A Galactic Dive Into the Wonders at Fiske Planetarium

Have you ever imagined what it feels like to be one with the cosmic universe? Imagine a place where you can indulge your senses into a celestial realm far from the compressed reality to which our minds can become so accustomed. 

Whether you are looking for a new adventure, new astro knowledge, a spontaneous date idea, or you’re searching for interactive ways to educate students on our universe, Fiske Planetarium invites you to dive into their immersive planetarium, located on the beautiful mountain-surrounded campus of University of Colorado, Boulder (CU Boulder).

Fiske Planetarium opened in 1975 with a generous donation from Wallace Franz Fiske, CU Boulder class of 1917. Since then, the planetarium has maintained its commitment to outer space exploration while also embracing new advancements such as digital upgrades, hosting events, and community-based activities that are inclusive for all. 

This year, Fiske is celebrating 49 years of engaging success by serving communities that value innovative, immersive, and inclusive experiences. If you have a strong interest in anything related to the cosmos, astronomy, music, art, and film, you can gravitate towards all of them at Fiske. 

On Thursdays through Sundays, there are a variety of captivating shows to watch, including laser shows for music from artists like Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Pink Floyd. In the dome, the boundaries between imagination and reality blur and the immensity of the universe feels within reach as the projection of bright stars lights up your eyes, all possible thanks to the talented team of staff and 30-plus undergrad student employees. 

When you walk into the Fiske building, you step into the presence of pure creativity, astronomy consciousness, and astonishing artifacts. After receiving a warm and welcoming invitation from the Fiske staff, who are always eager and excited to see new faces, you can find abundant knowledge, unique art installations, a science projector on display, and spacesuits that have been donated by NASA, making CU Boulder the only public university that receives funding from NASA. So far 20 astronauts have graduated from the university.

I had the pleasure of speaking with two impactful and friendly women who work at Fiske, Carla Johnson (she/her), Membership, Marketing & Digital Strategy Manager of eight years and Sarita Narayanswamy, Social Media Specialist and Graphic Designer (she/her) of three years, who also curates the music shows. They both shared their admirable experience working there, emphasizing how intentional it is to share with the community, as well as their profound perception of astronomy and what connecting with the universe means to them.

“What drew me to astronomy is that it’s so humbling and grounding. You can be having a crap day, and when you realize everything it took to be here on this planet, to be alive, to have a conscious brain and to look out at the stars and see what millennia of people have seen… ” Carla says. “We’re still seeing the same stars and developing new stories and ideas about what the sky is telling us. It is very humbling and reassuring, and I feel very grounded as a human when I am thinking and sharing about astronomy.”

What would you say makes Fiske so interesting and unique compared to other planetariums?

I think there’s something here for everybody. Whether or not you’re a hardcore star person, we are going to amaze you. If you want to come and see a visualization of a black hole, we can show you that. If you’re interested in science, we can show you that. If you want to come here on a Friday night and chill out and watch lasers and listen to music, we have that space too. We offer so much. It’s a variety everyone can be a part of!

Would you say Fiske inspires you, and if it does, how so?

Johnson: I love being community help for the Denver and Boulder area to share science and music. I think there’s something here for everybody.

Narayanswamy: I’ve worked here since college and just graduated CU (college of) the arts. I studied music, and being here was such a nice way to diversify my interests and focus. All the intersectionality between science and the arts is very inspiring. The shows we have are geared towards audiences of any age. Our new show coming in fall that’s called One Sky is such a great representation of astronomy in different cultures. It really spoke to me because it’s so inclusive. Getting to know their stories is so inspiring and educational in such an engaging way.

When is the best time to come visit, and what can visitors expect?

Johnson: We have public shows on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights and matinees on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, star talks, live talks, laser liquid sky music shows, concerts, and theatrical productions.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being part of such a creative and immersive environment?

Johnson: Providing a space and programming for anyone with an open, curious mind. People can come to Fiske and have fun while learning something new and unexpected.

What are visitors’ reactions or thoughts after their first visit here?

Johnson: When these families come in, the first thing you hear are the little ones screaming,”Wow!” And hearing those voices echo down the hallway is what we are doing this for. That little one is going to remember that moment. Even with adults, you always see the sparkle in their eyes.

How does Fiske impact students and the community? 

Johnson: This space helps you keep an open mind. Whenever I was having a hard day at school, being here at Fiske helped me calm my mind and also because I feel so unified with everyone. It’s definitely very community-oriented and welcoming.

Narayanswamy: We are a classroom, field-trip destination, fun date-night experience, space for families to relax, and out-of-town visitors to explore. The programs we produce offer enriching experiences that are informative, engaging, and entertaining. 

When did your interest in astronomy begin?

Johnson: When I was little, I was super interested in planets, but girls are not that encouraged to study science, math, and technology in the education system at that time. So, I ended up in a career in human resources. 

Later in my mid-20s, I looked through a telescope at the Denver Science Museum, and I just lost my mind. That changed my entire career. Ever since then, I’ve been very passionate about using all of my human resources, campaigns, and communication skills to communicate science and astronomy.

What are some accomplishments the Fiske team would like to share with its community?

Johnson: Recovering from the pandemic was challenging but we have had over 50,000 people visit. When schools can’t come here, we are able to go to them. We have an inflatable planetarium that we take to schools. We have even gone up to the western slope in Colorado just to make sure the kids have access to science.

What goes on behind the scenes to produce the shows and short films?

Johnson: It is a very detailed process, but one we enjoy because we get to share our films across the world for free. It involves script development, conceptualization/explanation of difficult concepts, animation, and more, all interwoven by compelling storytelling.  We are proud to be able to leverage the prolific and talented academic community to create captivating, entertaining, and scientifically accurate shows. We believe that our collective institutional knowledge and scientific research should be shared with the global community for free. Over the last decade, we’ve produced 20 full-dome films. As of 2023, 750-plus planetariums in 70 countries and 48 states.

How does Fiske provide affirming support to everyone?

Johnson: We lift the voices of people from different backgrounds and partner with community organizations to represent stories, knowledge, and languages from different cultures.

What are recent updates at Fiske others would love to hear about?

Johnson: We have three new films coming this fall that we’re super excited to share: one is called “Destination on Mars,” the other is “One Sky,” stories from indigenous constellations, and one for little kids called “Hazelnut in Search for the Perfect Planet.” So we are really excited to bring new films.

Narayanswamy: We just put in a new laser system for the music shows and these are just next level. It’s like a club! We have a fog machine, a great sound system and now the new lasers. It’s a great vibe if you love music, definitely come check it out.

Photo courtesy of Fiske Planetarium