium

History of Astronomy, Space Exploration, Telescopes; 14-18, adults; 30 min

DARK

The search for dark matter is the most pressing astrophysical problem of our time – the solution to which will help us understand why the Universe is as it is, where it came from, and how it has evolved over billions of years – the unimaginable depths of deep time, of which a human life is but a flickering instant.

It sounds like Science Fiction, but it’s not. It’s the real stuff. Real Data, seen in this way for the very first time.

Produced by Scitech Planetarium and the iVEC @ University of Western Australia.

space science; general audiences; 20 min

FORWARD TO THE MOON

Join the adventure with FORWARD! To the Moon.

Kari Byron from Crash Test World and MythBusters launches us on a journey beyond the Earth towards a sustainable future in space. NASA’s 21st century Artemis program, named after the Greek moon Goddess and twin of Apollo, is the next step in our mission to explore the universe.

Produced by Fiske Planetarium.

manned space flight; All ages; 22 min

COSMOLOGY

How did the universe begin, and how is it evolving? Explore some of the big questions in this original show produced by the Casper Planetarium and narrated by Michael Stevens of Vsauce.

Produced by the Casper Planetarium.

earth, space science; general audiences, 12+; 35 min

EXOPLANETS - DISCOVERING NEW WORLDS

Are there extra-solar planets that revolve around other stars? If so, could there be inhabitable worlds like Earth?

Scientists hope one day to find life somewhere on one of the extra solar planets, even if only in the form of microorganisms. This would be a historical discovery.

Distributed by Loch Ness Productions.

solar system, astronomy, orbital motion; All ages; 30 min

Voyage To Distant Worlds

A tour of the planets in our solar system. Discover facts you never knew about our neighboring worlds.

Produced by the Casper Planetarium.

earth, space science; general audiences, 10+; 38 min

PHANTOM OF THE UNIVERSE

From the journey of protons racing through the world’s largest particle collider to up-close views of the Big Bang and the cosmos, Phantom of the Universe will immerse audiences in the search for dark matter.

A collaboration of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, University of Texas at Arlington, Michigan State University, IFIC at University of Valencia, as well as other institutions. It is narrated by Oscar-winning actress, Tilda Swinton.

Produced by ESO Supernova Planetarium

earth, space science; all audiences; 27 min

SUNSTRUCK

Travel back to the beginning of time and experience the birth of the Sun. Discover how it came to support life, how it threatens life as we know it, and how its energy will one day fade away.

Produced by the Michigan Science Center

earth, space science; general audiences; 20 min

OUT THERE - The Quest for Extrasolar Worlds

A production by The Swiss Museum of Transport Planetarium in cooperation with NCCR PlanetS and the European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Produced by ESO

milky way, stars, planetary systems; general audiences; 30 min ◊◊◊◊◊

THE DARK MATTER MYSTERY - EXPLORING A COSMIC SECRET

What keeps Galaxies together? What are the building blocks of the Universe? What makes the Universe look the way it looks today? Researchers all around the world try to answer these questions.

This show takes you on the biggest quest of contemporary astrophysics. Join the scientists on their hunt for Dark Matter with experiments in space and deep underground.

Produced by the Planetarium in Laupheim, Germany

dark matter, astronomy; All ages; 38 min

SEEING

Imagery from all over the world including humanity, landscapes, skyscapes, wildlife and of space are the backdrop for photo-realistic animations, which are used to create a story of a photons' journey through the eye and its conversion to an electro-chemical impulse that then travels the neuro pathways of the brain to the various centers that create the image the brain sees.

A photon's journey across space, time, and the mind.

Produced by Mirage 3D.

sight, vision, light, photons; All ages; 22 min

THE HOT AND ENERGETIC UNIVERSE

High Energy Astrophysics plays a key role in understanding the universe. These radiations reveal the processes in the hot and violent universe.

High Energy Astrophysics probes hot gas in clusters of galaxies, which are the most massive objects in the universe. It also probes hot gas accreting around supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies.

Produced by ESO Supernova Planetarium

astronomy, high-energy astrophysics; All ages; 30min

MAYAN ARCHAEOASTRONOMY: Observers Of The Universe

The night is an eye, both dark and bright! It forces us to look up and ask ourselves questions about our place in the Cosmos, our origins, and what is beyond the horizon. Using spectacular visuals and stunning sound, audiences tour six ancient Mayan temples. Find Balam the Jaguar constellation and explore how the Mayan’s created a calendar more accurate than the one we use in modern times. Journey back in time to explore how The Mayan’s used the sky to understand their world and their place in it!

Produced by Frutos Digitales

astronomy, astrophysics; All ages; 20 min

IBEX: SEARCH FOR THE EDGE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Follow the creation of NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). 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.

Narrated by two inquisitive teenagers, audiences will hear from the scientists and engineers that developed the IBEX mission and created the spacecraft, and get the latest updates on the mission's discoveries.

Produced by the Adler Planetarium for the Southwest Research Institute

space science; general audiences; 28 min

DISTANT WORLDS - ALIEN LIFE?

Distant Worlds — Alien Life? is a beautiful planetarium film exploring one of the most enduring questions of humankind — are we alone?

For millennia our ancestors watched the stars, questioning the origin and nature of what they saw. Still today we ask these questions, knowing that the Universe is a vast place filled with billions and billions of stars and planets — but yet, Earth is the only planet we know for sure to be inhabited.

Produced by ESO

earth, space science; general audiences; 52 min

THE INCREDIBLE SUN

Every second the Sun emits million times more energy than the world consumes every year. Where does such a huge amount of power come from? Discover our star through the breathtaking timelapses. Thanks to the real images taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, you will experience the true nature of the Sun and find out that it is far from being as calm as it seems at first glance.

The Sun's activity, pronounced by terrific solar flares, sunspots and coronal mass ejections, influences our planet, by producing impressive auroras but also by damaging networks and communication satellites.

Produced by the BRNO Observatory and Planetarium

the sun; All ages; 11 min

TOTALITY!

Two eclipses crossed the US in 2023 and 2024 - an annular on October 14, 2023 and a total eclipse on April 8, 2024! Everyone in the continental US experienced at least a partial solar eclipse on April 8. Total solar eclipses are a rare and beautiful phenomena, and this planetarium show will teach how eclipses happen, how to safely view one, and where these two eclipses took place.

The next solar eclipse to cross the US is in 2045!!

Produced by Houston Museum of Natural Science.

eclipses, solar system; general audiences; 24 min, 10 min

NEW HORIZONS FOR A LITTLE PLANET

This is a lighthearted introduction to NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. Launched in 2006, the New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto and its moons in July of 2015.

After it encountered Pluto, New Horizons continued on through the Kuiper Belt. A smaller, more primitive Kuiper Belt Object was then be targeted for a rendezvous. These encounters promised us unprecedented close up views of these distant worlds and New Horizons provided valuable insight into the formation of our solar system and its planets.

Produced by Hartnell College Planetarium and Hartnell College New Media Center

astronomy, new horizons, pluto, solar system, space exploration; All ages; 6 min

If you have any questions about the planetarium nights, bringing groups, or other activities at NE SciTech, please call 508-720-4179.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How comfortable is it sitting on the floor?
A: The floor is covered with a 3/4" thick foam mat to make the surface fairly comfortable. With more students, everyone will sit upright, but with fewer students, you can lie down and "look up at the stars."

Q: How comfortable for adults?
A: We can place up to 6 small, low-to-the-ground beach chairs in the dome for adults who want them.

Q: What else can we do during our visit?
A: We often open the NE Sci-Tech space for visitors to tour, visit the space science classroom, and try out the planetary scales, a Mars robot arm, touch a large meteorite, 3-D space display, amateur radio room, and more.

Q: What is the difference between multi-media and live shows?
A: We have many professionally made shows that have sound, music, and narration that cover various topics in space science. The live show is done by the astronomer using a star planetarium software to take you on a tour of the night sky, constellations, and planets. We can show what is up currently in the sky, or take a tour through time to the past or future.