K-8 STARLAB

Show Schedule

About the PLanetarium

The STARLAB portable planetarium uses an inflatable dome and state of the art projection system to bring amazing images of the night sky inside. Our STARLAB is made possible by a grant from SBC-Yahoo!-DSL.

Junior Nightowls (grades K-2)
Orson T. Owl helps young astronomers learn about the sun, the stars, the constellations, and what causes day and night.

Stories by Starlight (grades 3-6)
A perfect complement to your social studies curriculum. Look at the constellations as seen through the eyes of ancient cultures from around the world. The Greeks, Chinese, Egyptians, Native American tribes, the Aztecs, the Khoi San and more will share their take on the stories in the stars.

Out of This World (grades 3-6)
Take a trip through the solar system. You’ll explore the planets, their moons, comets, robot space probes and the latest findings from NASA. Prepare for close up looks at sunspots, the great red spot of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn and more.

All STARLAB programs last 45 minutes.
Maximum number of students per presentation = 30.
Cost for STARLAB = $250 for the first presentation, $100 for additional presentations (maximum 4 presentations per day).
Mileage fee applies to all presentations.
See below for more details on STARLAB.
To schedule an outreach program, call (860) 231-2830, ext. 44.

What are the requirements for a STARLAB outreach?
There are several things you should know to make your STARLAB experience a great one:

Students will sit on the floor. STARLAB has no bottom, so carpeted rooms are preferred, but any clean floor will do.
Students have to crawl through a tunnel to enter STARLAB, so no shoes are allowed. Please remind your students to dress appropriately and they must wear socks.
A large room is required for STARLAB. Gyms, cafeterias, large multi-purpose rooms and others are often used. A clear space at least 25 feet by 25 feet is recommended with ceilings at least 10 feet tall.
STARLAB requires access to an electrical outlet.
Like any class, it is important that the room where STARLAB presentations occur be quiet. There cannot be any other activities occurring during shows.
Teachers or other adult chaperones must remain with students throughout the entire STARLAB presentation.
STARLAB is dark and children will crawl through a small tunnel to enter. Use your judgment on whether or not this will be suitable for your students.
Presenters require 45 minutes before the start of the first program to set up the STARLAB, and 45 minutes afterwards to break it down and pack it. We will need sole access to the room during those times.
STARLAB is handicapped accessible.