2023 - 24 Planetarium Schedule

Public Program Information

.The William Brish Planetarium offers programs available for public viewing twice a month with two different shows per date.  Shows are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month and start at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m.  See below for the full 2023 - 2024 school year schedule.
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General show information:

• 5:30 programs are aimed at younger audiences.  7:00 programs are geared towards general audiences.
• Doors open 30 minutes before program begins and close promptly at the show start time.  No late admissions will be allowed due to safety reasons.
• 64 person maximum per program.  
• It is recommended that tickets be purchased in advance at http://wbp.booktix.com/. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door using credit/debit cards only. Shows may sell out at any time. Tickets are non-transferrable and non-refundable.​
• Please print your tickets or have your order available on your phone for scanning.

Admission Fees (tickets are non/transferrable and non-refundable):

$3.75/Adult  (includes $.75 processing fee)                                                  

$2.50/Children (Ages 0 - 18 years; includes $.50 processing fee)                      

Free - Gold Card (Call the Planetarium at 301-766-2898 for a coupon code.)

Program Length: 45 - 60 minutes

Inclement Weather: ​If schools are closed or dismissed early, the Planetarium is closed.  Call the Planetarium for a revised schedule. 

2023 - 2024 William Brish Planetarium Public Shows Schedule: (All Programs include a tour of the current night sky.)

Date

Tues. September 12, 2023

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.

Sold Out
5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
One World, One Sky
​Pre K - General Audiences

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​One World, One Sky is a fulldome planetarium show that follows Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a Muppet from Zhima Jie, the Chinese co-production of Sesame Street. Together, they take an imaginary trip from Sesame Street to the moon, where they discover how different it is from Earth.

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Seeing! A Photons Journey Across Space, Time and Mind
​General Audiences

Stunning 360° visuals of landscapes, skyscapes, wildlife, humanity and space are used to tell the story of light, sight and vision.

We begin with a photon’s creation inside a distant star and follow its immense journey across the galaxy into the eye of a young stargazer. As the photon enters, we learn about the structures of the eye, their functions and we ride along the optic nerve. The photon's energy is converted into electrochemical impulses that travel the neurochemical pathways of our brain, resulting in an image in our mind.

Also addressed are the ways technology enables us to restore vision and prevent various diseases that affect sight.

Narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson. 

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Tues. September 26, 2023

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Magic Globe: A Story of the Seasons
Elementary Age Audiences

On vacation at her grandpa’s, a little girl named Mia accidentally discovers a mysterious piece of astronomical machinery. Edmund, Mia’s eccentric uncle, tricks the girl into using the tool’s secret powers to change the world’s seasons. She realizes the consequences of what they are going to do, but Edmund doesn’t want to let the plan go.

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Astronaut
General Audiences
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​The exploration of space is the greatest endeavour that humankind has ever undertaken. What does it take to be part of this incredible journey? What does it take to become an astronaut?  Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body.  Discover the perils that lurk in space as we subject ‘Chad’, our test astronaut, to everything that space has to throw at him.  Narrated by Ewan McGregor.

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Tues. October 10, 2023































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Tues. October 24, 2023

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Spooky Space
​Costumes encouraged!
​Elementary age Audiences

Looking for cosmic fun this Halloween season? Would you like to meet the stars -- the stars of Halloween? Monsters, zombies, and ghosts -- and their far more terrible counterparts in space? Oh yes, space has its monsters: Black holes,   zombie stars, and   spectacular ghostly nebulae!


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5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Spooky Space
​​Costumes encouraged!
​Elementary age Audiences

Looking for cosmic fun this Halloween season? Would you like to meet the stars -- the stars of Halloween? Monsters, zombies, and ghosts -- and their far more terrible counterparts in space? Oh yes, space has its monsters: Black holes,   zombie stars, and   spectacular ghostly nebulae!

​7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
To Space & Back 
General Audiences
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Space exploration — our greatest adventure — is having a big impact on our lives. It’s helping us to discover a universe of unimaginable scale and beauty, and it’s reaching down into our world and influencing the way we live.  TO SPACE AND BACK takes audiences on an incredible journey from the far reaches of our known universe to our own planet. It is an extraordinary story of human ingenuity and incredible engineering, describing how the technology that transports us through space is paving the way for the devices and apps we use every day. What’s happening above is coming back down to Earth!  Discover how we’ve been changed by space exploration, and what we owe to curiosity and the spirit of discovery.  Narrated by James May.

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7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
From Earth to the Universe
General Audiences
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The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has been the subject of campfire stories, ancient myths and awe for as long as there have been people. A desire to comprehend the Universe may well be humanity’s oldest shared intellectual experience. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos. To learn about this journey of celestial discovery, from the theories of the ancient Greek astronomers to today’s grandest telescopes, we invite you to experience From Earth to the Universe.

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Tues. November 14, 2023

​​5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Legends of the Night Sky: Orion
Elementary - General Audiences

7:00  - 8:00 p.m.
Discover the Stars
General Audiences

The show brings the mythological Orion to life in a fun-filled, animated adventure.  Accompanied by narrators Aesop the owl and Socrates the mouse, we follow Orion's adventures as he grows to manhood, battles mythical beasts, foils the plot of an evil king and wins the heart of Artemis, the beautiful moon-goddess. By the end of the story, we learn how the constellation Orion was placed in the sky, forever turning overhead throughout the seasons.

On a clear, dark night, most of us, at one time or another, have gazed upon the stars and wondered about all those tiny points of light. Many of us are able to identify different patterns and constellations in the stars. But, what are those tiny points of light? This exciting program takes viewers beyond a simple observation of the night sky and delves into the fascinating lives of stars. 

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LASER HOLIDAYS is back!

Multiple Shows:

Tuesday, Nov. 24 - 5:30 pm, 7:00 pm
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Saturday, Nov. 25 - 10:00 am, 11:30 am,1:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:00 pm 

Tuesday, Nov. 28 - 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm

Thursday, Nov. 30 - 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm 

Friday, Dec. 1 - 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm 
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Saturday, Dec. 2 - 10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:00 pm 

​Tuesday, Dec. 5 - 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm

Thursday, Dec. 7 - 5:30 and 7:00 pm

Friday, Dec. 8 - 5:30 and 7:00 pm

This festive program features a mix of everyone’s favorite holiday music, from the classical to the modern, all set to fantastic laser light and digital artwork. Laser Holidays is rated two on a five-point intensity scale, so it is appropriate for family members of all ages.
The 15 songs range from “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Tchaikovsky and “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby, to “Winter Wonderland” with the Eurythmics and “Christmastime” with Smashing Pumpkins.
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Please note: STROBE LIGHTING EFFECTS AND OTHER INTENSE LIGHTING WILL BE USED DURING THIS PERFORMANCE. INDIVIDUALS THAT SUFFER FROM EPILEPSY AND OTHER VISUAL LIGHT STIMULATION CONDITIONS SHOULD USE PRECAUTION WHEN ATTENDING THIS EVENT. 
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This event is a fundraiser for Smithsburg High School AVID.

All tickets must be purchased in advance at http://SHSAVID.Booktix.com.

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Tuesday Dec. 12, 2023

​5:30 - 6:15 p.m. 
Legends of the Night Sky: Perseus & Andromeda​Early Elementary - General Audiences

​Perseus and Andromeda is a fun-filled retelling of the tale of the beautiful but unfortunate princess Andromeda, who in divine punishment for her mother’s bragging, is sacrificed to a sea monster—and rescued by the Greek hero Perseus.​

7:00 - 8:00 p.m. 
Season of Light
General Audiences
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Formerly 'Tis the Season.  Examine many of the seasonal customs based on light as well as various winter holiday traditions including Yule, greenery, Santa and the Christmas Star.  This program also includes a tour of the current night sky.  A seasonal favorite Classic Planetarium Program, remade for Full Dome Viewing!

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Tues. January 9, 2024

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Zula Patrol: Down to Earth​Pre K - Elementary Audiences

While on a routine fossil-hunting expedition, the Zula Patrol turns up evidence that the villainous Deliria Delight has been travelling back in time to Earth’s prehistoric past to illegally dump her company’s toxic trash.  The Zula Patrollers must find and catch her, before her actions cause catastrophic consequences.  In the process, our heroes learn all about the formation and development of Earth, and the life forms who call it home.​

​​7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
We Are Stars
General Audiences

What are we made of?  Where did it all come from?  Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, and our explosive origins. Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon, and the molecules for life.  Narrated by Andy Serkis.

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Tues. January 23, 2024

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Beyond the Sun
​​Early Elementary Age - General Audiences

While Celeste is fighting off sleep in her room by reading a book on astronomy she receives an unexpected visit from Moon. Together, they will enjoy a journey through the Universe to discover what exoplanets are and how they can be detected.
They observe rogue planets, oceanic worlds and super-Earths. Moon tells her about exoplanet hunters, who observe the sky in search of planets like Earth. Many adventures are yet to come. But first, she needs some rest. Celeste drops off to sleep waiting for the next visit of Moon

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Solar Super Storms 
​General Audiences
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A fury is building on the surface of the Sun – high-velocity jets, a fiery tsunami wave that reaches 100,000 kilometers high, rising loops of electrified gas. What’s driving these strange phenomena? How will they affect planet Earth? Find the answers as we venture into the seething interior of our star.​ Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.

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Tues. February 13, 2024

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Earth, Moon & Sun 
​Elementary - General Audiences
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This planetarium show explores the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun with the help of Coyote, an amusing character adapted from Native American oral traditions who has many misconceptions about our home planet and its most familiar neighbors.  His confusion about the universe makes viewers think about how the Earth, Moon and Sun work together as a system. Native American stories are used throughout the show to help distinguish between myths and science.​

7:00 - 8:00 p.m. 
Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity
​General Audiences

This cutting-edge production features high-resolution visualizations of cosmic phenomena, working with data generated by computer simulations, to bring the current science of black holes to the dome screen.Audiences will be dazzled with striking, immersive animations of the formation of the early universe, star birth and death, the collision of giant galaxies, and a simulated flight to a super-massive black hole lurking at the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy.  Narrated by Liam Neeson.
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Tues. February 27, 2024

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Moles: What is Out There?
​Pre K - Elementary age Audiences

MOLES’ story revolves around a young mole named Plato. Plato lives deep underground in a dark burrow full of mystery and surprises together with his mum and dad. He is a restless, curious and thoughtful creature. Plato is fascinated by the light that penetrates the entrance to his home. Sometimes it is lit; sometimes it is off… Why could that be? Our young friend is desperate to see what is out there in the outside world and one day he finally gets to see it all! Plato discovers day and night, the sun and the moon, and the stars! Plato’s best friends are Alfa, Beta and Gamma with whom he loves to sing… and go treasure hunting! Good thing that the professor Socrates keeps an eye on our young friends… as sometimes things can get a little out of hand…! The story has been inspired by the Greek philosopher Plato’s “Myth of the Cave”.

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The Dark Matter Mystery
​​General Audiences

What keeps Galaxies together? What are the building blocks of the Universe? What makes the Universe look the way it looks today? Researchers all around the world try to answer these questions. We know today that approximately a quarter of the Universe is filled with a mysterious glue: Dark Matter. We know that it is out there. But we have no idea what it is made out of.  This planetarium show takes you on the biggest quest of contemporary astrophysics. You will see why we know that Dark Matter exists, and how this search is one of the most challenging and exciting searches science has to offer. Join the scientists on their hunt for Dark Matter with experiments in space and deep underground. Will they be able to solve the Dark Matter Mystery?
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Tues. March 12, 2024

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Cosmic Colors
​Upper Elementary - General Audiences

Enjoy a wondrous journey through the world of color and beyond!  Discover why the sky is blue, why Mars is red, and the reason why many things are the color that they are.  Tour the interior of a plant leaf, voyage through a human eye, then step into the invisible universe as you investigate x-rays by taking on a monstrous black hole.  Explore the world of infrared in a roaring fire, and even discover what may have been the actual color of a dinosaur. Explore the amazing rainbow of cosmic light through COSMIC COLORS, an original production of the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium in cooperation with the Great Lakes Planetarium Association.​​​

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Habitat Earth
General Audiences
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Living networks connect and support life forms large and small—from colonies of tiny microbes and populations of massive whales to ever-expanding human societies. In the California Academy of Sciences’ latest original planetarium show, Habitat Earth, discover what it means to live in today’s connected world. Through stunning visualizations of the natural world, dive below the ocean’s surface to explore the dynamic relationships found in kelp forest ecosystems, travel beneath the forest floor to see how Earth’s tallest trees rely on tiny fungi to survive, and journey to new heights to witness the intricate intersection between human and ecological networks.  Narrated by Frances McDormand.

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Tues. March 26, 2024

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
​Zula Patrol: Under the Weather
Pre-K – Elementary Age Audiences

​The stalwart heroes of the Zula Patrol are on an expedition collecting samples of weather for scientist Multo’s research.  When the Zula gang inadvertently hurts their loyal pet Gorga’s feelings, he decides to leave Zula and find another planet to live on.  Villain Dark Truder then tricks Gorga into helping with his latest nefarious scheme to rule the Universe.  The Zula Patrollers find out and go after him – in the process learning all about weather, both terrestrial and interplanetary.​

7:00 - 8:00 p.m. 
​Dynamic Earth
​General Audiences
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Explore the inner workings of Earth’s great life support system: the global climate. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere. Audiences will ride along on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a monster hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and gigantic whales, and fly into roiling volcanoes. Narrated by Liam Neeson.​​

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Tues. April 9, 2024



















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Tues. April 23, 2024

5:30- 6:15 pm
One World, One Sky
Pre K - Early Elementary Audiences

One World, One Sky is a fulldome planetarium show that follows Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a Muppet from Zhima Jie, the Chinese co-production of Sesame Street. Together, they take an imaginary trip from Sesame Street to the moon, where they discover how different it is from Earth.​


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5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Magin Globe: A Story of the Seasons
​Elementary Audiences

On vacation at her grandpa’s, a little girl named Mia accidentally discovers a mysterious piece of astronomical machinery. Edmund, Mia’s eccentric uncle, tricks the girl into using the tool’s secret powers to change the world’s seasons. She realizes the consequences of what they are going to do, but Edmund doesn’t want to let the plan go.

7:00 - 8:00 pm
Super Volcanoes
​General Audiences

An immersive planetarium show that looks back at rare classes of eruptions that have marshaled the energy that lurks, like a sleeping dragon, beneath the surface of planet Earth. The program moves beyond Earth to explore the impact of giant volcanic eruptions around our solar system. Audiences will fly down to Neptune’s frigid moon Triton, and onto the ultimate volcanic world: Jupiter’s moon Io. On a visit to a legendary North American hot spot, Yellowstone National Park, the film asks: can a super volcano erupt in our time?  Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.​

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7:00 - 8:00 p.m. 
Moons: Wolds of Mystery
General Audiences
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Moons: Worlds of Mystery immerses you in the amazing diversity of moons and the important roles they play in shaping our solar system.  Follow in the footsteps of astronauts to our silvery Moon, then venture beyond to unfamiliar and exotic worlds. Journey to the outer planets and their moons, returning home with newfound wonder about the dynamic and intricate solar system in which we all live.​  Narrated by Ed Helms.

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Tues. May 14, 2024

5:30 - 6:15 p.m. 
Larry: Cat in Space
​Pre-K - Elementary Age Audiences
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​Take off on a lunar adventure with a curious stowaway cat! Larry Cat in Space is a playful, imaginative cartoon presentation about an inquisitive cat who takes a trip to the Moon.  Formerly a slide show planetarium program, adapted for the full dome system.​

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Oasis in Space
​General Audiences
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Oasis In Space transports the audience on a startling and beautiful voyage through our universe, galaxy and solar system in search of liquid water, a key ingredient for life on Earth.

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Tues. May 28, 2024

5:30 - 6:15 p.m.
Planetary Visions
​Elementary - General Audiences

Explore the solar System in this exciting and interactive planetarium program!  Be prepared to for an adventure that will leave you wondering if maybe you really did just get back from a mission in space!  Fun for audiences of all ages!
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7:00 - 8:00 p.m. 
Undiscovered Worlds
​General Audiences

This show explores a timeless question: Do other planets like Earth exist?
Through the discovery of exoplanets, the hundreds of planets that have been found orbiting stars beyond the Sun, we have learned that our solar system is not alone in the universe and have had to redefine our understanding of planets and solar systems.
With rapidly improving technology and endeavors like the Kepler Telescope, the discovery of exoplanets represents one step closer to the possibility of finding an Earth-like world.
​How will this change how we view our place in the universe?

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