University of Minnesota Duluth’s Marshal W. Alworth Planetarium launched their portable planetarium program in 2015. Their GeoDome Theater system incorporates the 6.5m OpenDome Theater and an OmniFocus 200 series projection system for community science outreach.
University of Minnesota Duluth is part of the Minnesota Regional Planetarium Network, science educators who collaborate to share costs and program development in a mix of fixed and portable GeoDome systems. All the systems are driven by our WorldViewer CMS and run on Elumenati IGs (image generating computers). With WorldViewer’s Open Playground Astronomy extension, network members drive OpenSpace, WorldWide Telescope, and Stellarium, all through a single user interface. Some sites have upgraded their OpenPlayground to also feature NASA’s Eyes platforms. Additionally, some sites continue to incorporate live shows using Uniview, but are increasingly using OpenSpace for Digital Universe exploration as they phase out Uniview following SCISS’s dissolution. With WorldViewer’s WorldComposer content authoring platform, educators create stories for their domes with content from NOAA and NASA, 360° video and much more.
Along with founding partner Minnesota Planetarium Society (now at the Bell Museum), these sites include:
- GeoDome Evolvers at Mankato East High School, Como Elementary, University of Wisconsin – River Falls, Minnesota State University – Moorhead, University of Minnesota – Duluth, University of North Dakota – Grand Forks, and Mayo High School
- GeoDome Theaters at the Bell Museum (Exploradome), University of North Dakota – Grand Forks and the Journey Museum
- GeoDome Portal at Jackson Middle School Observatory
- GeoDome Panorama at The Bell Museum
Media link — Field Trip to a Sacred Realm: Astronomy Program Takes Native Kids on a Cosmic Ride