The Melbourne Planetarium

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Yesterday my five year old announced that she knew all about the solar system and had a cardboard strip of planets to prove it. She also mentioned very matter of fact that Pluto is actually a star not a planet. What?? Did I miss a memo? An email? A twitter? A status update?

Well thankfully her sudden interest and expertise in space, stars and beyond just so happened to coincide with three brand new shows opening up at the Melbourne Planetarium for the school holidays... so off we went! Perhaps I could sort this Pluto mystery out as well.


[ADVERT] is located within Scienceworks on Booker Street in Spotswood. It's a fantastic place for all ages and you can quite easily spend a day learning all things science with hands on, interactive exhibits bound to interest everyone. Even adults will be tempted to race Cathy Freeman or lie on a bed on nails... did I mention a guillotine?

But this time we were bypassing our usual favs like MegaWatt and House Secrets and heading straight to "The Solar System Odyssey" where an animated adventure awaited us. Apart from this particular new show, you can enjoy "Tickets to the Universe" if your kids are over 8 or a guided tour of the universe or "To Space and Back", suitable for 10 plus, which highlights how our world is shaped by space travel. And for the very small, "Tycho to the Moon" will have them blasting off in a fully geared out dog kennel rocket!


All shows are age appropriate and really target the imagination, prior knowledge and attention span of its specified audience, so I suggest you use age recommendations when choosing your space trip. Check out the website for session times and to book tickets online .

The Planetarium itself is very impressive, even with the lights on. There are reclining chairs that tilt you back so your gaze in set on the bright pink 16 metre dome above you. The chairs automatically fold back and forth and are a great hit with the kids - slightly squeaky though. Recently the stereo sound system was upgraded to incorporate the Sky-Skans Digital Sky projection system, which means you get spectacular colour and movement and an image that seamlessly covers the dome ceiling.


However, it's when the lights go off that the true brilliance of the Planetarium comes alive. For the next 30 minutes we were transported by space ship to the depths of the Universe and on a mission to find a new Earth to replace our damaged one. It was quite an exciting adventure and the animation mixed with the high tech sounds and movement really trick the senses into believing you're actually dodging space junk and spewing hot volcano ash.


I was particularly humbled by the underpinning environmental message in this story which encourages all to be respectful and caring inhabitants of our planet. What a visually captivating way to drive the message home to younger children.

Upon completion of the show, the sky movie turns into a current view of Melbourne's night sky, firstly with the lights on, and then even more dazzling with the "light pollution" turned off and just a blanket of stars enveloping you.

In the following 15 minutes a guide takes you through the night sky, picking out constellations and planets and telling tales from the Boorong People from North-West Victoria and how their beliefs narrate the Cosmos; for example, they say the Milky Way was created when a God split milk through the stars. I especially enjoyed watching my daughter reach up into the darkness and try to pinch a star or two to stowaway in her pocket.

Amazing, however still no mention of Pluto... My mission continues.

Finally the sun rises and a beautiful clear Melbourne morning wakens for you. As your eyes adjust you head out into the Discovery Centre where all that you have just seen and heard can be consolidated through displays, posters and a flying spaceman too.


To my delight, amongst a stack of take home fact sheets lay one titled "The Problem with Pluto." At last the answers I have craved. You'll have to get your own however, it would only ruin your mission if I told you.

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