Monday Matinees - Show Descriptions

Every Monday afternoon at 2 p.m., the planetarium will feature either a large format film, a planetarium show or a laser light show.  Each week, we will offer a different show, and the BEST news is the price--JUST $3 per person for any weekday matinee!

Shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted

For reservations and/or information, call the Ticket office at (254)526-1768 and we will try to return your call in a timely manner. The office is generally staffed from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Monday-Thursday.

The Search for Life in the Universe

“The Search for Life in the Universe” poses the question, “Are we alone in the universe?” Nimoy (Star Trek's Mr. Spock) takes us on a journey to try and answer this question which has puzzled humanity since its beginning. This is a fascinating journey from the realm of the mysterious to the realm of reality. The audience will eavesdrop on signals from space, delve into emerging solar systems and learn how scientists and amateur astronomers explain mysterious cosmic phenomena.

Originally produced by the Henry Buhl, Jr. Planetarium at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, “The Search for Life in the Universe” explores the chances life might exist elsewhere in the universe, based on what we know about how life began on Earth, and how we might be able to find that life. People have been interested in aliens for a long time and the past few decades have seen an enormous increase in claims of alien visits and sightings. Claims have been made that Stonehenge, the Egyptian Pyramids, the faces on Easter Island , crop circles and many other artifacts must have been made by extraterrestrials. Yet, all the evidence we have suggests these objects are the work of terrestrial minds. Even worse, many "alien objects" are more likely the result of terrestrial hoaxes.

Now astronomers take a scientific approach to solving one of the greatest puzzles – the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. It is only in the past few years we have had the technology to allow scientists to seriously ponder such questions with a realist hope of being able to answer them.

Total Running Time (approx): 38:00 minutes

Hubble Vision

Hubble Vision uses the best and most exciting of HST's images and discoveries to illuminate distant worlds in our solar system; star birth in remote clouds of gas and dust; and stellar death in its many dramatic forms. Also examined are galactic and globular star clusters; distant galaxies; super massive black holes; and the large-scale structure and evolution of the universe since the earliest stages of galaxy formation. Hubble Vision weaves an engaging story of cosmic exploration, bringing the most distant wonders of the universe up close.

The Sky Above Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood

Laugh, sing, and learn through this introduction to the wonders of the day and night skies starring Mister Rogers and characters from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Meet King Friday XIII, Queen Sara Saturday, Prince Tuesday, Daniel Striped Tiger, X The Owl, Henrietta Pussycat, and Lady Elaine Fairchild as they help you learn to find constellations in the night sky. Find out if Lady Elaine Fairchild can bring the moon down from the sky and into her museum-go-round!

Kids will also learn about things in the sky you can see but not touch; basic facts about clouds, stars and the moon; and understanding how people relate to things and things relate to each other such as the day and night sky.

Produced by the Carnegie Science Center’s Buhl Planetarium; it's an excellent program for pre-school groups and for children 2 and older on their first visit to the planetarium.

Legends of the Night Sky is a light-hearted and imaginative look at the myths and stories associated with the Constellations. It is designed as a four part series, each part being one story for a season of the year. The shows are designed to be 15 to 18 minutes of full dome fun and at the same time teach kids and adults the Greek stories about the stars.
Each of the stories is narrated by two wonderful characters, Aesop the owl and Socrates the mouse. They provide the night time "classroom" atmosphere with comedy and wit.

Perseus And Andromeda:
Based on constellations viewed in fall sky, Perseus and Andromeda is a story filled with humorous and exciting characters including Pegasus, the winged horse; Cetus, the sea monster; Perseus, the mighty warrior; and the fearsome monster Medusa. This entertaining tale is designed to engage young students and stimulate their interest in learning about the night sky.

Orion:
A fun look at the myths surrounding one of the night sky's most famous constellations. Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, Scorpius, and other characters of the Orion story are brought to life in full-color laser light.  A must see for all ages! This animated presentation is followed by a live tour of the night sky that will help you find Orion and his companions.

Total Running Time (approx): 33:00 minutes

Solar Max

Every 11 years the sun’s poles reverse with unimaginable violence. The peak of the storm is called a solarmax. Now you can experience the hot phenomena in the cool comfort of the Planetarium through the breathtaking giant screen adventure, SOLARMAX. For the first time, audiences around the world will be able to look directly at the sun and see it as never before, through the eyes of the large-format film camera. The film uses computer data generated by the Solar and Heliospheric Observer (SOHO), providing audiences with a spectacular sense of actually being there.

The film examines man’s quest throughout time for knowledge about the awesome vastness and mysterious power of the sun – portraying a star that is peaceful yet dangerous. When Director John Weiley and his crew began developing SOLARMAX, they received incredible access and cooperation from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). The large format screen presented a huge canvas to display the images of their work and an incredible opportunity to bring solar science to the public. NASA and ESA turned over all four solar arrays to the film team to generate the data for the giant screen. The team collected data for 28 days, a full solar revolution, to create realistic images and enable audiences a rare, up-close glimpse of the nearest star. In addition, crews traveled to Peru, Aruba, the United States, England, Norway, Poland, Antarctica, Greenland, Australia, Spain and Japan; literally trekking to every continent to build the story of exploration of the sun.

SOLARMAX allows viewers to vividly experience the sun’s power and beauty like never before. Audiences will soar on the wings of NASA’s pathfinder solar-powered aircraft as it climbs to a record height of 80,000 feet and witness BP SOLAR’s solar energy collector, the world’s largest solar energy plant. Enlightening and exciting, SOLARMAX will amaze viewers with the true­to­life story of the modern day heroics of NASA and ESA engineers as they recover the lost SOHO satellite from the depths of space and resurrect the billion-dollar portal to the sun. Show time is Saturdays at 3 p.m.

Total Running Time (approx): 40:00 minutes

Cosmic Voyage

Audiences will come face-to-face with the mysteries of the universe in this spectacular giant screen film. The film embarks on a guided tour across some 42 degrees of magnitude – from the smallest particles of matter known as quarks to super clusters of the galaxies. Combining state-of-the-art computer-generated images with a concept called the “cosmic zoom,” viewers are hurled into the extreme limits of the known universe before plunging downwards to scrutinize the subatomic domain.

While the audience is primarily sent tumbling through the universe, the film takes them to Earth periodically with breath-taking footage taken in Greece, Italy, Holland and across America. This great adventure through time and space pulls viewers from their seats and launches them into a spectacular world of extreme dimensions encompassing inner and outer space.

The Cowboy Astronomer

After a day in the saddle, riding tail on a herd of Texas longhorn, it was customary to gather 'round a campfire, tell stories and enjoy the beauty of a starry night sky. Cowboy poet and humorist Baxter Black narrates a variety of mythological stories, Native American starlore, and other tall tales gathered over many years of watching and sharing the night sky.

The familiar Big Dipper is an example of just one star pattern that is interpreted differently by different cultures. As Baxter like to say, "You can observe a lot, just by lookin'." You'll even l earn to correctly identify Polaris, the North star and the only star in the sky that never moves.

After a look at the constellations of several seasons, The Cowboy Astronomer examines the relationship between the apparent colors and temperatures of stars. Astronomers working at modern astronomical observatories such as the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, Texas use this information to learn about the life cycles of stars, including how they are formed in giant clouds of gas and dust. The dramatic death throes of stars are also explored, including brilliant novae, supernovae, and mysterious black holes.

School Program presentations of The Cowboy Astronomer are followed by an informal Star Talk examining the current evening sky, and Q&A session as time and groups sizes permit.

Total Running Time (approx): 45:00 minutes

Skywatchers of Africa

Skywatchers of Africa” illustrates several cultures from across the African continent and highlights their relationships with the cosmos.

From generation to generation, since the beginning of the human experience, Africans have passed down their diverse beliefs and traditions featuring important connections with the heavens. As in many cultures throughout the world, the people of Africa continue to use the sky as a guide for bonding their societies and cultures, for laying out their homes and cities and for providing a calendar to steer the future of their communities.

“Skywatchers of Africa” encourages the audience to share in the common bond that ties all people on Earth, experiencing life under one sky. A live star talk follows this outstanding program.

School Program presentations of Skywatchers of Africa are followed by an informal Star Talk examining the current evening sky, and Q&A session as time and groups sizes permit. Total Running Time (approx): 45:00 minutes

In My Backyard

Children's entertainer Fred Penner leads a lighthearted exploration of things large and small, from the colors of the rainbow to the counting of ladybugs on a rose with our friend Arnie the Arrow. Families with children age 7 and under investigate the night sky, the names of planets, the reasons for seasons, and shooting stars, all from the comfort and safety of my Backyard.

Portions of this fabulous program have recently been updated with laser imagery that helps the children to count along. Arnie the Arrow helps point to stars and other objects, and counts along in laser light, as we find the stars of the big dipper.

School Program presentations of In My Backyard are very well recieved by small children. Followed by an informal Q&A session as time and groups sizes permit.

Total Running Time (approx): 40:00 minutes

Whales

Experience breathtaking close-up encounters with the world’s largest mammal -- the Blue Whale. Then follow Humpbacks, Orcas, Right Whales, dolphins and other creatures for a stunning new perspective on these mysterious marine mammoths. Narrated by Patrick Stewart, “Whales” resonates in an exploding panorama of color and excitement. The film shows inhabitants and lives of a variety of whales, as well as countless other wondrous creatures which share the undersea environs or patrol the nearby shores. In addition to the spectacular photography and audio sounds, “Whales” is full of interesting facts and information about these amazing creatures and the world they live in. It has been described by critics as a “Visual feast” and a "dazzling poetic experience."

Total Running Time (approx): 43:00 minutes

Giants of Patagonia

“Dinosaurs” provides a unique occasion to get a true experience of the incredible size and strength of these creatures that roamed the Earth 65 million years ago. The film concentrates on the remarkable discoveries made in Patagonia, located in the south of Argentina, South America, by world-renowned paleontologist Rodolfo Coria. He was responsible for discovering some of the largest dinosaurs ever found: Argentinosaurus, a giant herbivore that could reach 100 tons in weight and 120-feet high in length, making it the biggest animal to ever walk the earth; and Giganotosaurus, a 15-meter long meat-eating predator that was even bigger than the famous T-Rex.

Deeply rooted in science, “Dinosaurs” carries the audience through the lives of these two superb creatures with never-before-seen computer-generated footage of these two creatures as well as other dinosaurs. The action is intense and the landscapes of Patagonia, which is very similar to the ones inhabited by the dinosaurs, are amazing. Narrated by Donald Sutherland, the documentary-style narrative focuses on the history, the evolution and extinction of dinosaurs. Audiences will also explore some of the greatest paleontological discoveries of modern time.

“Dinosaurs: Giant of Patagonia” also reveals how these historic creatures are still with us today. Their descendants, although much less fearsome, are all around us – they are birds.

Women Hold Up Half the Sky

This thirty-five minute program takes a close look at eleven women astronomers and reveals their unique contributions to the field of astronomy. The program is enhanced by short on camera interviews, shot by CommerSel Studios, with some of the "Leading Ladies" of astronomy including: Carolyn Shoemaker, Vera Rubin, Margaret Geller and Dr. Shannon Lucid!

The content of the show extends beyond a series of biographies of women astronomers and astronauts to cover a history of the field that reveals how women have played integral roles in the work of astronomy and space science.

This program is targeted for students in grades three through eight.