70 Falmouth Street Portland, Maine 04103
43.6667° N 70.2667° W
Altitude: 10 feet below sea level
Founded January 1970
"Made from the best stuff off Earth!"
Ask any prospector who's plunged his pickaxe into an interred pipeline, you would be surprised what you can find underground! The Southworth Planetarium consists of a subterranean star dome where you and your group can explore myriad regions in space time:
Just a few of our show offerings:
"Hubble Vision 2" offers a whirlwind tour of the Universe from the solar system to the Ultra Deep Field! A perfect opportunity to admire the beauty and power of our prodigiously creative Universe!
-"Into the Deep" plunges audiences into the wondrous worlds beneath the waves. (The Southworth Planetarium is less than half a mile from the Atlantic, so this is exactly the place where you won't want to hide after receiving a Tsunami warning. i.e. We'll be in Davy Jones locker faster than you can say "what's that rushing noise?")
-"Incoming!" If the prospect of a subsuming sea doesn't scintillate your senses, try "Incoming!" a show not only about asteroid and comet impacts, but also about solar system dynamics. This program includes a time lapse sequence of solar system formation that shows how many bodies have been expelled into interstellar space over time. Hey, and this one is narrated by George Takei, Sulu himself!
-"Time Space!" is, well, a show that takes us through space time: the Big Bang, of course, and some pivotal points in human history (12th century Mayan temple; moon landing and even to a possible distant future.)
Add to these offerings, shows about dinosaurs, a Chaos and Order, the GAIA mission, Earthquakes, the history of astronomy, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera and you'll have a delectable stellar smorgasbord of cosmic confections that will make you wish that you never saw another lame metaphor for the rest of your natural life.
Each trip includes a night sky tour conducted in our simulated star dome theatre and, if you want it, a question/answer period.
You can schedule your field trip by calling 207-780-4249 or by e-mailing [log in to unmask]
We offer reasonable rates, comfortable chairs, engaging personalities (well...), a lot of science education and, although we'll be moving through the galaxy at 143 miles per second, when you're in our dome, you'll feel as though you're merely floating in outer space.
Augment your curriculum with the Southworth Planetarium.
We'll leave the night on for you.