Launceston Planetarium

Birth of Planet Earth is a show that tells the twisted tale of Earth’s origins.

Our planet formed four and a half billion years ago, and scientists now think that our galaxy is filled with planetary systems, including planets roughly the size of our own.

An important question is how the Moon formed. According to a major hypothesis, it came into being as a result of a catastrophic collision, which is depicted realistically on our planetarium dome.

The show examines the questions of how Earth become a living planet in the wake of our Solar System’s violent birth, and what its history tells us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like.

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Imagine a region of space from which even light cannot escape. That is what many scientists, including Einstein, imagined long before we showed that they actually exist. There is even a huge one right in the centre of our Milky Way galaxy. 

In this amazing program, produced by the Melbourne Planetarium, we take a look at what black holes really are, how they form, and how the wonderful physics of how black holes distort space and time. We even take a look at what would happen if we got too close to one - and it's something that we don't recommend! 

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As part of our program to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first footsteps on the Moon, the Planetarium presents the show CAPCOM GO! 

Apollo 11, in 1969, was the mission during which the first men walked on the Moon: Neil Armstrong and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin.  The moonwalk took place on 21 July 1969 (Australian time).

The show describes how the United States space agency NASA began its human spaceflight program with the launch of the first American into space in the early 1960s.  NASA gradually built up its expertise until it was ready to attempt the July 1969 lunar landing.

The show's title, CAPCOM GO!, relates to the person in the mission control centre who was given the title CAPCOM, short for 'Capsule Communicator'.  It was CAPCOM's role to be the only person speaking with the astronauts.

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Astronomers today are exploring the Universe on a grand scale. But knowing what's out there is just the first step. 

Putting the pieces together to unlock the mysteries of the Universe is the ultimate goal. 

Narrated by Academy Award winning actor Geoffrey Rush, you can discover the new astronomy being carried out under the breathtaking skies of the Australian outback. What new things shall we learn about the Cosmos? 

Capturing the Cosmos was produced by Melbourne Planetarium in partnership with the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), a consortium of seven universities across Australia. 

This show explores the current research being carried out by CAASTRO astronomers as they search the sky in ways never before possible. New and innovative telescopes, such as SkyMapper in New South Wales and the Murchison Widefield Array in Western Australia, have been designed to survey large sections of the sky. 

The SkyMapper telescope led by Nobel Laureate and CAASTRO astronomer, Professor Brian Schmidt, is helping to solve the mystery of Dark Energy.  

The Murchison Widefield Array is a radio telescope that is investigating the moment when the first stars and galaxies lit up the Universe. They are finding things we’ve never seen before, and will help us to better understand our Universe.

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DARK is a full-dome movie that explains and explores the nature of dark matter, the missing 80% of the mass of the Universe.

The search for dark matter is the most pressing astrophysical problem of our time – the solution to which will help us understand why the Universe is as it is, where it came from, and how it has evolved over billions of years – the unimaginable depths of deep time, of which a human life is but a flickering instant. But in that instant, we can grasp its immensity and, through science, we can attempt to understand it.

The movie is presented by Dr Alan Duffy, a brilliant young astronomer from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) at the University of Western Australia – who creates simulations of dark matter evolution inside supercomputers. Alan introduces us to the idea of dark matter, why astronomers think it exists, and explains why radio astronomy is so well-suited to its discovery.

We explore why the new Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) Telescope, currently under construction in remote Western Australia, will be so important in this scientific quest. But this is only the beginning.

We journey through completely immersive visualisations of dark matter evolution calculated upon some of the world’s fastest supercomputers – cosmological visions on a truly vast scale, in which galaxies themselves are but points of light, distributed across far larger intergalactic structures of Dark Matter. These visualisations, developed by Paul Bourke, demonstrate the cutting-edge of contemporary supercomputer visualisation of massive scientific datasets and astrophysical simulation.

It sounds like Science Fiction, but it’s not. It’s the real stuff. Real Data, seen in this way for the very first time.

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Light pollution. Have you ever heard of this term? How can something as essential as light even be associated with pollution? And yet—it is.

For several centuries, we have become accustomed to lighting up artificial light sources after dark, considering them natural. But it’s not. Living organisms, both plants and animals, have adapted to the natural cycle of day and night for tens of millions of years. Our biorhythms work in accordance with sunrise and sunset.

The artificial disruption of this cycle has serious consequences, not only for our health but also for the environment and the economy. So why is the increasing level of artificial lighting dangerous for us?

In Dark Side of Light, discover what is hidden under the term 'light pollution' and what each of us can do about it.

Developed by seven European astronomy and planetariums: Brno Observatory and Planetarium (Czech Republic), Planetarium Hamburg (Germany), Planetarium Wenus (Poland), Slovak Central Observatory (Slovak Republic), TIT Planetarium Budapest (Hungary), the Baia Mare Astronomy Science Museum (Romania), and the Austrian Planetarium Society (Austria). Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

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A show that provides a fascinating look at space history from the launch of the first artificial satellite in 1957 to the construction of the International Space Station and beyond.

From the launch of the first artificial satellite Sputnik, to the magnificent lunar landings and privately operated space flights.

Be immersed and overwhelmed with this most accurate historic reconstruction of Man’s first steps into space.

Who were these Men and Women that took part in these death defying endeavours? Witness their drive, their passion, and their perseverance to explore, in Dawn of the Space Age.

The show includes the exciting first footsteps on the Moon and the development of huge space stations.

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Take a celestial discovery to understand humanity's place in the cosmos.

The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has been the subject of campfire stories, ancient myths and awe for as long as there have been people. A desire to comprehend the Universe may well be humanity’s oldest shared intellectual experience. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos.

To learn about this journey of celestial discovery, from the theories of the ancient Greek astronomers to today’s grandest telescopes, we invite you to experience From Earth to the Universe.

This stunning, 30-minute voyage through space and time conveys, through sparkling sights and sounds, the Universe revealed to us by science. Viewers can revel in the splendour of the worlds in the Solar System and our scorching Sun.

From Earth to the Universe takes the audience out to the colourful birthplaces and burial grounds of stars, and still further out beyond the Milky Way to the unimaginable immensity of myriad galaxies.

Along the way, you will learn about the history of astronomy, the invention of the telescope, and today’s giant telescopes that allow us to probe ever deeper into the Universe.

Produced by the European Southern Observatory.

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Join the young Charles Darwin on an adventurous voyage of exploration circumnavigating the World on the HMS Beagle.

In the 19th century in Victorian times many physical phenomena were already discovered and described by natural laws, but life's most eloquent mechanism was still unknown: How could new species arise to replace those lost in extinction?

It was time for someone to come forth with a Naturalist explanation of this mystery of mysteries.

Natural Selection is an exciting 40-minute planetarium show that is a departure from mainstream astronomy programmes.

The show examines Charles Darwin's famous theory of evolution by natural selection, often called the greatest scientific theory of all time. It was inspired by his 1831-36 global voyage of exploration, and explained the diversity of species as well as the 'branching pattern' of evolution from common ancestors.

Natural Selection was produced by Mirage 3D in the Netherlands.

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This immersive planetarium film tells the story of Māori/Pasifika, and European Navigation towards Aotearoa New Zealand through the eyes of an intrepid teenager, Moko.

The budding navigator transports herself into the world of her Pacific ancestors and onto the decks of their voyaging canoes. As a scientist and explorer, she takes in the view of Earth from space and crosses cultures to witness the worlds of Captain Cook and the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman.

With Moko, we stand alongside the navigators, explore their traditions, uncover their science, and wrap it all up in the space knowledge we have today. The film encompasses the experiences of historical and present-day voyagers. Every storm, latitude, star path and sunrise has been lived.

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Origins of Life deals with some of the most profound questions of life science: the origins of life and the human search for life beyond Earth.

Starting with the Big Bang, the show deals with the prebiotic chemistry of the Universe, the formation of stars, formation of solar systems, and the first life on Earth.

Furthermore Origins of Life covers the great extinctions as well as our search for life beyond planet Earth.

This show is an inspirational journey through time and a celebration of life on Earth.

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Our Living Climate looks at how the Earth's climate has evolved over time, alternating between periods of relative stability and sudden and dramatic change.

The Earth's climate is a complex and interconnected system. Our Living Climate investigates some of the factors that contribute to climate change, including those made by life in general, and our own human contribution. It offers a spectacular look at what is arguably the greatest challenge of our time.

When children build a toy rocket made of cardboard, they find that it can take them on an amazing journey through the Solar System.

Their astronomy book, borrowed from the library, comes alive and tells them more about the exciting things they are seeing including the different planets.

* This show is suitable for young children.

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Travel back in time and explore our land through Indigenous eyes in The Earth Above: A Deep Time View of Australia's Epic History.

Explore Australia’s past 140,000 years through this feature-length full-dome planetarium show that incorporates traditional and scientific knowledge to tell Australia’s epic story.

The show will transport viewers to four key locations, each highlighting ground-breaking research from CABAH flagship projects and foregrounding the voices and visions of Indigenous communities:

• Girraween Lagoon on Larrakia and Wulna Country outside Darwin in the NT - knowned as the 'place of flowers'
• Cloggs Cave on GunaiKurnai Country in Victoria’s East Gippsland region - known by the GunaiKurnai to be a place of medicine and magic
• Lake Mungo in NSW on the land of the Barkandji/Paakantyi, Ngiyampaa and Mutthi Mutthi people - one of Australia's most significant environmental and cultural landscapes
• Jiigurru (Lizard Island) on the Great Barrier Reef, which is sacred to many, including the Dingaal community - offering an extraordinary view of the islands and trade routes voyaged long ago.

The Earth Above has been developed to provide a ‘big history’ narrative that combines the efforts and knowledge of Indigenous communities and science to help future-proof Australia’s biodiversity and heritage.

This show has been proudly developed by the Deakin MotionLab in collaboration with
First Nations communities and UOW Science Space.

This show is suitable for families.

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The Sun is the only star that we can study from relatively close range, and learning more about our Sun helps astronomers to understand more about other stars.

The Sun: Our Living Star presents a wealth of information about the Sun in an easily understandable way. It includes spectacular graphics showing how the Sun generates its energy, and that it reveals many of its secrets to astronomers, who observe it in different wavelengths of light.

This exciting program about the Sun was produced by the European Southern Observatory. It made its world debut at the International Planetarium Society Conference in France in July 2018.

* This program is suitable for ages 5 and up. 

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Two Small Pieces of Glass – The Amazing Telescope full-dome show follows two students as they interact with a female astronomer at a local star party.

Along the way, the students learn the history of the telescope from Galileo’s modifications to a child’s spyglass — using two small pieces of glass — to the launch of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy.

Engaging and appealing to audiences of all ages, the show explores the wonder and discovery made by astronomers throughout the last 400 years.

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Blast off on an amazing ride with Tycho the dog and his young friends.

Learn about night and day, space travel, phases of the Moon, and features of the lunar surface. Take a close-up look at the Sun, see Tycho play in zero gravity, witness Earth from space, and watch meteors shoot across the night sky.Blast off on an amazing ride with Tycho the dog and his young friends.

Learn about night and day, space travel, phases of the Moon, and features of the lunar surface. Take a close-up look at the Sun, see Tycho play in zero gravity, witness Earth from space, and watch meteors shoot across the night sky.

* This show is suitable for young children.

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Join Tycho on an adventure in an exciting animated children’s film in a unique family cinema experience.

We’ll learn all about the major features of Mars, including the ancient volcano Olympus Mons and the canyons of the Valles Marineris.

Tycho is in search of water to fly his steam-powered space kennel back home. But how will he find water on Mars, when it looks so cold, dusty and dry?

Luckily, he discovers a new friend, Oppy, who is all too eager to help. Oppy – the NASA rover, Opportunity – has lots of experience exploring Mars and hunting for water. She is thrilled to share her knowledge of the red planet with a fellow space explorer.

* This show is suitable for young children.

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Earth is now a small world. The human race is connected better and faster than ever before, but what about elsewhere?

Could we one day be part of a galactic community sharing our knowledge and ideas, or is Earth the only planet with life?

From the National Space Centre in the UK, this show will take you on an epic ride in the hunt for the evidence of alien life.  It's a show that balances science, education and family entertainment.

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Climate change is one of the most significant threats that we as humans currently face.

The world, its peoples and environments are connected and interdependent. From the smallest bacteria to the largest ocean whale; there exists a link between all things.

In a world out of balance, We Are Guardians looks at how ecosystems are intrinsically connected and with the increasing use of satellite monitoring, examines the links between human activities and climate change.

We Are Guardians is a highly immersive, leading-edge look at the role of satellites in orbit around Earth - how they monitor the effects of a changing climate, and how the information they provide will be crucial in our fight to reduce harmful emissions.

This show is suitable for families.

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We Are Stars, was produced by NSC Creative in the United Kingdom, who also produced our very popular show We Are Aliens.

The show takes a light-hearted look at the way stars burn, producing the range of elements with which we are so familiar.  Indeed, most of the material in our bodies, and in everything we use each day, was formed deep inside the stars! 

We Are Stars includes many other interesting facts about these celestial bodies across the universe.

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3, 2, 1 Lift Off follows the story of an inquisitive hamster and an unlikely friendship with a robot from outer space who has crash landed on Earth.

The story follows the duo as they work to find a way to re-connect the robot with their family in outer space, and the science required to achieve that.

The story is fun, adventurous and educational, and will offer a brilliant story for visitors looking for a weekend activity, or classrooms looking for their next school excursion.

Following each show we share a viewing of what you'll be able to see in the night sky that same evening. This is a great way to engage viewers with what's happening in space, what you can see here from Earth, and where we fit into the universe.

* This show is suitable for young children.

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