United States Air Force Academy

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To the stars

Planetarium

Entrance to the U.S. Air Force Academy Planetarium and STEM Center.

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 U.S. Air Force 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 public shows are free and open to the public. Military or Department of Defense identification is not required to enter the North Gate with a valid driver’s license. Seating for all public shows is on a first come, first serve basis. We do not accept reservations for public shows. We recommend arriving 10 minutes prior to the show time.

The Planetarium is closed on graduation day and federal holidays.

See below for current public show schedule. See bottom of this page for descriptions/running times of Planetarium shows.

Shows are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Planetarium Field Trip/Group Visit Requests being taken for 2024-25 School Year: Please complete the Online Request Form.


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.

Please note: All Planetarium shows/times are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

November Show Schedule
*changes have been made to the schedule due to Planetarium maintenance
Monday, November 4 10:30 a.m. – Homeschool Open House: Live Astronomy & Telescopes Show and Two Small Pieces of Glass (Online RSVP Required)
Noon – Live Visible Planets & Night Sky Tour
1 p.m. – The Dark Matter Mystery
Tuesday, November 5 1 p.m. – Astronaut
2 p.m. – From Earth to the Universe
3 p.m. – Great Bear Rainforest
Wednesday, November 6 1 p.m. – Oasis in Space
2 p.m. – Volcanoes
3 p.m. – Experience the Aurora
4 p.m. – Humpback Whales
Evening Show:
6:30 p.m. – Dream Big
Friday, November 8 Honoring Veteran’s Day
11 a.m. – D-Day: Normandy 1944
Noon – Closed for school group
1 p.m. – Fighter Pilot
2 p.m. – D-Day: Normandy 1944
Monday, November 11 CLOSED – Veteran’s Day
Tuesday, November 12 Noon – James Webb Space Telescope Update
1 p.m. – Great Bear Rainforest
2 p.m. – The Dark Matter Mystery
3 p.m. – Eclipses & Phases of the Moon
Wednesday, November 13 Noon – Flight Adventures
12:30 p.m. – Two Small Pieces of Glass
1 p.m. – Forward! To the Moon
1:30 p.m. – Robot Explorers
2 p.m. – Superpower Dogs
3 p.m. – D-Day: Normandy 1944
Thursday, November 14 1:00 – Cosmic Mashups
1:30 p.m. – Astronaut
2 p.m. – From Earth to the Universe
3 p.m. – Dream Big
Friday, November 15 2 p.m. – Live Night Sky & Universe Tour
3 p.m. – Volcanoes
4 p.m. – Fighter Pilot
Evening Show:
5 p.m. – Humpback Whales
Tuesday, November 19 2 p.m. – Black Holes
2:30 p.m. – Oasis in Space
3 p.m. – Live Night Sky Tour
4 p.m. – Great Bear Rainforest
Wednesday, November 20 1 p.m. – Galileo’s Moon: The Apollo 15 Story
2 p.m. – Humpback Whales
3 p.m. – Volcanoes
Friday, November 22 10:30 a.m. – Homeschool Open House: Live Exoplanet Extravaganza Show & Forward! To the Moon film (Online RSVP Required)
Noon – Live Visible Planets & Night Sky Tour
1 p.m. – In Saturn’s Rings
Saturday, November 23 Noon – Shows TBD
1 p.m. –
2 p.m. –
3 p.m. –
Thanksgiving Week
Monday, November 25 10 a.m. – Superpower Dogs
11 a.m. – Great Bear Rainforest
Noon – Astronaut
12:30 p.m. – Oasis in Space
1 p.m. – Black Holes
1:30 p.m. – Cosmic Mashups
2 p.m. – Volcanoes
3 p.m. – Live Night Sky & Universe Tour
4 p.m. – D-Day: Normandy 1944
Evening Show:
5 p.m. – Humpback Whales
Tuesday, November 26 3 p.m. – Live Night Sky & Solar System Tour
4 p.m. – D-Day: Normandy 1944
Evening Show:
5 p.m. – Dream Big
6 p.m. – Galileo’s Moon: The Apollo 15 Story
7 p.m. – Fighter Pilot
Wednesday, November 27 11 a.m. – Dream Big
Noon – Live Night Sky & Universe Tour
1 p.m. – Apollo 11: First Steps
2 p.m. – Fighter Pilot
Thursday, November 28 CLOSED – Thanksgiving Day

 

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.

Homeschool groups and classes with fewer than 20 students can join one of our Homeschool Open House Days, listed in our Public Show Schedule. To reserve seats at our Homeschool Open House, register using the link provided next to the show date and time. If your plans change and you cannot attend, 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 the button below and complete the online request form.

Field Trips or Groups requesting a private show need to be a minimum of 20 people. If you have a special request for less than 20 people, please send a direct email to planetarium@afacademy.af.edu for consideration.

STEM Activity add-on is NOT yet available for 2024-25 school year.
We are currently NOT BOOKING STEM Activity add-ons, only field trips to the Planetarium.

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.


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.

View across terrazzo looking west

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.