Carnegie Hall's Portable Planetarium

Bring the night sky into your school auditorium or gymnasium! Offer your students an exciting way to learn astronomy, study the changing of the seasons, explore how elements of the universe have been used as themes in music, literature, folklore, humanities, mythology and the arts with a Starlab program.

Starlab is a portable planetarium. It is an inflatable dome capable of accommodating about 25 students. Inside the dome, a cylinder projector is not only able to show us the night sky devoid of any light pollution; it can take us on a journey from the South Pole to the Equator and on to the North Pole. We can see the sky as it looks right now in West Virginia as well as at the far end of the Australian outback. We can observe our whole galaxy and study the Solar system. We can look deep beneath the Earth's crust to see the tectonic plates and study causes and effects of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Starlab can also serve as a great vehicle for exploring different cultures. We can see the sky through the eyes of ancient Eqyptians and Greeks, learn the legends of ancient China and Africa, and study the tales of Native Americans.

Up to five 30-40 minute Starlab sessions can be conducted per day with rental rates beginning at just $50 per day for equipment rental. A trained Starlab facilitator must conduct the presentation. The facilitator may be a teacher at your school who has completed Starlab training at Carnegie Hall, or you may contract a facilitator from Carnegie Hall directly. Additional charges may apply for facilitators contracted through Carnegie Hall.

A variety of activities guides are available at Carnegie Hall for educators who rent Starlab. The lessons can be used to help teach students how to:

• Identify stars and constellations
• Observe motions of the sun, moon and planets
• Interpret observations of the universe
• Tell time from the stars
• Explore Greek mythology
• Have fun with science