United States Air Force Academy

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To the stars

Planetarium

Front doors of the planetarium at the Academy.

 

We offer a diverse range of full-dome and IMAX films, live talks and educational events using our state-of-the-art 8K projection technology and immersive surround sound.

The Academy’s Planetarium enhances our Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) outreach and cadet education mission through public shows, field trips, and cadet classes.

Free Public Shows

All shows are free and open to the public so military or Department of Defense identification is not required. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis as we do not accept reservations. We recommend arriving 10 minutes prior to the show time. See below for show schedule. Shows are subject to cancellation without notice due to inclement weather and cadet education. The Planetarium is closed on graduation day and federal holidays.


School Field Trips and Group Shows

Elementary, Middle, and High Schools may reserve planetarium field trips at no cost. When requesting a school visit, teachers may select from the list of programs found just below our schedule. We also offer live, interactive astronomy shows tailored to your grade’s science standards.

Home school co-ops and classes with fewer than 15 students may request to join one of our Homeschool Open House Days, listed in our Public show section. To reserve seats at our homeschool open house, register using the link provided next to the show date and time. Please ensure each attendee is registered separately. Should your plans change, please email planetarium@afacademy.af.edu in order for your seats to be opened for other guests.

Educators interested in additional STEM resources and opportunities can find STEM Outreach information here.

Planetarium Field Trip/Group Visit Request
If you would like to schedule a school field trip or a group showing in the planetarium, please click this button and complete the online request form.

Field Trip/Groups need to be a minimum of 20 people. If you have a request for less than 20 people, please send a direct email to the email on this page.

Our planetarium school field trips and group showings are free of charge as a service to the community provided by the U.S. Air Force Academy.


Cadet Shows

The Planetarium creates an immersive learning environment for cadets that can’t be replicated in a traditional classroom or online environment, leading to greater comprehension of complex topics. Although its primarily used as a source of astronomy and astrophysics education, the capabilities and content have expanded to encompass a variety of disciplines such as biology, chemistry, geology, engineering and history. To discuss how we can support curriculum or schedule a visit Monday through Friday, faculty and staff should email planetarium@afacademy.af.edu.


Schedule

All public shows are free, open to the public, and are first come, first seated. Once the planetarium’s 110 seats are filled, the Planetarium is full and additional guests will be asked to attend the next showing.

All guests must exit the Planetarium after each show. Guests are welcome to re-queue for the next show, but only after exiting to allow everyone the opportunity to enjoy the Planetarium.

We thank you for your understanding and adherence to these policies.

September Show Schedule
Monday September 4 Closed – Labor Day Holiday
Wednesday September 6 12:30 – Two Small Pieces of Glass
1:30 – Superpower Dogs
3:00 – Black Holes
Friday September 8 Star Trek Day
11:00 – Special Show: ‘The Space of Star Trek’ RSVP Required
1:00 – Humpback Whales
3:00 – Special Show: ‘The Space of Star Trek’ RSVP Required
Evening Show
6:00 – Special Event: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home RSVP Required
Wednesday September 13 1:30 – Double Feature: Live Night Sky & Forward! To the Moon
3:00 – Apollo 11
Friday September 15 No Public Shows – USAFA Home Football Game
Saturday September 16 Return to Saturday shows!
11:00 – Great Bear Rainforest
12:30 – Live Night Sky Tour
1:30 – Humpback Whales
3:00 – Astronaut
Monday September 18 12:30 – Experience the Aurora
1:30 – Volcanoes
3:00 – Black Holes
Wednesday September 20 12:30 – Oasis in Space
1:30 – Fighter Pilot
3:00 – From Earth to the Universe
Evening Shows
5:00 – Humpback Whales
6:00 – Live Night Sky & Current NASA Missions Update
Friday September 22 12:30 – Astronaut
1:30 – Dream Big
3:00 – Live Night Sky & Astronomy Show
Saturday September 23 11:00 – Superpower Dogs
12:30 – Forward! To the Moon
1:30 – Great Bear Rainforest
3:00 – Oasis in Space
Monday September 25 1:30 – Live Night Sky & Universe Tour
3:00 – Fighter Pilot
Wednesday September 27 12:30 – Black Holes
1:30 – Volcanoes
3:00 – Two Small Pieces of Glass
Friday September 29 12:30 – Astronaut
1:30 – Apollo 11
3:00 – Live Night Sky & Supermoon Show
October Show Schedule
Monday October 2 12:30 – Experience The Aurora
1:30 – Live Night Sky & Solar System Tour
3:00 – Great Bear Rainforest
Tuesday October 3 Cool Science Day
12:00 – Oasis in Space & Live Night Sky Show RSVP Required
2:00 – Black Holes & Live Night Sky Show RSVP Required
4:00 – Oasis in Space & Live Night Sky Show RSVP Required
Evening Show
6:00 – Black Holes & Live Night Sky Show RSVP Required
Wednesday October 4 12:30 – Astronaut
1:30 – Dream Big
3:00 – Live Night Sky Tour
Friday October 6 10:30 – Homeschool Double Feature:
Astronaut & Live Constellation Show RSVP Required
12:30 – Superpower Dogs
1:30 – Dream Big
Saturday October 7 11:00 – Apollo 11
12:30 – Forward! To the Moon
1:30 – Dream Big
3:00 – Experience the Aurora
Monday October 9 Closed – Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Wednesday October 11 12:30 – Eclipses & Phases of the Moon
1:30 – Apollo 11
3:00 – Two Small Pieces of Glass & Live Astronomy Show
Friday October 13 12:30 – Eclipses & Phases of the Moon & Live Solar Eclipse Preview
1:30 – From Earth to the Universe
Saturday October 14 Annular Solar Eclipse
8:00am – Eclipses & Phases of the Moon
8:30am – Eclipses & Phases of the Moon
Solar Eclipse – more details to come…
Monday October 16 12:30 – Black Holes
1:30 – Humpback Whales
3:00 – Astronaut
Wednesday October 18 1:30 – Live Night Sky & Current NASA Missions Update
3:00 – Double Feature: Astronaut & Forward! To the Moon
Friday October 20 12:30 – Dream Big
1:30 – Apollo 11
3:00 – Oasis in Space
Saturday October 21 11:00 – Superpower Dogs
12:30 – Astronaut
1:30 – Great Bear Rainforest
3:00 – Black Holes
Monday October 23 10:30 – Homeschool Double Feature:
Black Holes & Live Exoplanet Extravaganza RSVP Required
12:30 – Live Night Sky & Universe Tour
1:30 – Volcanoes
3:00 – From Earth to the Universe
Wednesday October 25 12:30 – Oasis in Space
1:30 – Live Night Sky & Solar System Tour
3:00 – Humpback Whales
Friday October 27 12:30 – Astronaut
1:30 – Great Bear Rainforest
3:00 – Live Night Sky Tour
Directions

To visit the Planetarium, use exit 156 off Interstate 25 and enter the U.S. Air Force Academy through the North Gate. You will need your driver’s license or military ID and proof of vehicle insurance to enter the base. Please be prepared for potential security measures such as vehicle inspections. Foreign national visitors with a passport will need to go to the Pass & Registration Center, just outside the South Gate at exit 150, to obtain a pass.

Learn more about base access and check out the campus map. Please do not follow GPS directions as those will take you to an incorrect location.

Once on base, continue driving straight on Academy Drive for 4 miles and then turn left to park in the visitor lot for Arnold Hall. To the north of the visitor parking, there is a building with a white dome – that’s the Planetarium! Please follow the steps to the front door or use the winding path to the left of the steps for ramp access.

History

The Planetarium was originally built in 1959 and is one of the oldest structures at the U.S. Air Force Academy. With seats surrounding the perimeter and a large projector in the center, the Planetarium was initially used to teach celestial navigation classes to cadets. Due to rapidly advancing computing technology, cadets no longer had a need to navigate by the stars and this resulted in its closure in 2004.

After 15 years of sitting vacant, a passionate group of Academy leaders with the support of private donors spearheaded an effort to not only refurbish the structure, but advance the technology and capabilities inside to serve a new generation of cadets leading the way in space. Although the exterior remains virtually identical to its previous incarnation due to its historical status, the interior now features reclining theater seats and a series of 8K projectors built into the walls that offer a 360-degree near-hemispheric screen to deliver a visually immersive field-of-view to audiences.

On March 4, 2019, the Planetarium officially reopened to the public, welcoming over 45,000 visitors in its first year of operation, including 4,000 K-12 students. With a new mission to enhance STEM outreach to the local community, it quickly became a top-rated attraction and tourist destination in Colorado Springs.