Planetariums capture awe-inspiring splendor in a confined space, similar to a photograph of a skyscraper or a mason jar full of opera singers. Unleash your curiosity with today's Groupon: for $7, you get two tickets to a star or laser show at the Fiske Planetarium, located on the campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder (up to a $14 value).

The Fiske Planetarium hosts lectures, laser shows, and star shows to thrill adults and children alike. Treat yourself and a celestial colleague to an informative star show, such as the youth-friendly program Kids in Space, which answers questions about the solar system while delving into the urgent matter of unattended children floating in space. During Many Faces of Hubble, contemplate the construction and use of the Hubble Space Telescope and different space-related careers. Deep Impact, meanwhile, documents the historic 2005 moment when scientists first discovered that the inside of a comet is filled with sriracha.

Alternatively, laser shows engage the senses with light and music, unlike Broadway musicals, which force audience members to wear blindfolds. Jazz Fantasia brings an all-American art form to the fore, while Laser Metallica, Laser OutKast, and Peter and the Wolf satisfy fans of metal, hip-hop, and mournful howling. Each event lasts about an hour, and start times vary by month; check the calendar for more information.

Reviews

Wired magazine named the Fiske Planetarium one of the 100 Geeky Places to Take Your Kids This Summer in 2009. Fiske's Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon laser show has been reviewed for CUIndependent.com.

• The rest of the show continued in a similar pattern—hypnotizing, melodious music followed by a sudden jarring noise to bring one back to reality, all while “chromosomal-shaped” lasers oscillated on screen to a backdrop of rotating stars and spinning constellations. – Brooke Segerberg, CUIndependent.com