Narrated by Robert Redford, Cosmic Collisions launches visitors on a thrilling trip through space and time to explore cosmic collisions, great hypersonic impacts that drive the dynamic and continuing evolution of the universe. Groundbreaking scientific simulations and visualizations based on cutting-edge research developed by Adler Museum astrophysicists, scientists at NASA, and other international colleagues depict the dramatic and explosive encounters that shaped our solar system, changed the course of life on Earth, and continue to transform our galaxy. The show explores the full range of space collisions, past, present, and future.
Our 10:30am Saturday
morning childrens' show
"Dinosaur Prophecy"
The audience will join paleontologists at the scene of the crime, excavating bones and wondering what killed the mighty dinosaurs. Be amazed as your favorite giants come to life, roam across the dome, and meet their catastrophic deaths. Find out how NASA scientists monitor the Earth and solar system for potential disasters! This show is a co-production of the Rice Space Institute and the Houston Museum of Natural Science, funded by NASA's Office of Earth Science under the "Immersive Earth" project, NASA cooperative agreement NCC5-316. Other production partners include Home Run Pictures and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
All shows are free and open to everyone.
Our catalog of shows includes:
- Our newly-acquired show "The Planets" which takes audiences on a tour of our solar system, explaining how our solar system and its planets formed, why things rotate around the sun in the ways they do, and eventually looks at the planets that have been discovered around other stars. This show was produced by the Southeastern Planetarium Association and is narrated by Kate Mulgrew (aka Captain Katherine Janeway of "Star Trek: Voyager") .
- We have the three shows in the "Explorers" series. These were produced by the Bishop Museum Planetarium in Hawaii and addressing many of the national and Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) for K-12 students.
- From the Adler Museum Planetarium in Chicago "Spirits from the sky" and "Skywatchers of Africa" discuss many of the traditions associated with the sky that were so important to Native American and Native African peoples.
- Our children's show is "In My Backyard" is produced by the Calgary Science Center. This show takes younger audiences (from 3 years old to second graders) on a tour of many of the objects that can be seen in the night sky without a telescope.
We also have the shows that have proven so popular in recent years:
- From the Adler Museum Planetarium in Chicago, "Images of the Infinite: The Hubble Space Telescope Show" takes audiences on a tour through the universe starting from our solar system and proceeding to near the very edge of our visible universe.
- And our always-popular Christmas show " 'Tis the Season" chronicles many of the legends and traditions of the Christmas holiday season, including the story of a certain star.
For a complete listing of our shows, please see our shows page.
