{
  "story": {
    "slug": "fairbanks-welcomes-alaska-s-largest-planetarium",
    "headline": "fairbanks welcomes Alaska’s largest planetarium",
    "deck": "UAF's new Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium, Alaska's largest, opens free to the public April 25 on the Fairbanks campus.",
    "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/fairbanks-welcomes-alaska-s-largest-planetarium",
    "section": "Life",
    "area": "Fairbanks",
    "published_at": "2026-04-21T20:00:00+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:21:45.854561+00:00",
    "body_md": "The Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will hold its grand opening on April 25, which is Spring Astronomy Day, with free admission for the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the UAF campus next to the Museum of the North.\n\nVisitors can take in night sky tours, previews of upcoming shows and hands-on science activities throughout opening day, all at no cost.\n\nThe facility is a 65-seat immersive theater under an 11-meter tilted dome, about 36 feet across, inside a 5,700 square foot building. It is officially the largest planetarium in Alaska.\n\nThe planetarium is named for Walt and Marita Babula, longtime Fairbanks residents who donated roughly $7.4 million to fund its construction.",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://alaskapublic.org/news/2026-04-07/uaf-to-open-states-largest-planetarium-in-late-april-director-says",
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    "story_id": "4218bf27-1d72-493e-8e01-f78df35bc7f8",
    "slug": "fairbanks-welcomes-alaska-s-largest-planetarium",
    "summary": "The Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium at the University of Alaska Fairbanks opens to the public free on April 25, 2026, Spring Astronomy Day. The 5,700 square foot facility, Alaska's largest planetarium, was funded by a roughly $7.4 million donation from Walt and Marita Babula.",
    "key_facts": [
      "Grand opening is April 25, 2026, which is Spring Astronomy Day",
      "Admission is free, with doors open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.",
      "The theater seats 65 people under an 11-meter tilted dome, about 36 feet across",
      "The facility is 5,700 square feet and is the largest planetarium in Alaska",
      "Walt and Marita Babula donated roughly $7.4 million to fund the planetarium",
      "Located on the UAF campus next to the Museum of the North"
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "a": "April 25, 2026, on Spring Astronomy Day, and it's free to visit from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.",
        "q": "When does Fairbanks' new planetarium open?"
      },
      {
        "a": "On the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, next to the Museum of the North.",
        "q": "Where is the Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium?"
      },
      {
        "a": "The theater seats 65 people under an 11-meter dome about 36 feet across, in a 5,700 square foot facility.",
        "q": "How big is Alaska's largest planetarium?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Walt and Marita Babula, longtime Fairbanks residents, donated roughly 7.4 million dollars to build it.",
        "q": "Who paid for it?"
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
      {
        "claim": "The Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium at UAF opens to the public April 25, 2026, free of charge from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskapublic.org/news/2026-04-07/uaf-to-open-states-largest-planetarium-in-late-april-director-says",
        "source_label": "alaskapublic.org"
      },
      {
        "claim": "The facility is a 65-seat theater under an 11-meter tilted dome inside a 5,700 square foot building, making it the largest planetarium in Alaska.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskapublic.org/news/2026-04-07/uaf-to-open-states-largest-planetarium-in-late-april-director-says",
        "source_label": "alaskapublic.org"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Walt and Marita Babula donated roughly $7.4 million to fund the planetarium.",
        "confidence": "reported",
        "source_url": "https://alaskapublic.org/news/2026-04-07/uaf-to-open-states-largest-planetarium-in-late-april-director-says",
        "source_label": "alaskapublic.org"
      }
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    "locations": [
      {
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        "kind": "facility",
        "name": "University of Alaska Fairbanks campus"
      },
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        "area": "Fairbanks",
        "kind": "facility",
        "name": "Museum of the North"
      }
    ],
    "people": [
      {
        "org": null,
        "name": "Walt Babula",
        "title": "donor"
      },
      {
        "org": null,
        "name": "Marita Babula",
        "title": "donor"
      }
    ],
    "organizations": [
      {
        "kind": "school",
        "name": "University of Alaska Fairbanks"
      },
      {
        "kind": "other",
        "name": "Museum of the North"
      }
    ],
    "event_dates": [
      {
        "date": "2026-04-25",
        "label": "Grand opening and Spring Astronomy Day"
      }
    ],
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      "walt and marita babula planetarium",
      "spring astronomy day",
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    ],
    "disclosure": "Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing.",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-01T05:25:14.66+00:00",
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    "description": "The Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium at the University of Alaska Fairbanks opens to the public free on April 25, 2026, Spring Astronomy Day. The 5,700 square foot facility, Alaska's largest planetarium, was funded by a roughly $7.4 million donation from Walt and Marita Babula.",
    "abstract": "The Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium at the University of Alaska Fairbanks opens to the public free on April 25, 2026, Spring Astronomy Day. The 5,700 square foot facility, Alaska's largest planetarium, was funded by a roughly $7.4 million donation from Walt and Marita Babula.",
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