Hayden Planetarium, New York
Posted On February 2, 2011
Regarded as the only one of its kind facility on the planet, the Hayden Planetarium resides in the famous American Museum of Natural History’s Rose Center for Earth and Space. Presently run by the astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, this famous highlight in the Central Park of the New York City acts as a window for peeing into the enthralling world of astrophysics. Herein, you explore some great public exhibits as well as programs.
The upper half of the Hayden Sphere is the home of the Star Theater that uses the advanced technology of high-resolution video to cast the ‘space shows’ of unparalleled realism and superiority. This also includes a customized Zeiss Star Projector system, the only one of its kind, which replicates an exact night sky that we see daily from our homes. With such technology in use, the Hayden Planetarium is the most robust virtual reality simulator on our planet. On the other hand, the Sphere’s lower half houses the rocking Big Bang Theater that portrays all about the universe birth via a program of just four minutes. In short, the space shows here are acclaimed to be the biggest focus of the planetarium journey. Until the time you are below this 67 foot dome, you will feel as if you are into the real cosmos.
As you leave the theater of the Hayden Planetarium, you will come across the Size Scales of the Universe exhibit that displays an extensive series of sizes in the universe. So, guess what? The walkway via which you are exiting is a Universe timeline stretching from the Big Bang until the present. Leading one to the Big Bang Theater, this exhibit leaves one at the Cosmic Pathway that reflects all about the 13 billion years of the evolution of the universe. At the base of the Pathway, kindly halt at the Hall of Planet Earth where you get a unique opportunity to discover the different elements of weather, geology, plate tectonics, and so on. And yes, descend down to the Hall of the Universe where the spectrum of galaxies, stars, and planets are ready to welcome you.
The planetarium provides a myriad of courses as well as public presentations. The public programs are also conducted on the first and last Tuesday of each month. During these presentations, you can spend some 60 minutes in learning and knowing the solar system along with the ways of finding a constellation if you are really eager to explore the cosmos in detail. Conducted on the first Tuesday of month, the program called the Virtual Universe sends the visitors to space through the digital technology creating realism. On the last Tuesday, there is a live presentation under the stars, which is known as the Celestial Highlights that uses the Zeiss Mark IX Star Projector for indicating the positioning of the star groups, moon, as well as planets.
Entry Fee
It is the same as the fee for the museum: Adults: $16 and Children (2-12): $9
To know about the evening programs and lectures, look on your ticket. You might go through the Security entrance below the main stairs. To know about the location of your program, approach a staff member.
Timings
Main Entrance from the 79th Street: 10 am to 5:45 pm daily
Subway Entrance: Daily 10 am to 5:45 pm
Rose Center Entrance from 81st Street: Daily 10 am to 5:45 pm
Location
The museum is at 79th Street that is in the Central Park. The main entrance to the Rose Center for Earth and Space is at 81st Street between the Columbus Avenue and Central Park West.
