The GeoDome Experience
Through guided inquiry, we will take you on a personalized tour of our universe! Viewing a program in the GeoDome Theater is a truly unique experience where you can lay on your back and look up at the stars as if you were in your own backyard.
It can hold up to 30 people with seating on the floor. When you enter, you'll be invited to lay on your back, creating a fully immersive experience. If you are uncomfortable lying down, chairs are available and accommodated in the back of the GeoDome's Theater, still ensuring a full view of the presentation. All presentations are led by a planetarium educator and allow for audience interaction.
You can choose from the following interactive shows:
Native Stargazers (Grades 1-12)
Learn about how Native people view the heavens and how their cultural astronomy relates to "western" astronomy. A focus on D(L)akota and Ojibwe cultures.
Changes in the Sky (Grades PreK-2)
Investigate the changes that occur in the sky in a 24-hour day, observing and describing the changes in the position of the Sun, Moon and stars.
Life in the Universe (Grades 6-12)
Why is Earth just right for life? We will investigate the location and composition of Earth compared to Mars, Venus, and other planets in the solar system to understand the conditions that have allowed life to flourish on Earth. We will also investigate recent findings that raise the possibility of life on moons in our solar system & planets orbiting distant stars.
Motions of the Sky (Grades 3-5)
Investigate how the rotation and revolution of Earth rules our perception of days, nights, and years, and observe the differences in the appearance of the sky due to those motions. We also will track the movements of the planets among the stars over a period of time.
Seasons, Phases, and Eclipses (Grades 6-12, requires 45 minutes)
Viewing the Earth-Moon-Sun system from Earth and from space, students will gain an understanding of how the positions and motions of these objects relate to each other, and explain how we perceive the length of days, years, phases, eclipses and seasons.
The Solar System (Grades 2-8)
The audience is the co-pilot of this planetary tour, discovering the characteristics and relationships of objects in the solar system by exploring the Sun, planets, moons, and more, and learning how Earth fits in with the structure of the solar system.
Zoom! From Earth to the Edge of the Universe (Grades 3-12)
The audience decides where to go in this show, from Earth to the edge of the observable universe and anywhere in between. The journey will help learners appreciate the scale of the solar system, galaxy, and universe; the vast distance separating celestial objects; and how these objects change over time.
Custom shows are also available.