Science on a Sphere
at the Jhamandas Watumull Planetarium - Bishop
Museum
Imagine gazing upon Earth as you are suspended in orbit 22,000 miles above its surface.
You can watch a hurricane form, as a small
storm slowly gathers strength, traveling westward
from Africa, across the Atlantic Ocean, toward
the Gulf of Mexico. You can see the colorful infrared images of
cloud tops meet, join, grow, collapse and disperse.
The prevailing westerly winds and the easterly
trade winds materialize before your eyes.
You can watch dust blow across the surface of Mars.
You can observe our Sun erupting in violent solar storms sending streams of deadly particles
Science On A Sphere provides a dramatic visualization of complex information in an understandable form for the public; a unique instrument for teaching students science, math, and geography; and a handy scientific tool to translate numerical information into visual images.Science On A Sphere! A spectacular look at our world and at the universe.
Science On A Sphere is the brainchild of Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald, Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Forecast Systems Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. Four projectors cast rotating images onto a sphere, approximately six feet in diameter to create the effect of Earth in space.
Because the images originate from data collected by satellites, researchers refer to the projected images as “data sets”. The possible data sets that can be projected using Science On A Sphere seem limited only by imagination.
Global Warming
co-located with NOAA’s Science on a Sphere
at the Jhamandas Watumull Planetarium
A companion piece to our NOAA Science on a Sphere, this new interactive exhibit explores causes, effects, and possible solutions to global warming, one of the most important issues in science today. Compare your 
temperature to the planet’s temperature; discover the impact of global warming around the world, from receding glaciers in Alaska to “climate refugees” in Micronesia; Learn about steps we can all take to help slow global warming.
For Museums and Educators: Explorers Planetarium Programs Site