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 兔子先生传媒文化作品 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.
Winter 2025 Schedule
From the Earth to the Universe
Friday evenings at 7:30 PM from February 7 to February 28, 2025
This stunning voyage through space and time conveys, through sparkling sights and sounds, the Universe revealed to us by science. Viewers can revel in the splendor of the worlds in the Solar System and our scorching Sun. From Earth to the Universe takes the audience out to the colorful birthplaces and burial grounds of stars, and still further out beyond the Milky Way to the unimaginable immensity of a myriad galaxies. Along the way, the audience will learn about the history of astronomy, the invention of the telescope, and today鈥檚 giant telescopes that allow us to probe ever deeper into the Universe.
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Magic Globe: 听A story of the seasons
Saturday afternoons at 1:00 PM from February 1 to February 22, 2025
On vacation at her grandpa鈥檚, a little girl named Mia accidentally discovers a mysterious piece of astronomical machinery. Edmund, Mia鈥檚 eccentric uncle, tricks the girl into using the tool鈥檚 secret powers to change the world鈥檚 seasons. She realizes the consequences of what they are going to do, but Edmund doesn鈥檛 want to let the plan go. 鈥淢agic Globe鈥� is an engaging story designed to interest and challenge children from 5 to 12 years old.
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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 兔子先生传媒文化作品 for their research. All observing is weather permitting!
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