Our Crowdfunding Groups
The Brown Planetarium has been a free resource to our students, to school groups, and to members of our extended community for many years. Thanks to support from people like you, the Brown Planetarium has inspired countless people to explore space. To continue our efforts and broaden our reach, we need your help to bring the night sky to our communities virtually.
Connecting with our communities...
Although offering virtual programming is new to our students and staff, connecting with our communities is not. Our Constellation Crew program on Facebook Live consists of undergraduate and graduate students from Ball State’s Department of Physics & Astronomy. The students present live and help viewers find and explore constellations in their night sky. One of those students, Melanie Isenbarger (‘21), says the best part of the series is the connection. For her, “it provides a fun environment for learning and conversation, especially in a time like this.” She adds, “many people are feeling isolated, including myself, so it’s important to connect with one another. These events allow people to ask questions, judgement free, and explore a topic in a new way.”
Community feedback...
Giving Ball State students a way to connect with our community is great for our viewers as well. Anna Sky from Facebook says...
“My daughter is 8 and watches the Constellation Crew every chance she gets!”
And one Ball State student who watched an episode of Constellation Crew said...
“I was shocked at how much I learned. Honestly, I only initially logged on [for] extra credit, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed watching. I learned so much in such a short period of time. ...I can’t wait to learn all about Sagittarius next week.”
Your contribution...
With your help, we can expand our virtual programs and broaden our reach. To have a larger impact, we aim to broadcast to YouTube and other platforms, upgrade our visuals, and provide financial support to our Ball State students. Your gift will...
We hope that you join us and support our mission to help people explore our universe for many years to come!
Every bit counts! Meteorites are space rocks that make it to Earth's surface. They may be small, but they can have a big impact! Help impact our students by giving $5.
Asteroids are thousands of miles away from each other but there are millions of them so they're never alone. Although there is distance between us at this time, you can help make us feel closer by giving $10.
Our Moon causes the tides, stabilizes the Earth's wobble, and has guided our communities for thousands of years. Help keep our programs stable by giving $25!
We have just 8 planets in our Solar System, but we have found THOUSANDS of them throughout our galaxy. It would mean the world to us if you gave $50!
Our Solar System has planets, moons, asteroids, and more! And of course there's the Sun at the center of it all. Be the center of our attention by giving $100!
Our home galaxy, the Milky Way, has over 200 billion stars in it! Be a star by giving $150.
Our Universe is made up of billions of galaxies and other forms of matter. You matter to us! Support our programs by giving $200 at the Universe Level!
Thought we couldn't go any larger than the Universe? Some scientists think there may be multiple Universes! Give $250 to explore these cool space ideas with Ball State students and staff!
