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

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 in 2K MP4 files or 4K Dome Masters. 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.

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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 $515 
  • 4K = $750 $515 

Technical Specifications

  • video format: fulldome dome masters and MP4 options
  • resolution: 4K, 2K
  • frame rate: 30 fps
  • audio format: 5.1, stereo
  • available languages: English

Full-length Fulldome Preview

Show Description

'Halloween: Celestial Origins' posterWhat 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 dome masters and MP4 options
  • resolution: 4K, 2K
  • frame rate: 30 fps
  • audio format: 5.1, stereo
  • available languages: English 

Full-length Fulldome Preview

Saturn & Beyond Show PosterShow 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 dome masters and MP4 options, HYBRID
  • resolution: 4K, 2K
  • frame rate: 30 fps
  • audio format: 5.1, stereo
  • available languages: English

Full-length Fulldome Preview

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 narrations: English, French, German, Portuguese, Slovak, Spanish (script only)

The material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Downloads

4K dome masters are available upon request. We recommend using a download manager, like Free Download Manager, for files over 1 GB if needed. To download MP4 files, click on the link you are interested in, then click on the 3 vertical dots/kebab menu and select "download."

Full-length Fulldome Preview

Description

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.   

Downloads

To download files, click on the link you are interested in, then click on the 3 vertical dots/kebab menu and select "download."

Please note that if you have any trouble playing the 4K MP4 files on your system, simply try using our 2K MP4 files instead.

January - Pleione in Taurus

February - Betelgeuse in Orion

March - Propus in Gemini

April - R Leonis in Leo

May - V Hydrae in Hydra

June - Y Canum Venaticorum in Canes Venatici

July - R Scuti in Scutum

August - R Aquilae & The Summer Triangle

September - Delta Cephei & Cepheid Variables

October - Mira (Omicron Ceti)

November - Almaaz (Epsilon Aurigae)

December - Algol, The Demon Star

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. 

Our Variable Star Episodes feature content from ESO's Fulldome Video Archive, where fulldome content can be downloaded free of charge.  

The material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.