Productions and Show Leasing - Brown Planetarium

Ball State University produces original fulldome, digital planetarium shows. Programs include original content (animations, 3D models, music, etc.) created by students, staff, and faculty.

To create our amazing programs, Ball State uses its production dome, which includes a RSA Cosmos 2K digital system under a 9-meter dome. Our final testing is done on the 16-meter 4K dome to ensure the best quality programs.

Buy a show or download one of our free programs

Our programs below are available for leasing or free download! All our show content is available for download almost immediately after purchase. This means that you will be able to have content on your dome within a few days of purchase. No shipping of materials is necessary!

You can purchase a program online, or if you have any questions, please email us or call 765-285-8963.

Email Us

"The Christmas Star"

Show Description

Over the years many people have tried to explain the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, as described in the Bible. Can the star be explained as an exploding star, a comet or some other natural event in the sky? Potential natural explanations for the Star of Bethlehem and common modern-day misconceptions are discussed.

Details

runtime: 22 minutes, 44 seconds
suitable for: general audience, 4th grade and above
resource and materials: poster
license: traditional license (50-year)

Purchase

2K = $750
4K = $750

Technical Specifications

video format: fulldome
resolution: 4K, 2K
frame rate: 30 fps
audio format: 5.1, stereo
available languages: English

Full-length Fulldome Preview

"Halloween: Celestial Origins"

Show Description

What do you associate with Halloween? Trick-or-Treating, costumes… astronomy? After all, Halloween is an astronomical holiday! Learn the history of Halloween and how it fits into the seasons as a “cross-quarter day” during this new production. We will also explore the night sky and learn what planets, constellations, and stars will be out on your Halloween evening.

Details

runtime: 24 minutes, 13 seconds
suitable for: general audience, 4th grade and above
resource and materials: poster
license: Traditional license (50-year)

Pricing

2K = ~~$1,500~~ $1,000
4K = ~~$3,000~~ $2,500

Technical Specifications

video format: fulldome
resolution: 4K, 2K
frame rate: 30 fps
audio format: 5.1, stereo
available languages: English

Full-length Fulldome Preview

"Saturn & Beyond"

Show Description

Saturn’s rings are one of the most beautiful sights in the solar system. Astronomers have known about these rings for over 400 years, yet they still present many questions. In 2004, the Cassini spacecraft reached Saturn and sent back volumes of data. Learn the history of the discovery of Saturn’s rings and explore the mysterious features seen by the Cassini space craft.

Details

runtime: 24 minutes
suitable for: general audience, 4th grade and above
resource and materials: poster
license: traditional license (50-year)

Pricing

2K = ~~$1,800~~ $300
4K = ~~$3,600~~ $300
Free for GOTO HYBRID users

Technical Specifications

video format: Fulldome, HYBRID
resolution: 4K, 2K
frame rate: 30 fps
audio format: 5.1, stereo
available languages: English

Full-length Fulldome Preview

"Sunset Meditation"

Show Description

How do STEM workers, including NASA professionals, cope with stress? Exercise is one way. Physical activity and fitness has been discussed in many NASA outreach efforts. However outreach efforts regarding other branches of health: emotional, psychological, and social well-being are lacking. Given that jobs come with stress, a global understanding the science of stress and learning a healthy way to cope with it helps with the wellbeing of employees, job productivity, employee retention, etc. Meditation is a powerful tool for maintaining psychological health and resilience. Since the planetarium offers a dark and quiet space for relaxation, it is the perfect place for meditation.

Enjoy a free guided meditation experience from Ball State University with the program "Sunset Meditation." View an amazing sunset as you travel from the Grand Canyon to the North Pole. Then relax under a night sky filled with stars and glimpses of the Northern Lights.

Details

runtime: 23 minutes 11 seconds
suitable for: 4th grade and above
resource and materials: poster, script for live presentations, caption file
available languages: English, French, Spanish (script only)

Downloads

We recommend using a download manager, like Free Download Manager, for files over 1 GB.

2K MP4 & Preview (1.5 GB)
4K MP4 (0.9 GB)
Audio (1.3 GB) (English, French, German)
Script (English, French, German, Spanish)
Caption File (English)
360° Interactive YouTube Video (English, French, German)

Full-length Fulldome Preview

Variable Star Episodes

Description

I bet you have noticed a star twinkling in the night sky—stars can shimmer because of Earth’s atmosphere or air. The turbulent air surrounding our planet affects the starlight, making it look like the star is sparkling! But did you know that even if we traveled outside our atmosphere, and paid close attention to the stars, we could still see many of them change brightness?

Many of the stars we see get brighter and even fainter over various periods of time. Some stars dim, brighten, dim again, and so on…in less than a second! Other stars take years to vary their brightness—and not because the star is dying. These stars are called “variable stars.” Explore a different variable star each month with these fulldome shorts.

Details

Download content for your dome today by exploring below!

All featured variable star content on this page is the result of a group effort between Ball State University, the American Association of Variable Star Observers, and the International Planetarium Society, with the goal of bringing more astronomy into homes, and guiding people into making their first scientific observations! More information about the project can be found on the AAVSO website: www.aavso.org/featured-variables.