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Narrated by Tom Hanks

Passport to the Universe

Passport to the Universe

Taking audiences on an unforgettable voyage of billions of light-years, Passport to the Universe is an incredible journey from our home planet and the Milky Way galaxy to the edge of the universe. Audiences fly beneath the rings of Saturn, into the heart of the Orion Nebula, and out into the vastness of the observable universe, experiencing these and other stunning cosmic destinations as never before possible. Using real science and cutting-edge technology to create immersive experiences that educate and inspire, Passport to the Universe is an unprecedented virtual tour that takes audiences to the limits of the universe and back again.

Narrated by Tom Hanks.

Passport to the Universe was developed by the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

“Science has finally caught up with science fiction.”
– The New York Times

“The experience is literally like nothing on Earth. Who would have thought that astrophysics could ever set your heart racing?”
– The Daily News

June 25, 2017

Select a Date to View

One World One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure

Sunday, June 25, 2017
10:00 am

Explore the night sky with your favorite friends from Sesame Street in One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure. Follow along with Big Bird, Elmo and their friend from China, Hu Hu Zhu, as they take you on a journey of discovery to learn about the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Sun and the Moon. Running time, 25 minutes.

One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure was created as part of a global partnership between the Adler Planetarium; Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street; the Beijing Planetarium; and the Liberty Science Center (Jersey City, NJ).

Space News & Asteroid: Mission Extreme

11:00 am

First, live educators will talk about what is happening in astronomy right now in Space News then get ready for Asteroid: Mission Extreme!

This movie takes audiences on an epic journey to discover the possibilities that asteroids present for space travel. Using stunning visuals and state-of-the-art computer graphics, the film presents the fascinating idea, based on real science, that asteroids could be used as stepping stones to other worlds, veritable “way stations” in space enabling us to cross the entire solar system.

As with any venture in outer space, the challenges involved with making this idea a reality are enormous; however, a mission this extreme could ultimately lead us to learn how to protect our planet and how to successfully inhabit other worlds.

Explore what it would take for astronauts to reach an asteroid and then tame it for our use, as well as how such an extraordinary adventure could benefit humankind, in Asteroid: Mission Extreme.

Narrated by Sigourney Weaver

Current Night Sky - Space Lab

Sunday, June 25, 2017
12:00 pm

Our live full dome programs utilize Uniview, a visualization and simulation software aimed at presenting and teaching astronomy, astrophysics and earth sciences. Our full dome theater is a large-scale immersive environment, featuring realtime digital planetarium, and large-format cinema.

Current Night Sky
Long before television, GPS and street lights, there were the stars of the night sky. Visitors will travel through the seasonal night sky to learn about constellations, hear mythical stories and observe the magnificent Long Island sky.

Space Junk

Sunday, June 25, 2017
1:00 pm

"After half a century of space exploration we're now suddenly faced with what has long been a staple of science fiction -- an orbiting junkyard of cast-off space debris."

With media headlines repeatedly warning us of debris falling from the skies, orbital debris, or "space junk," has finally risen to the forefront of social consciousness. But what is space junk? How did it get there? Just how big (and serious) is the problem?

"Space Junk," narrated by Academy Award® Nominee Tom Wilkinson, is the first movie to explore the exponentially expanding ring of debris that threatens the safety of our planet's orbits. Harnessing the magical imagery the Full Dome Digital Theater, Director Melissa Butts takes us soaring -- from the stunning depths of Meteor Crater to an unprecedented view of our increasingly crowded orbits, 22,000 miles above earth.

On-screen, Don Kessler, (ret.) Head of NASA's Orbital Debris Office and the "Father of Space Junk," reaches back to the beginning of our solar system for understanding and guides us through the challenges we face in protecting our orbits for the future. At risk is the future of space exploration and the safety of the extensive satellite network that powers our modern day communication systems. This visually explosive journey of discovery weighs the solutions aimed at restoring Earth's orbits.

Stunning images transport the viewers by wrapping us in star fields and allowing us to witness massive collisions in space -- both natural and man-made -- as though we were in the center of the action.

Space News & Asteroid: Mission Extreme

2:00 pm

First, live educators will talk about what is happening in astronomy right now in Space News then get ready for Asteroid: Mission Extreme!

This movie takes audiences on an epic journey to discover the possibilities that asteroids present for space travel. Using stunning visuals and state-of-the-art computer graphics, the film presents the fascinating idea, based on real science, that asteroids could be used as stepping stones to other worlds, veritable “way stations” in space enabling us to cross the entire solar system.

As with any venture in outer space, the challenges involved with making this idea a reality are enormous; however, a mission this extreme could ultimately lead us to learn how to protect our planet and how to successfully inhabit other worlds.

Explore what it would take for astronauts to reach an asteroid and then tame it for our use, as well as how such an extraordinary adventure could benefit humankind, in Asteroid: Mission Extreme.

Narrated by Sigourney Weaver

Back to the Moon for Good and Sunstruck

Sunday, June 25, 2017
3:00 pm

SPECIAL DOUBLE FEATURE

Back To The Moon For Good
The Google Lunar XPRIZE full-dome planetarium show Back To The Moon For Good chronicles teams around the world competing for the largest incentivized prize in history, by landing a robotic spacecraft on the Moon for the first time in more than 40 years. To win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a team must land a robotic spacecraft on the Moon, navigate 500 meters over the lunar surface, and send video, images and data back to Earth. This global competition is designed to spark imagination and inspire a renewed commitment to space exploration, not by governments or countries – but by the citizens of the world. Who will win the $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE? The audience is taken through a successful launch, landing and lunar surface travel. The show ends with a stunning glimpse of a plausible scenario for our future on the Moon.

Sunstruck
This exciting new show on solar science, created by the Michigan Science Center in collaboration with NASA and narrated by noted science fiction author Mike Shepherd, shares the wonders of our own personal star, the Sun. The Sun's incredible energy has supported life on Earth for millennia, but it also poses threats to the way of life our 21st century technology has enabled. In Sunstruck, you will travel to the distant future to discover the Sun’s connection to our universe’s cosmic cycle of life and death.

Space Junk

Sunday, June 25, 2017
4:00 pm

"After half a century of space exploration we're now suddenly faced with what has long been a staple of science fiction -- an orbiting junkyard of cast-off space debris."

With media headlines repeatedly warning us of debris falling from the skies, orbital debris, or "space junk," has finally risen to the forefront of social consciousness. But what is space junk? How did it get there? Just how big (and serious) is the problem?

"Space Junk," narrated by Academy Award® Nominee Tom Wilkinson, is the first movie to explore the exponentially expanding ring of debris that threatens the safety of our planet's orbits. Harnessing the magical imagery the Full Dome Digital Theater, Director Melissa Butts takes us soaring -- from the stunning depths of Meteor Crater to an unprecedented view of our increasingly crowded orbits, 22,000 miles above earth.

On-screen, Don Kessler, (ret.) Head of NASA's Orbital Debris Office and the "Father of Space Junk," reaches back to the beginning of our solar system for understanding and guides us through the challenges we face in protecting our orbits for the future. At risk is the future of space exploration and the safety of the extensive satellite network that powers our modern day communication systems. This visually explosive journey of discovery weighs the solutions aimed at restoring Earth's orbits.

Stunning images transport the viewers by wrapping us in star fields and allowing us to witness massive collisions in space -- both natural and man-made -- as though we were in the center of the action.