Public Shows
For up-to-the-minute information about ISU Planetarium offerings, contact the Planetarium day or night.
Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
Incoming! Asteroids, Comets, and the Hard-hitting Stories of Our Cosmic Origins
Asteroids and comets have collided with our planet throughout its history, changing the course of life on Earth and shaping the world we know today. Narrated by George Takei, Incoming! explores the past, present, and future of our Solar System and the landmark discoveries scientists have made sending spacecraft to visit tiny worlds.
Incoming!’s cutting-edge visualizations bring real-time data from current NASA missions to life while taking you on a ride through the dynamic story of our cosmic origins. Along the way, you will discover what these impacts from above can teach us – and how scientific advances may allow us to find and track cosmic threats before they reach planet Earth.
Show Dates and Times
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. January 25 - May 4
No shows March 8-16 or April 19-20
Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter
Phantom of the Universe showcases the exciting exploration of dark matter, from the Big Bang to its anticipated discovery at the Large Hadron Collider. Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton narrates this incredible journey.
Experience the first hints of dark matter through the eyes of Fritz Zwicky, the scientist who coined the term the name. Explore the astral choreography witnessed by Vera Rubin in the Andromeda galaxy and then plummet deep underground to see the most sensitive dark matter detector on Earth, housed in a former gold mine.
Finally, journey across space and time to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, speeding alongside particles before they collide in visually stunning explosions of light and sound while learning how scientists around the world are collaborating to track down the constituents of dark matter.
Show Dates and Times
Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. January 26 - May 4
No shows March 8-16 or April 20
Ticket Information
Tickets are available 20 minutes before each show in the Planetarium gift shop (located next to the Planetarium). Cash or check only.
Preschoolers (Ages 3-4): $2 Children (Ages 5-12): $3 Adults (Ages 13-59): $4 Seniors (Ages 60 and up): $3 University faculty, staff, and students: $3 Planetarium Friends: free