Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium

Planetarium On-Demand

The Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium is now offering on-demand virtual tours of the planetarium, and guided tours of the current night sky. Scroll down this web page and click on the play buttons to enjoy these fascinating virtual tours. Flat-screen versions of exciting full-dome planetarium shows are also offered here on a rotating basis for your viewing pleasure. If you are interested in viewing one of the full-dome shows below in your home, scroll down this web page to view the descriptions and trailers for the currently posted shows, and click on the "Request Virtual Show" button below to request a link to view it at your convenience.

See the stunning objects visible in the night sky via links to videos of Virtual Deep Sky Tours and Virtual Live Moon Tours from the 16-inch telescope of McDonald Observatory located in the very dark skies of West Texas. Scroll down the page and click on the links below to see these virtual telescope tours at your convenience.

TAMIU's Amazing Planetarium: A Virtual Tour

Enjoy an exciting behind-the-scenes virtual tour of TAMIU's Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium. Get a close-up look at the planetarium's state-of-the-art Digistar 5 projection system and the impressive digital technology utilized to project stunning 360-degree immersive video on its large dome, which is housed in an eye-catching glass pyramid with a gold pinnacle. Experience this fascinating video tour!

LAMAR BRUNI VERGARA PLANETARIUM IS OFFERING VIRTUAL SHOWS

We are offering two thrilling planetarium shows; Dynamic Earth, which explores our planet’s climate, atmosphere, and oceans; the Unseen Universe, which explores recently discovered splendors of the heavens, the new era of astronomy, and what is yet to come and the "Christmas Star" which looks at some of the astronomical explanations of what might have caused the Christmas Star. Below you will find a description of these award-winning shows and trailers. Please enjoy these shows compliments of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium at Texas A&M International University, and Evans & Sutherland, Inc. To request a free link to the streaming site for your virtual screenings, please click on the "Request Virtual Show" button below. These shows are part of a group of exciting full-dome shows that will be offered for your private viewing on this website on a rotating basis. Monitor this web page for details about more exciting planetarium shows as they become available.

Request Virtual Show

Dynamic Earth - Show Description

The award-winning show “Dynamic Earth” explores the inner workings of Earth's climate system. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere. Audiences will ride along on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a monster hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and gigantic whales, and fly into roiling volcanoes.

Dynamic Earth Trailer

Unseen Universe – Show Description

An exciting look into cutting-edge astronomy, Unseen Universe explores the universe far beyond our human senses. For millions of years our view of the heavens has been limited by our eyes, allowing us to only see a narrow band of electromagnetic radiation that we call visible light. For the first time ever, in the greatest breakthrough since the invention of the telescope, we now have the technology to capture the Universe over an amazing width of the spectrum and beyond. Made in association with ESO and the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Unseen Universe provides a stunning visual treat as we explore the latest splendors of the heavens, taking a look at the new era of astronomy and what is yet to come. To request a free link to the streaming site to view this show from your home, please click on the "Request Virtual Show" button above and select Unseen Universe.

Unseen Universe Trailer

Tour of the Summer Sky - Part 1

Take a guided tour of the constellations of the summer evening sky, discovering interesting objects that can be seen there. The summer has the richest milky way views especially in the south where you are looking towards the center of the galaxy. This includes Sagittarius the Archer and Scorpius the scorpion. You can view many interesting objects in the summer sky. There is a beautiful gas cloud which is a stellar nursery in which stars are being formed called the lagon nebula and the beautiful Hercules Star Cluster, Enjoy this tour of some of the celestial gems of the 2021 Summer sky at your convenience by clicking on the video below!

A TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE OCCURRED ON MAY 15, 2022

On the evening of May 15th there was a total lunar eclipse during which the Moon travels though the shadow of the Earth. This causes the Moon to appear to be an orange to red color. They called it a "Blood Moon" in ancient time, because the red color was associated with blood. The eclipse lasted an hour and a half in umbra (which is the deepest shadow), making it the longest total lunar eclipse visible for much of the U.S. since 1989. Lunar eclipses are fascinating to see in a telescope and with the unaided eye. This is what it looked like through a telescope.

VIRTUAL TOURS OF THE SKY FROM MCDONALD OBSERVATORY USING THEIR 16" TELESCOPE

Check out the following virtual telescopic tours of the sky brought to you from McDonald Observatory and the Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium. If you have never looked through a large telescope this is your chance to do it virtually. Enjoy!

DID YOU MISS THE TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE ON MAY 15th, 2022?

Join McDonald Observatory for a video of the live stream view of the total lunar eclipse and a discussion about the eclipse which occurred on May 15, 2022 at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX2JafMmO4M. Hosts Saul Rivera and Joe Wheelock show you the live views from a camera attached to a telescope at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center. They discuss the eclipse as it progressed, how eclipses occur, how to get the best pictures of eclipses and other objects in our night skies, and answer other astronomy-related questions from the live stream viewers.

VIEW THE MCDONALD OBSERVATORY LIVE DEEP SKY TOUR WHICH WAS

PRESENTED ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

Join them for Part 8 of the Live Deep Sky Tour including views of several deep-sky targets from the dark skies at McDonald Observatory.. During the tour, host Steven Hummel explores the constellation of Orion and a few of the many fascinating deep-sky objects within it, offering views from a camera attached to the research-grade RCOS 16" (0.4m) f/9 RC telescope at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center. The targets are Messier 42, or the "Orion Nebula"; SH2-2799, or the “Running Man Nebula”; Betelgeuse; Messier 78; NGC 2024, or the “Flame Nebula”; and Barnard 33, or the “Horsehead Nebula”, which are visible in the winter night sky. Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium is excited to offer this virtual Live Deep Sky Tour for your viewing pleasure.

View afterward at the following URL : https://https://youtu.be/Hs-lT5YvtmY

Please enjoy these shows that were shown live recently:

• View Live Deep Sky Tour - Part 4 at your convenience at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHjPX9JRfvM&feature=youtu.be
• View Live Deep Sky Tour - Part 5 at your convenience at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVbi7oiGekg
• View Live Deep Sky Tour - Part 6 at your convenience at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wifqDUH0jqs
• View Live Deep Sky Tour - Part 7 at your convenience at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM96M5Gpqt0
• View Live Deep Sky Tour - Galaxies Part 1 at your convenience at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v4Ff41_T-s
• View Live Deep Sky Tour - Galaxies Part 2 at your convenience at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWSiOHaw9wo

Enjoy this great opportunity to virtually observe some of the amazing objects in the night sky!

JOIN MCDONALD OBSERVATORY FOR A MOON TOUR

At your convenience, watch Part 2 of the McDonald Observatory Live Moon Tour and a discussion about Earth's companion, the Moon, which was held on Tuesday, May 26, at 9 p.m. Central Time. During the tour, host Kevin Mace offered views of the Moon and its many features which are visible through the 16" telescope at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center. Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium is excited to offer you this Live Moon Tour for your viewing pleasure. Questions were submitted during the live chat, and Kevin answered a few questions at the end of the program.

• At your convenience, watch the video at the following URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj0KHC7BFYs
• View Live Moon Tour - Part 1 at your convenience at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_q5fQ1mDnY

Enjoy this great opportunity to virtually observe the moon!

Watch as NASA’s Perseverance Rover lands on Mars on February 18, 2021

Watch as an epic journey unfolded when NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars on Thursday, February 18th. beginning at 1:15 p.m. Central time To reach the surface of the Red Planet, the rover must survive the harrowing seven-minute final phase known as Entry, Descent, and Landing. Only then did the rover – the biggest, heaviest, cleanest, and most sophisticated six-wheeled robot ever launched into space, land and go on to search Jezero Crater for signs of ancient life and collect samples that will eventually be returned to Earth. Watch highlights at the following link below