Public Programs
Public programs are offered on Friday evenings throughout the year at 7:30 pm (May through September at 8:30 pm) and Saturday afternoons during the academic year at 1:00 pm. Admission to all public programs is $8 for adults and $6 for children, seniors and 蘑菇视频 community members (children 3 and under are free).
We accept credit card and cash payments. All shows are first-come, first-served - reservations and advanced ticket purchases are not available. Doors open 30 minutes before the show, during which time you can explore the displays in our lobby. (Note the time change to 8:30 PM as of May 1.)
The planetarium (show) portion of the program is approximately one-hour, while the
observing session on Friday night will continue until everyone has had a chance to
take a look through the telescope. More information below.
Fall 2024 Schedule
Firefall
Friday evenings at 8:30 PM from September 6 to September 27, 2024
Throughout Earth's violent history, impacts from comets and asteroids have mercilessly shaped its surface.听 The ancient barrage continues today; from harmless meteors - those brilliant streaks in the night sky, to mountain sized boulders wandering perilously close to Earth.听 Terrifying and majestic, these invaders from space are capable of utter destruction yet they have delivered life-giving water and most of the organic materials necessary for life.听 This ceaseless Firefall is our only tangible connection to the universe beyond and is an ever-present reminder of our own humble beginnings in the hostile environment of space.
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DinoSOARS!: 听Change over Time
Saturday afternoons at 1:00 PM from September 7 to September 28, 2024
Perhaps the most astounding discovery about dinosaurs is that they are still around today 鈥� and not just in the movies. Birds are living dinosaurs!听 Follow the story of Malkia, a museum paleontologist, as she explores fascinating connections between birds and dinosaurs.
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The Other Side of Infinity: 听Black Holes
Friday evenings at 7:30 PM from October 4 to October 25, 2024
Narrated by Academy-Award nominated actor Liam Neeson, this cutting-edge production features high-resolution visualizations of cosmic phenomena, working with data generated by computer simulations, to bring the current science of black holes to the dome screen.You will enjoy the striking, immersive animations of the formation of the early universe, star birth and death, the collision of giant galaxies, and a simulated flight to a super- massive black hole lurking at the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy.
Spooky Space
Saturday afternoons at 1:00 PM from October 5 to October 26, 2024
Explore the sky and outer space with a Halloween twist. Meet the space counterparts to spooky characters like ghosts, vampires, and witches. Spooky Space is a great Halloween show for ages 6 and up.
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What you can expect:
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A live guided tour of the Toledo night sky
You will learn about the constellations visible from Toledo and any planets visible to the naked eye. We also typically discuss one "hot topic" in astronomy, such as the discovery of new planets around other stars, or the latest NASA discover on Mars.
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The full-dome presentation
Whether we are traveling inside a black hole, taking a tour of the moon with Elmo, or learning about the skies over Toledo, you and your family will simply be amazed at the full-dome immersive show. -
An open-ended question and answer session
Our expert host will answer all of your astronomy questions, whether they pertain to the live tour of the night sky, the feature presentation, or any other astronomy question that you might have. -
Observing at Brooks/Ritter Observatory
You will be escorted over to Brooks Observatory atop McMaster Hall to view the stars and/or planets through our new 14 telescope. On the first Friday of every month, we instead observe with the Ritter 1m (40 in) telescope. This telescope is the largest active telescope east of the Mississippi and is still used by the astronomers at 蘑菇视频 for their research. All observing is weather permitting!
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