Video Catalog
Below is a complete list of the full-dome videos the Science Dome has available with recommended age groups. The list is followed by descriptions and previews (if available) of individual shows.
- Aurorae: Lights of Wonder
- Birth of Planet Earth
- Wayfinders: Waves, Wind and Stars
- Flight Adventures (Elementary and Middle School)
- Hidden Universe (All Ages)
- Moons:Worlds of Mystery (All Ages)
- Chasing the Ghost Particle (All Ages)
- Chaos and Order (All Ages)
- From Dream to Discovery: Inside NASA (All Ages)
- Space School (All Ages)
- Habitat Earth (All Ages)
- Dynamic Earth (Third Grade and Up)
- Secret Lives of Stars (Third Grade and Up)
- Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity (Middle School and Up)
- To Worlds Beyond: Journey Through The Solar System
- How It Was Told To Me
- Exo: Are We Alone
- Birth of Planet Earth
- Mars: The Ultimate Voyage
Aurorae: Lights of Wonder
The aurora is the greatest wonder a human can experience in nature. For the first time ever, you can experience an actual auroral substorm in real-time, high-resolution fulldome video, captured by astrophotographer O-Cheol Kwon in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. The ultra-high sensitivity camera footage allows you to observe the subtle evolution of the aurora as they dance across the screen. Learn more about the science of the aurora and the myths and legends of the aurora with beautiful artwork shared from across different cultures.
Birth of Planet Earth
Birth of Planet Earth tells the twisted tale of our planet's origins. Scientists now believe that our galaxy is filled with solar systems, including up to a billion planets roughly the size of our own. The film employs advanced, data-driven, cinematic-quality visualizations to explore some of the greatest questions in science today: How did Earth become a living planet in the wake of our solar system's violent birth? What does its history tell us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like? Produced by Spitz Creative Media, NCSA's Advanced Visualization Lab, Thomas Lucas Productions, Inc., in association with Tellus Science Museum. This project has been made possible with support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office; funded in part by the National Science Foundation.
Wayfinders: Waves, Wind and Stars
This fulldome program puts you on the deck of the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa as you explore traditional Polynesian navigation and find your own way to Tahiti from Hawaiʻi. Produced by Bishop Museum in collaboration with Polynesian Voyaging Society and 1001 Stories.
Flight Adventures (Elementary and Middle School)
Dreams of flying, model aircraft and a young girl and her grandfather come together in this multi-media planetarium show about the science of aeronautics. Learn about famous inventors and aviators of the past and the pioneers who first revealed the 4 forces of flight. See images of aircraft past, present and future and imagine where flight might take us.
Hidden Universe (All Ages)
An extraordinary journey deep into space, the documentary adventure Hidden Universe brings to life the farthest reaches of our universe with unprecedented clarity through real images captured by the world's most powerful telescopes-seen on-screen. Stunning, high-resolution images of space allow moviegoers to explore the earliest galaxies, watch stars being born in vivid clouds of gas and dust, tour the surface of Mars, and witness images of distant celestial structures including stunning views of the Sun.
Moons: Worlds of Mystery (All Ages)
Experience the amazing diversity of moons and the important roles they play in shaping our solar system. Follow in the footsteps of astronauts to our silvery moon, then venture beyond to unfamiliar and exotic worlds. Journey to the outer planets and their moons, returning home with newfound wonder about the dynamic and intricate solar system in which we all live.
Chasing the Ghost Particle (All Ages)
Deep in the ice at the heart of Antarctica, the biggest and strangest detector in the world waits for mysterious messengers from the cosmos. Scientists are using tiny and elusive particles called neutrinos to explore the insides of stars and galaxies. These ghostly neutrinos give us an exclusive look into exploding stars and black holes.
In this 30-minute show, stunning views of the most extreme places in our universe, the galaxies around us, and the Earth and the Sun are the prelude to a thrilling journey inside the detector, looking for traces of neutrinos from when they collide with atoms in the ice. From one of the most remote locations on Earth to the unexplored regions of the cosmos, Chasing the Ghost Particle: From the South Pole to the Edge of the Universe will take you on a journey you will never forget. Chasing the Ghost Particle is a co-production of MPM and the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC) of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Chaos and Order: A Mathematical Symphony (All Ages)
Do math equations have a color? Do they have a sound? Media-artist Rocco Helmchen and composer Johannes Kraas try to answer these questions in their latest full-dome edutainment show Chaos and Order: A Mathematical Symphony. Structured into four "movements" from geometric forms, algorithms, simulations to chaos theory, the show explores breathtaking animated visuals of unprecedented beauty in the realm of math. Experience the fundamental connection between reality and mathematics, as science and art are fused together in this immersive celebration of the one language of our universe.
From Dream to Discovery: Inside NASA (All Ages)
Inside NASA, experience the excitement of today's space missions as you journey from NASA's test facilities all the way to Pluto. Immerse yourself in the adventure and extremes of spacecraft engineering—from the design of missions like the James Webb Space Telescope and New Horizons, to the rigors of testing, launch, and space operations. When humans dare to dream, we create truly amazing things.
Space School (All Ages)
From a habitat hidden deep underwater in Florida, to the world's most amazing swimming pool, dive into the underwater world of outer space! Space School is the incredible story of how astronauts train underwater to live and work in space.
From microgravity simulation at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab, to living under the sea at Aquarius Reef Base, astronauts spend a lot of time training underwater. Space School is a fascinating and beautifully filmed live-action dome film produced by the Emmy award-winning team that produces Jonathan Bird's Blue World.
Habitat Earth (All Ages)
Living networks connect and support life forms large and small—from colonies of tiny microbes and populations of massive whales to ever-expanding human societies. In the California Academy of Sciences' latest original planetarium show, Habitat Earth, discover what it means to live in today's connected world. Through stunning visualizations of the natural world, dive below the ocean's surface to explore the dynamic relationships found in kelp forest ecosystems, travel beneath the forest floor to see how Earth's tallest trees rely on tiny fungi to survive, and journey to new heights to witness the intricate intersection between human and ecological networks.
Dynamic Earth (Third Grade and Up)
The award-winning Dynamic Earth explores the inner workings of Earth's great life support system: the global climate. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere. Audiences will ride along on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a monster hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and gigantic whales, and fly into roiling volcanoes.
Dynamic Earth is the result of a two-year long collaboration between Spitz Creative Media, the Advanced Visualization Lab at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois, NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio, and Thomas Lucas Productions, Inc., in association with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and NASA Earth Science. Narrated by Liam Neeson.
Secret Lives of Stars (Third Grade and Up)
Not all stars are created equal. Some are massive. Others are tiny; almost insignificant. The specific characteristics of a star will determine what type of life it will lead, how long it might live and even the type of death it will die. We will witness the amazing variety of stars and peer into their secret lives. Narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart of TV's Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men films.
Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity (Middle School and Up)
Be dazzled with 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. 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. Narrated by Liam Neeson.
To Worlds Beyond: Journey Through The Solar System
From the fiery surface of the Sun to the icy realm of comets, travel to worlds with enormous volcanoes, vast canyons, dazzling rings, and storms that would swallow the Earth. Learn more about Mars and Pluto too!
How It Was Told To Me
How It Was Told to Me is a series of three short videos approximately 5 minutes each.
The Creation Story is The New Zealand Māori Story of how Ranginui the Sky Father and Papatūanuku the Earth Mother, held each other in such a tight embrace that no light could shine through and their many children had to live in darkness. After years of struggle, Tūmatauenga and Tāne Mahuta plot to push their parents apart, while Tāwhirimātea fights back to keep them together, resulting in the creation of the world, and the three brothers becoming the Māori gods of war, the forest, and the winds.
Rona and the Moon tells the New Zealand Māori story of how Marama, the Moon, came to look the way it does in our southern skies today. We meet Rona in a quaint fishing village on the night of a full moon, as she prepares a feast for her family's return from the great seas. Rona's sharp temper, quick tongue and impulsive actions have life-changing consequences.
The Great Waka tells the New Zealand Māori story of how a fisherman, Tamareriti, created the Milky Way with all its constellations, and for the first time brought light to our Southern night skies. Look up from The South Pacific, and you'll see his Great Waka canoe traveling across the sky. Find out how the waka came to be there and how through the ages it has guided Polynesian sailors navigating the southern seas. There are many versions of these stories stemming from different Iwi tribes of Aotearoa New Zealand. These three short films were developed by OHU Domes for Stardome's 'Matariki Dawn' show in Auckland, and feature recordings of traditional Māori instruments by Dr Richard Nunns, narration by Te Kohe Tuhaka, Tānea Heke, Rangimoana Taylor with sound design by Dylan Storey.
Exo: Are We Alone
Humankind has always sought to understand the mysteries of the Universe and speculated about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Today we know of thousands of exoplanets — planets located outside our Solar System — that offer valuable information about our own planet, its origins and life on Earth. We're on the cusp of making some fascinating discoveries. But how will they change our lives?
Birth of Planet Earth
Birth of Planet Earth tells the twisted tale of our planet's origins.
Scientists now believe that our galaxy is filled with solar systems, including up to a billion planets roughly the size of our own. The film employs advanced, data-driven, cinematic-quality visualizations to explore some of the greatest questions in science today: How did Earth become a living planet in the wake of our solar system's violent birth? What does its history tell us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like?
Produced by Spitz Creative Media, NCSA's Advanced Visualization Lab, Thomas Lucas Productions, Inc., in association with Tellus Science Museum. This project has been made possible with support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office; funded in part by the National Science Foundation.
Mars: The Ultimate Voyage
Ever wondered what it will take for astronauts to travel to the Moon, Mars and beyond? On this long journey, what challenges will astronauts face? How will they stay motivated and healthy on their spacecraft so far away from Earth? The new, Bell original planetarium show Mars: The Ultimate Voyage, explores these questions and more.
On a two year journey to Mars astronauts will face extraordinary challenges—long distance, a closed environment, isolation, altered gravity, radiation. What will it take to get astronauts to Mars—and back—safely? This new, animated planetarium production highlights NASA research and training initiatives that are preparing the next generation of astronauts who will head to Mars. The film shows how creativity, collaboration, communication, and expertise in a diverse number of fields are key for the success of deep space travel—while also inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals! Witness what it takes to embark on the first human mission beyond Earth's orbit.
The Bell Museum collaborated with NASA and the UNC Morehead Planetarium and Science Center to create this new planetarium show. The work was funded by a NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) Award 80NSSC20M0028 to the Bell Museum through the Regents of the University of Minnesota.