About

WHAT is Fiske?

Fiske is the largest planetarium in the Rocky Mountain region. The planetarium opened in 1975 with a generous donation from Wallace Franz Fiske (class of 1917) andÌýis withinÌýthe College of Arts & Sciences,Ìý.

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

WHERE is Fiske?

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

WHAT does Fiske do?

We're open to the public Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and 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.Ìýand NASA-related launches/landings.

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

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 200Ìýguests. Our 8K Sky-Skan projection system, cutting-edge content,Ìýdazzling 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.Ìý

WHO works at Fiske?

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 ourÌýlocal community.ÌýMeet our planetariumÌýstaff.

Fabulous, fun, funky Fiske facts

How many shows does Fiske offer?

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

In our regular rotation we have...22+ fulldome shows, 6 star shows, and at least a dozen laser/liquid sky music shows, tonsÌýof talks, special NASA events, eclipse events + more.

Most planetariums offer 4-5 shows on average.

Fiske entrance during summertime

10 million! Can you count them?

Megastar projector in theater with rainbow light beams and lots of stars

Yes, of course!

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

Crew 4 presentation

Crew 4: Life on the International Space Station presentation at Fiske on April 10, 2023. NASA Astronauts Dr. Watkins and Dr. Lindgren presenting the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ 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

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!

Construction photo of Fiske with dome being lowered in place

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'sÌýcloser to 38,350,577 pixels.Ìý

Construction photo of interior of dome in 2013
Ìý

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.

Halloween skeleton and green alien seated in theater

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

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

Fiske Manager with funny crystal glasses

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+Ìýplanetariums in 70 countries and 48Ìýstates, plus the Virgin Islands, have downloaded our films.

Check out our productions page.

Interior dome with collage of photos