IN-PERSON PROGRAMS
PLANETARIUM
Pre-K and up
Average runtime: 1.5-2 hours
Number served per program: 10-60 individuals
The new FSU Planetarium features a pair of ultra-high contrast laser phosphor projectors, resulting in dramatically increased picture quality for both night sky scenes and fulldome films! Each show's sound effects and music are driven by a brand new 5.1 digital surround sound system that has been custom designed and professionally engineered for our dome. New content offerings include the classic night sky tour paired with a film, as well as opportunities for students to directly interact with content on the dome and become participants in the show itself.
Fulldome Films
Recommended Films for School Groups
Big Astronomy
27 minutes
Middle school and up
*Film available in Spanish
Take a journey through observatories used by professional astronomers in the gorgeous mountains of Chile, one of the best astronomical observing locations on Earth. Our planetarium is transformed into a giant observatory dome as astronomers investigate the Solar System and the distant observable Universe. Visit with the technicians from an array of STEM disciplines who build, maintain, and operate these huge instruments.
Fly Me to the Moon
49 minutes
Families, general audiences
An elaborate, animated film offering big adventure and comedy, set against the real story of our first visit to another world. Follow three young flies as they inadvertently stowaway aboard Apollo 11 and join Neil, Buzz, and Michael on their mission to pull off the very first moon landing!
We Are Guardians
25 minutes
Middle school and up
Our climate, our ecosystems, and the human-induced damage caused to both of them are explored in depth. Dive into a friendly introduction to the changes imposed upon our planet's climate, how we measure them, and what we can do about it. The film features approachable explanations, attractively animated visuals, and upbeat narration.
In Saturn's Rings
38 minutes
Grade 8 and up
Fly through lavishly arranged visuals as we visit distant galaxies, tour the planets of the inner Solar System, Jupiter, its moons, and - of course - Saturn's rings. "In Saturn’s Rings is a groundbreaking giant-screen adventure that takes audiences on a journey of the mind, heart, and spirit, from the Big Bang to the awe-inspiring rings of Saturn." The film makes no use of CGI - all imagery is from animated high-resolution photography. Narrated by LeVar Burton.
Mars: The Ultimate Voyage
25 minutes
Middle School and up
On a two year journey to Mars astronauts will face extraordinary challenges—long distance, a closed environment, isolation, altered gravity, radiation. What will it take to get astronauts to Mars—and back—safely? This new, animated planetarium production highlights NASA research and training initiatives that are preparing the next generation of astronauts who will head to Mars. The film shows how creativity, collaboration, communication, and expertise in a diverse number of fields are key for the success of deep space travel—while also inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals! Witness what it takes to embark on the first human mission beyond Earth’s orbit.
Atlas of a Changing Earth
25 minutes
High school and up
With a combination of satellite imagery and computer models used by climate scientists, we explore the disturbed natural systems that regulate our warming planet. Visit a beautiful arctic island and witness the real changes human activity has inflicted upon its glaciers. The consequences of rising sea levels are vividly depicted with animations of our cities submerging.
Undiscovered Worlds
27 minutes
Grade 8 and up
Do Earth-like planets exist elsewhere in the universe? Travel to distant stars and fly up close to exotic planets. Experience the science shifting our perspective on humanity’s place in the cosmos. Humans have long imagined exotic and intriguing worlds beyond our solar system. However, in recent years, science fiction has become science reality. Undiscovered Worlds reveals the methods used by astronomers to identify these alien wanderers, and explores the idea of what it means to be in a habitable zone around a star.
Other Films
Aurora Storm
11 minutes
General audiences
Our planetarium is transformed into a clearing in the Alaskan wilderness. As the sky fills with flowing green light, the narration fills our ears with stories illustrating the cultural significance of aurorae to indigenous peoples of the far north. The interactions between the solar winds and the Earth's magnetic field are described as one of the nature's most beautiful phenomena unfolds.
Chaos and Order
40 minutes
General audiences
As the lights under the dome fade, complex and fantastic mathematical constructs fill the planetarium with wandering patterns of light and color. Fractals, simulations of colliding galaxies, and infinitely repeating patterns are paired with an ethereal soundtrack and no narration. Come relax with us.
Destination Mars
30 Minutes
Middle school and up
Ever wonder what it would be like to fly to Mars? NASA – and others – have their sights set on the Red Planet and they’re building the technology to get us there! Destination Mars: The New Frontier gives you an up-close look at humanity’s most epic endeavor. Explore the work being done around the globe to help make the dream of getting humans to Mars a reality. Fly through the International Space Station, where astronauts are already living and working in space, and follow the rockets and vehicles that will take humans beyond the Moon and, one day, all the way to Mars! Travel along as we imagine this remarkable journey.
Dynamic Earth
24 minutes
High school and up
Dynamic Earth explores the inner workings of Earth’s great life support system: the global climate. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere. Audiences will 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.
From Earth to the Universe
30 minutes
Middle school and up
*Film available in Portuguese
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. A desire to comprehend the Universe may well be humanity’s oldest shared intellectual experience. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos. To learn about this journey of celestial discovery, from the theories of the ancient Greek astronomers to today’s grandest telescopes, we invite you to experience From Earth to the Universe.
Habitat Earth
24 minutes
High school and up
Living networks connect and support life forms large and small—from colonies of tiny microbes and populations of massive whales to ever-expanding human societies. In the California Academy of Sciences’ latest original planetarium show, Habitat Earth, discover what it means to live in today’s connected world. 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.
Mayan Archaeoastronomy
19 Minutes
General audiences
A unique planetarium show intertwining science and mythology, transporting the viewer on a poetic journey describing the way the Maya viewed and understood the Universe. The feast of colors and sounds makes for an artistic interpretation of the Universe that will not easily be forgotten. Stunning 360° visuals create the impression of being inside a beautiful stylized painting. The film includes a tour of six Maya temples. The importance of the orientation of the temples in relation to the movements of the Sun, Moon and Venus is vividly depicted.
Mexica Archaeoastronomy
20 Minutes
General audiences
With vivid and captivating immersive scenery, this dazzling film showcases the significant impact of astronomical observations on the development of pre-Columbian civilisations in central Mexico. The vibrant hues, rich designs and engaging sounds of the film transport the viewer to one of the most culturally rich civilizations; that still holds a place in the heart and identity of the Mexican people today.
Phantom of the Universe
27 minutes
High school and up
From the journey of protons racing through the world’s largest particle collider in Europe to up-close views of the Big Bang and emergent cosmos, Phantom of the Universe is a fulldome planetarium show designed to immerse audiences in the search for dark matter." Beautiful visualizations and concise narration shed light upon a major open question in our study of the Universe.
Sunstruck
21 minutes
Middle school and up
Dive into our closest star, the Sun, and encounter its magnetic field, the engine driving dark sunspots and solar flares. Discover the shield that protects us from the Sun's storms and see real aurorae towering in the sky.