Alden Digital Planetarium
Now Showing Four Multimedia Programs
Summer Showtimes
Tuesday-Saturday
11:00 a.m. Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
12:00 p.m. Cosmic Collisions
2:00 p.m. The Zula Patrol
3:00 p.m. Passport to the Universe
Sunday
1:00 p.m. The Zula Patrol
2:00 p.m. Cosmic Collisions
3:00 p.m. Passport to the Universe
Show Details
The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather
The Zula Patrol Trailer (16MB MPG or 5.3MB WMV)
The Zula Patrol Site
The Zula Patrol invades Worcester on June 7 for the New England premiere of their new space show at the Alden Digital Planetarium. Take a rollercoaster ride across the universe with the lovable, wacky cast of alien characters from the award-winning PBS series, The Zula Patrol, while learning about astronomy and weather. Ride along with the Zula Patrol as they try to save the solar system's weather from interplanetary villain Dark Truder. The Zula Patrol: Mission Weather exhibit is at the museum in conjunction with the digital planetarium show.
Source: The Zula Patrol award-winning PBS series and the related exhibit and dome show were created by Zula USA, LLC.
Run Time: 23 minutes
Audience: Great for children ages 3 to 8 and their families
Showing:
Tuesday-Saturday 2:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m.
Cosmic Collisions
Cosmic Collisions Trailer (7.3MB QuickTime)
Narrated by Robert Redford, this spectacular immersive theater experience launches guests on a thrilling trip through space and time to explore cosmic collisions. Groundbreaking scientific simulations and visualizations based on cutting-edge research depict the dramatic and explosive encounters that shaped our solar system. Audiences will feel the ground shake beneath them!
Teachers! Download a PDF of the Cosmic Collisions Educator's Guide.
This guide presents key concepts in the show including the dynamic nature of the universe, cosmic scale of time and space, and the nature of Earth's natural defenses. It also includes activities and resources for teachers to use before and after their visit.
Source: Developed by the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science; GOTO, Inc., Tokyo, Japan; and the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum.
Run Time: 30 minutes
Audience: Suggested for ages 6 to adult
Showing:
Tuesday-Saturday 12:00 p.m.
Sunday 2:00 p.m.
Passport to the Universe
Passport to the Universe Preview (10.8MB QuickTime)
Narrated by actor Tom Hanks and created by the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with NASA, this program whisks the viewer on a fascinating ride from Earth to the outskirts of the universe. The full-dome experience simulates a trip through the cosmos, incorporating actual images of space from NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope. Over 16 million colors dance onscreen as the audience leaves Earth and dodges such obstacles as asteroids, stars and black holes. Enjoy the epic beauty of the universe like never before in this amazing multimedia experience!
Source: Developed by the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with NASA.
Run Time: 30 minutes
Audience: Suggested for ages 6 to adult
Showing:
Tuesday-Sunday 3:00 p.m.
Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
Secret of the Cardboard Rocket Preview (24MB AVI)
Join two curious kids who turn a cardboard carton into a rocket and blast off to explore the solar system – with the help of a talking astronomy book. Cruise the inner planets, the asteroid belt, the rings of Saturn, the outer planets and find out why we live on the most interesting planet of all. Produced in spectacular 3D animation.
Source: Clark Planetarium
Run Time: 30 minutes
Audience: Great for children 3 to 10 and their families
Showing:
Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 a.m.
The Problem with Pluto
The Problem with Pluto Preview (18MB WMV)
Now showing only for groups.
Follow Lucy, a girl who lives with her planetary scientist mother on a space-based research station, as she takes a birthday journey through our solar system. Viewers are taken on a quest to find out what makes a planet a planet – and what the problem with Pluto really is.
Source: A Museum Victoria Production – Distributed by Sky-Skan, Inc.
Run Time: 45 minutes
Audience: Great for children 7 to 14
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased at the Information Desk on the day of your visit.
$5 per person (plus museum admission)
$4 per person for members
$4 per person for school groups (plus museum admission) Groups of 10 or more must reserve Alden Digital Planetarium tickets at least two weeks in advance as space is limited. Group bookings are available by calling (508) 929-2703 or email us at reservations@ecotarium.org.
Schedules are subject to change without notice.
Other space-themed events at the EcoTarium
Cosmic Camp - Loring Summer Discovery Camp
Night Journey - Astronomy Adventure
About the Alden Digital Planetarium
Discover the fascinating world of astronomy – from the closest star to the furthest reaches of the universe. Experience cutting edge scientific visualization and imaginative animation as well as a fully navigable model of the solar system and the galaxy.
The Alden Digital Planetarium is the only digital planetarium in Massachusetts! Featuring Digital Light Processing technology from Sky-Skan, Inc., the EcoTarium's planetarium uses images from NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope to create a three-dimensional solar system projected onto a 40-foot dome. With immerse surround sound technology from Bose, the planetarium offers a 360-degree, multi-sensory experience.