Birth of Planet Earth / Live Sky Tour

In the fiery beginnings of our young solar system, worlds are born and obliterated. Gas giants stir chaos, while a young sun vents its rage. How did Earth survive against all odds? This eye-opening fulldome documentary tracks the perilous path our planet took in its early years through advanced, data-driven, cinema-quality CGI, exploring some of the greatest questions in science today: How did Earth become a living planet? What does its history tell us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like?

After the show, a live show presenter takes you on a tour of the current night sky, including tips for locating the planets, how to find constellations, and ancient myths about the stars.

Open Captioning Available

Show Times

Through May 1^st:

Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.

Venue

The Faulkner Planetarium, Idaho's largest domed theater, features the latest in fulldome technology, capable of virtually transporting audiences around the world and to the universe's far-flung reaches. The theater can seat 144. Open captioning for the hearing impaired is available upon request for many programs.

What's Showing Now Directions

readers choice award for best planetarium 2025 herrett center #10

Available for K-12 and Group Reservations

The Solar System's formation from a huge cloud of gas and dust is tough for students to visualize. This show does an incredible job of explaining and depicting how the Earth was born. See the solar nebula collapse, countless dust particles clump into larger bodies, and asteroids coalescing into protoplanets. Observe the Earth-Theia collision that formed the Moon. Four and a half billion years roll by as today's solar system comes into being and students gain an understanding of how our Earth formed.

A live sky tour follows the program, featuring constellations, planets, the moon and other items of interest currently visible in the sky, with tips for finding your way around in the heavens on the next clear night, and stories about the stars.

An educator's guide with classroom activities is available for this program upon request.

Book This Show

You can schedule a private showing for school field trips or private events!

Private Event School Field Trip

Educational Concepts

Supernovae synthesis of heavy elements
Star forming nebulae
Planetesimal formation
Protoplanetary disc environment
Planetary formation
Celestial impacts
General characteristics of early Earth
Earth-Theia collision
Formation of the Moon
Moon's stabilizing effects on Earth
Asteroid bombardment period
Evolution to a watery world
Atmospheric development
Rise of life
Life's chemistry (photosynthesis)

Suggested Grades

4th through 12th+