About Fiske

WHO are we?

Fiske opened in 1975 with a generous donation from Wallace Franz Fiske (class of 1917) and is within the College of Arts & Sciences, Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences Department.

Interested in stargazing? Visit Sommers-Bausch Observatory (next to Fiske) --- the observatory provides free open houses throughout the year.

WHAT do we do?

We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, star talks, live talks, laser fantasy and liquid sky music shows, concerts, and theatrical productions. Plus, we host large public gatherings during celestial events, such as eclipses, conjunctions, etc. and NASA-related launches/landings.

We serve CU faculty and students, local schools and teachers, our community, and out of town visitors.

WHERE are we?

Fiske Planetarium is located on the beautiful campus of the University of Colorado, in Boulder, Colorado.

WHY?

Our mission is to create innovative, immersive, and inclusive experiences to engage and inspire communities by connecting science, technology, and the arts.

HOW?

Our 65-foot diameter dome is the largest planetarium between Chicago and Los Angeles and seats 200 guests. Our 8K Sky-Skan projection system, cutting-edge content, dazzling visuals, and fantastic sound system are unparalleled. Plus, we have a MegaStar projector which shows 10 million stars and the Milky Way, creating one of the most beautiful indoor skies ever.

Fiske Staff

Fiske's dedicated staff of astronomers, educators, and animators deliver world-class educational experiences for CU students, their instructors, visiting students and teachers, and kids of all ages in our local community. Meet our planetarium staff.

FUNKY, FABULOUS, FUN FISKE FACTS

More than most planetariums in the world! But, who's counting?

In our regular rotation we have...18+ fulldome shows, 5 star shows, and at least a dozen liquid sky and laser fantasy music shows, tons of talks, special NASA events, eclipse events + more.

Most planetariums offer 4-5 shows on average.

Photo of Fiske with artistic liquid sky image in place of sky

10 million! Can you count them?

Star trails in the dome with rainbow lights behind

Yes, of course!

But, what happens at Fiske, stays at Fiske. However, we're just sayin'....

Life on the International Space Station presentation at Fiske on April 10, 2023. NASA Astronauts Dr. Watkins and Dr. Lindgren presenting the University of Colorado Boulder their mission montage and Crew 4 patch that flew during their mission on Dragon.

Crew 4: Life on the International Space Station presentation at Fiske on April 10, 2023. NASA Astronauts Dr. Watkins and Dr. Lindgren presenting the University of Colorado Boulder their mission montage and Crew 4 patch that flew during their mission on Dragon. From left to right, Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences and former NASA Astronaut Rick Hieb, Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences and former NASA Astronaut Jim Voss, Emergency and Aerospace Specialist and NASA astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindgren, and Planetary Geologist and NASA astronaut Dr. Jessica Watkins.

Famous Fiske Visitors - 1st photo Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson with Tito Salas in theater, 2nd photo Author Dava Sobel with Tito Salas during book signing, and 3rd photo Apollo 9 Astronaut Rusty Schweickart with Dr. Doug Duncan and Tito Salas at Fiske

We've been sharing the skies and some pretty epic music shows since 1975!

Black and white photo of the dome being built with buildings and mountains underneath the dome above the wall

Yes, we are! In fact, after going digital in 2013, we were the 1st 8K system in the Western Hemisphere.

Technically, we project 58 million pixels, but some are lost due to overlap. So, it's closer to 38,350,577 pixels.

Photo of the interior of Fiske dome when it was being reconstructed

Well, zzzzzzs! Oops, sorry!

Ah, yes, they're really comfortable. In fact, there are 3 different angles of the backrests, all designed for maximum viewing pleasure.

Photo of new Fiske Chairs from 2018

Yes AND we'll entertain you!

We're proud to offer live talks by expert presenters during all of our fulldome films and star talks. Plus, our highly trained, ace navigators fly in real time.

We're not just plug n' play. So, bring your questions!

Yes, we do!
We’re a leader in the planetarium community and have produced 20 films, both full length and shorts, which we distribute to other planetariums around the world for FREE.

750+ planetariums in 70 countries and 48 states, plus the Virgin Islands, have downloaded our films.

Check out our productions!

Still image Forward to the Moon film logo against starry sky and the dragon capusle in orbit with earth to the right

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