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Home / See & Do / Planetarium / About the Planetarium
About the Planetarium
The Burke Baker Planetarium allows visitors to experience the wonders of space while still on earth. Giving visitors the feeling that they are traveling in space, high-resolution video technology projects images of planets, stars, meteors, solar systems and entire galaxies on the domed surface. The dome theatre is also used to train Space Shuttle astronauts in identifying starfields.
Opened in 1964, this facility has presented astronomical programs to millions of visitors including school groups and the general public. The computerized SkySkan DigitalSky starfield projector--the most advanced in the world--simulates stars, planets, comets, nebulous objects and other special effects such as three-dimensional flight through space. A digital stereo sound system enhances the Dome Theatre's special effects.
The last five years have brought a revolution in dome theatres, transforming them from rooms with stars on the roof to digital dome theaters able to carry audiences from the Big Bang to the nucleus of a cell. Gradually shows are diverging from pure astronomy themes to immersive experiences on Earth and even into the human body. Unlike IMAX, the digital nature of this medium allows the Museum to develop unique presentations related to exhibits and scientific events. The Museum has also added one upgrade to its full-dome system each year – improving the quality of each successive visit.
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