“For the general public, it’s a chance to open your mind to things,” said David Saunders, planetarium presenter and astrophysics junior. “It’s a very relaxing time and eye-opening experience.”

Sunday’s family show brought in many children, parents and grandparents. Okemos resident Cal Sturgeon and his wife brought their grandchildren in hopes of invigorating their education.

“To teach them about the Earth and the universe is important,” Sturgeon said. “It’s all about exposing them to stuff like this to get them going.”

Sturgeon’s grandson, 10-year-old Aiden Hanchett, said the movement of stars in the sky throughout the year and making constellations interested him the most. Hanchett said he wants to be an astronaut when he grows up.

He said he’d travel to Pluto because “it’d be a world record of longest time in space,” and when he arrived, he’d build a city.

Grandfather and Grand Ledge, Mich., resident Steve Dowker brought his granddaughter to introduce her to space and share in the wonderment he experienced as a child at the planetarium.

“The kids take in the wonder of the skies,” Dowker said.

Saunders added that the kids enjoy the cool lights, pretty colors and creating original constellations with their imaginations.

While the content of the fall public shows is in the works, Saunders said something comet-related seems most likely, due to the comet ISON appearing around November. ISON is set to blaze our skies and should be visible to the naked eye, Saunders said.

Connecting knowledge with the universe is a rewarding part of the planetarium experience, Jessi Doxtader, French, Russian and Portuguese junior and planetarium worker, said.

“Star talk gives people a chance for people to connect what they learn to the outside,” Doxtader said. “I see people get really excited telling their friends all the constellations they know.”