Charles W. Brown Planetarium

One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure

JANUARY 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 – Fridays at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. – Follow Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a new friend from China. Together, they take an imaginary trip from Sesame Street to the moon. They will also find shapes in the sky that will help them find the North Star. Families with children in preschool through second grade will especially enjoy this program but kids of all ages will enjoy learning from our Sesame Street friends.

Earth, Moon, and Sun

JANUARY 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 – Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. – Explore the relationship between Earth, Moon, and Sun with the help of Coyote. His confusion about the universe makes viewers think about how Earth, Moon and Sun work together as a system and learn to distinguish between myths and science. Learn the basics of fusion and solar energy and why the Sun rises and sets. Examine the Moon's orbit, craters, phases and eclipses. Families with children in grades two through five will especially enjoy this look at the Earth-Moon-Sun system.

Sky Skills

FEBRUARY 1, 8 – Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. – Start or expand your journey as a star gazer during this live presentation. Learn how the sky changes with the seasons. Use sky charts to find your way around the night sky and discover fascinating objects along the way. We will also take a trip north to experience the northern lights in the planetarium dome. Intended Audience: All ages 8+

To Space & Back

FEBRUARY 15, 22, March 1 – Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. – Space exploration, our greatest adventure, is having a big impact on our lives. "To Space & Back" takes audiences on an incredible journey from the far reaches of our known universe to our own planet. It is an extraordinary story of human ingenuity and engineering, describing how the technology that transports us through space is paving the way for the devices and apps we use every day. Intended Audience: All ages 8+

From Earth to the Universe

March 8, 15 – Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. – "From Earth to the Universe" leaves our home to take the audience out to the colorful birthplaces and burial grounds of stars, and still further out, beyond the Milky Way, to the unimaginable immensity of a myriad galaxies. Viewers can revel in the splendor of the various worlds in the Solar System and the ferocity of the scorching Sun. Along the way, the audience will learn about the history of astronomy, the invention of the telescope, and today’s giant telescopes that allow us continue to probe ever deeper into the Universe. Intended Audience: All ages 10+

Strange Alien Worlds

April 5, 12 – Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. – During this live presentation by astronomer and planetarium director, Ronald Kaitchuck, explore some of the thousands of planets. Many of these planets are unlike anything we expected to find. Come and learn how these discoveries are made and how we can search for life on these new worlds. Intended Audience: All ages 10+

Black Holes, Wormholes, and the Movies

April 19, 26 – Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. – A place from which nothing can escape, not even light, is called a black hole. Once thought to be only a mathematical curiosity, astronomers now think they are real. The theory of relativity also predicts the existence of wormholes that connect different regions of the universe. Popular movies have shown black holes as places of great destruction and wormholes as a way for instantaneous travel across the galaxy. But is any of this true? Did Hollywood get it right? Intended Audience: All ages 12+