Liberty Science Center is known for the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium— an 89-foot, 88-million pixel dome that earns the title of the largest in the Western Hemisphere. This incredible space provides the perfect venue for immersive educational programming, from daily live planetarium shows with our LSC Educators, to special Space Talk presentations by esteemed astronomers, professors, and authors. Thanks to a grant from NASA, Liberty Science Center can now take this programming on the road.

LSC recently received a STEM Innovator Award from NASA, supporting afterschool astronomy programs. This NASA grant allows LSC to provide students in grades 4-8 with resources and training to create their very own planetarium show.

In partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County and Jersey City Public Schools (PS 15 and PS41), LSC is now hosting the afterschool portable planetarium series. This new program introduces students to technology skills and STEM careers, as well as NASA’s mission and projects, like the James Webb Space Telescope and Artemis II mission.

This portable planetarium brings the galaxy right into the classroom for students to experience. “What I like about the dome is that you can travel to different planets and see the galaxy,” said Demmy Gonzalez, 10, after completing a lesson on the constellation depicting Maui’s Fishook.

The afterschool astronomy program expects to serve 100+ Jersey City students with three cohorts between February 2026 and March 2027.

“This program has allowed us to reach out to students and provide an amazing experience! I love seeing the wonder on the kids' faces when they see our programs in the new portable dome, which they've nicknamed 'The Bubble'.” Says Elizabeth Dry, Planetarium Educator at Liberty Science Center. “It's so great to see how excited they are every time, and I love being able to provide fun and different educational experiences about space science!”

Through the use of OpenSpace, an open source data visualization software, students design their own shows in the portable planetarium. As home to the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, LSC’s planetarium educators will share their extensive experience in creating and delivering live shows, helping students develop public speaking and technology skills.

Several students will also have the opportunity to showcase their planetarium show in The Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium during LSC’s next Community Evening!

LSC is honored to be a recipient of NASA’s inaugural Innovator Award, which supports programs that expand STEM learning beyond the classroom and inspire future innovators. NASA selected 19 institutions nationwide to receive nearly $4.5 million in grants to help deliver NASA STEM experiences to broad regional audiences.