Dome to Home

Dome to Home - Spring 2021 Episodes

Join us every Wednesday at 3pm (MST/MDT) for LIVE episodes beginning on February 3 through April 28 on our YouTube channel.

Our Dome to Home series is FREE and OPEN to ALL audiences, but is specifically geared toward 4th - 8th grade students. Topics and additional suggested activities are guided by NGSS science and engineering standards. We recommend that this series is assigned as asynchronous homework or as an optional enrichment to keep kids engaged while parents are occupied. Each episode is approximately 20 minutes + live Q&A.

Submit your astronomy questions or in the chat box during each live stream.

Want a Dome to Home show customized for your group about any astronomy topic? Learn more about our virtual planetarium shows.

We recognize some school districts restrict the access of YouTube on student devices. If you would like us to email you a recorded version of our livestream each week, contact our Education Team.

Our Planet From Space

In 1968, Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders took one of the most influential photos of Earth ever taken. The picture of Earth rising over the moon's surface helped us realize how small and precious our home is among the vastness of space. Since then, we've sent many satellites to learn much more about our planet and how it is rapidly changing on a global scale. In this 4-part Dome to Home series, we'll explore what we've learned about our home planet from space and how this knowledge has helped support people on Earth.

Photo of the ISS in orbit with Earth below

The Most Studied Planet

Did you know that the most studied planet in our solar system is Earth? There are more than 150 satellites currently orbiting the Earth, studying our planet in detail. Why do we have so many satellites, and what do they do to improve our lives?

NGSS Standards

PS4.C: Information Technologies and Instrumentation

Activity Links

Views of Earth Features from Space (Ages 8 - 10)
What Can Satellites Tell Us about Earth? (Ages 8 - 10)
Mapping Our World interactive (Ages 10 - 13)

Photo of the Earth rising from Apollo 8 orbiting the Moon

Top Discoveries

From the vantage point of space, we have made some profound discoveries about the Earth. Join us to learn about some of the most important things we've learned looking back at our planet from afar.

NGSS Standards

ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems

Activity Links

Finding Impact Craters with LandSat (Ages 10 - 13)
NASA Home & City interactive (Ages 10 - 13)

Aerial photo of a field and deforestation in Brazil

How We are Changing Our Home

Satellites have helped us understand how humans are changing the Earth - from the air we breathe to the water we drink. Many of these changes are leading us down a one-way road to more extreme weather, droughts, and a warmer Earth. How have we seen our planet change from afar, and what can we do to help restore our Earth?

NGSS Standards

ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems

Activity Links

Ocean Acidification in a Cup (Ages 11+)
Google Earth Timelapse (Ages 10+)
GLOBE Observer Citizen Science (Ages 11+)
NASA Climate Kids resources

Photo from the ISS looking down on the aurora on earth

Future Missions

Our knowledge and technology are continually growing. What new doors are now open for future missions, and how will they help us preserve our planet?

NGSS Standards

PS4.C: Information Technologies and Instrumentation

Activity Links

Satellite Insight game (Ages 10 - 13)
NASA Climate Kids resources

Photo of the surface of Mars with a valley

SPECIAL Episode: Oceans, Air, & Magnets

WATCH the RECORDING from April 19th

There's evidence that Venus, Earth, and Mars all had oceans of water in their past. Why is Earth the only rocky planet that still has oceans today? Scientists think that part of the reason might have to do with the way some planets are like giant magnets. Our special guest, Dr. Dave Brain shared more about how water, air, and magnetic planets might help us answer this question.

For EDUCATORS
NGSS Standards SS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth's Surface Processes (extension) PS2.B: Types of Interactions	Activity Links Boyle-ing Water (Ages 11+) Exploring Earth as a Magnet (Ages 8 - 13)

For EDUCATORS

NGSS Standards

Activity Links

Boyle-ing Water (Ages 11+)
Exploring Earth as a Magnet (Ages 8 - 13)

David Brain with his dog while hiking

Water in Our Solar System

Water is a precious resource here on Earth. Surprisingly, it's also found on most other planets in our solar system. Water is crucial for life to exist here on Earth, so our quest to understand water in our solar system is important for our quest to search for life outside of our own planet. Join us in this 5-part Dome to Home series to explore where we find water in our solar system and what we've learned from our search so far.

Artist illustration of Earth and Europa with a marble of water

Water, Water Everywhere

Did you know that there's more water on Jupiter's moon Europa than there is on the entire Earth? We tend to think of the Earth as the only world with water, but water is actually much more common than we originally thought. From Mercury to Pluto, join us to learn about the wide variety of places in our solar system that harbor water.

NGSS Standards

PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter

Activity Links

Water in Extreme Environments (Ages 11 - 13)
Ice Balloons (Ages 5+)

Photo of Comet Neowise in sky above a mountain

Where Did It All Come From?

If water is so common in our solar system, where did it come from in the first place? And how do we have so much liquid water on Earth? Join us to learn more about the origins of water in space and on our planet.

NGSS Standards

Activity Links

Create a Comet with Dry Ice (Ages 7 - 12)
Earth's Water: A Drop in Your Cup (Ages 8 - 10)

Artist illustration of the MAVEN spacecraft orbiting Mars

On a Mission In Search of Water

How do we even know that there's water on other planets, comets, and moons? Thanks to many spacecraft, rovers, and even an airplane telescope here on Earth, scientists have been able to take many measurements to learn about the water in our solar system. What have we found in the past, and what does the future hold?

NGSS Standards

Activity Links

Remote Sensing (Ages 11 - 13)
Enceladus, I Barely Knew You (Ages 13+)

Photo of a mountain and a geyser in Yellowstone

Why Do We Care?

What's the big deal - why does it matter if we find water in other places in the solar system? Join us to learn about the importance of water for technologies like rocket fuel and for our search for life elsewhere in the universe.

NGSS Standards

Activity Links

Having a Gas with Water (Ages 11+)
How Did They Form? Building Blocks of Life (Ages 11 - 13)
Looking for Life (Ages 9 - 13)

SPECIAL EPISODE: Oceans, Air, and Magnets

There's evidence that Venus, Earth, and Mars all had oceans of water in their past. Why is Earth the only rocky planet that still has oceans today? Scientists think that part of the reason might have to do with the way some planets are like giant magnets. Join our special guest Dr. Dave Brain to learn more about how water, air, and magnetic planets might help us answer this question.

NGSS Standards

Activity Links

Boyle-ing Water (Ages 11+)
Exploring Earth as a Magnet (Ages 8 - 13)

Exploring Exoplanets

Did you know that we've discovered thousands of other planets outside of our solar system, just in the last few decades? From giant planets bigger than Jupiter to Earth-like planets that may have the potential to harbor life, we'll explore the worlds around distant stars. Join us for the 4-part Dome to Home series Exploring Exoplanets to learn more about where we've searched the sky, the wide variety of planets we've found, how we search for them, and what we can expect to learn from them as more research continues.

Photo of a radio dish against a pink sunset sky

The Initial Discovery

For centuries, scientists and science fiction writers dreamed of distant worlds around far-away stars. Astronomers observed our own planets wandering through the night sky and imagined what other planets could be out there. Could any of them support life? How can we search for them? Since the 1990s, this dream has become a reality, with over 4,300 exoplanets confirmed. Join us to learn about this journey!

NGSS Standards

ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars

Activity Links

Where are the Distant Worlds? (Ages 10+)
Planet Hunters TESS (Ages 12+)

Artist illustration of an exoplanet seen from a moon binary star system in view too

Water Worlds and Diamond Planets

Among the thousands of exoplanets that have been discovered, we've found quite a variety of different types! Some are enormous, hot planets circling extremely close to their host stars. Others fall within the "habitable zone" where liquid water could exist and might be Earth-like. There have even been planets that are thought to be made of diamond! Learn about the wide variety of exoplanets that are out there.

NGSS Standards

PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter

Activity Links

Paper Mache Planets (Ages 4+)

Artist impression of an exoplanet transiting its star

How Do We Find Them?

The vast majority of exoplanets we've discovered have not actually been seen directly. If planets around other distant stars are so hard to take pictures of, then how do we know that they're there?

NGSS Standards

Activity Links

Exploring Exoplanets with Kepler (Ages 11+)
Exoplanet finder game (Ages 11+)
Light Curve building activity (Ages 13+)

Artist illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope

What the Future Holds

Exoplanet research is just beginning, and there's so much more we can expect to learn about in the coming years. With the expected launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, what can we hope to learn next? How will our search for life in the universe continue?

NGSS Standards

Activity Links

Exploring the Universe: Imaginging Life (Ages 4+)
Using Light to Study Planets (Ages 11 - 16)

Additional Dome to Home Episodes

Dome to Home with live presenter and navigator photos

K-12 Fall 2020 Episodes

Humanity has been fascinated by Mars for centuries, and the allure only continues as we explore for water, signs of ancient life, and the possibility of one day living on the Red Planet. It's only with the help of spacecraft and rovers that we can unlock some of the mysteries. Watch the 12-part Dome to Home series Perseverance to Mars playlist that follows the journey of this new mission and how we've come to learn what we know about Mars up to this point. Watch the promo!

We recognize some school districts restrict the access of YouTube on student devices. If you would like us to email you a recorded version of the livestream contact our Education Team.

Photo of a mountain range at night with a meteor shower

Summer 2020 Episodes

Our Dome to Home summer series was geared towards general audiences and families, specifically featuring tips for Taking Pictures of Your Night Sky, Understanding the Next Meteor Shower, and learning more about Rainbows in the Universe. Check out the recorded episodes on our YouTube Dome to Home Summer series playlist. Watch the promo!

Spring 2020 Episodes

The Dome to Home Public spring series was intended for general audiences and featured some great topics --- 30 Years of the Hubble Space Telescope, Black Holes, Galaxies and the Universe, and so much more! Check out the recorded episodes on our YouTube Dome to Home Public Spring series playlist. Watch the promo!

K-12 Spring 2020 Episodes

Check out our archive of K-12 Dome to Home planetarium shows for elementary and secondary students. Each show provided lessons to compliment your schools science objectives. Patterns in the Solar System, The Sun and the Stars, and Exploring the Climates of Venus, Earth, and Mars were a few of topics our educators covered. Find accompanying activities by visiting the Virtual Teaching for K-12 Educators resources. Check out the YouTube K-12 Dome to Home spring playlist. Watch the promo!

We recognize some school districts restrict the access of YouTube on student devices. If you would like us to email you a recorded version of the livestream contact our Education Team.

Main menu

Dome to Home

Play Video

Dome to Home - Spring 2021 Episodes

Our Planet From Space

The Most Studied Planet

Top Discoveries

How We are Changing Our Home

Future Missions

SPECIAL Episode: Oceans, Air, & Magnets

Water in Our Solar System

Water, Water Everywhere

Where Did It All Come From?

On a Mission In Search of Water

Why Do We Care?

SPECIAL EPISODE: Oceans, Air, and Magnets

Exploring Exoplanets

The Initial Discovery

Water Worlds and Diamond Planets

How Do We Find Them?

What the Future Holds

Additional Dome to Home Episodes

K-12 Fall 2020 Episodes

Summer 2020 Episodes

Spring 2020 Episodes

K-12 Spring 2020 Episodes