Planetarium
With state-of-the-art projection technology and immersive surround sound, the Academy’s Planetarium enhances our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) outreach and cadet education.
We offer a diverse range of full-dome films, concerts, live talks and events, as well as host large gatherings during astronomical and NASA-related events.
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.
School Shows
Elementary, Middle and High Schools may reserve free shows for their students Monday through Friday. When requesting a school visit, teachers may select one of the shows listed at the bottom of this page. We also offer live, interactive demonstrations with an astronomer as we navigate the galaxy. To request a reservation, email planetarium@afacademy.af.edu and include the preferred date/time, number of student attendees, and any special accommodations.
Educators interested in additional STEM resources and opportunities can find STEM Outreach information here.
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 weekends, graduation day and federal holidays; however, in September the Planetarium will be open on Saturdays through a reservation system.
Available Shows
Kari Byron from Crash Test World and MythBusters launches us on a journey beyond the Earth towards a sustainable future in space.
NASA’s 21st century Artemis program, named after the Greek moon Goddess and twin of Apollo, is the next step in our mission to explore the universe and land the first woman and person of color on the surface of the Moon. Produced by Fiske Planetarium in collaboration with TEND Studio.
Run time: 30 minutes
Journey to a land of grizzlies, coastal wolves, sea otters and the all-white spirit bear — the rarest bear on earth — in the film Great Bear Rainforest. Hidden from the outside world, the Great Bear Rainforest is one of the wildest places left on earth. Found on Canada's remote Pacific coast, it is the last intact temperate rainforest in the world—a place protected by the region's indigenous people for millennia. Now, for the first time ever, experience this magical world in IMAX and giant screen theatres, and discover the land of the spirit bear.
Narrated by Ryan Reynolds
Run Time: 40 minutes
Discover molten worlds and exploding craters! For billions of years, volcanoes have helped forge the world we know. Continents, the air we breathe and even life itself, have been shaped by volcanic energy. Volcanic processes have created extraordinary ecosystems and wildlife habitats. With over 500 active volcanoes, the Earth is bursting at the seams with these forces of mass construction.
Audiences will dodge boulders at the edge of an active volcano in Indonesia, descend to a lava lake in Vanuatu and visit incredible acid ponds, geysers and mineral deposit fields in Ethiopia. Travel across the globe to see the archeological ghost town of Pompeii, hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the ocean and witness the devastating effects of the 2018 Kilauea eruption in Hawaii.
Run Time: 42 minutes
ASTRONAUT takes you from Earth into space... and beyond. Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Discover the perils that lurk in space as we subject 'Chad,' our test astronaut, to everything that space has to throw at him. ASTRONAUT is an experience like nothing on Earth.
Run Time: 24 minutes
Humpback Whales is an extraordinary journey into the mysterious world of one of nature's most awe-inspiring marine mammals. Set in the waters of Alaska, Hawaii and the remote islands of Tonga, this ocean adventure offers audiences an up-close look at how these whales communicate, sing, feed, play and take care of their young. Found in every ocean on earth, humpbacks were nearly driven to extinction 50 years ago, but today are making a slow but remarkable recovery. Join a team of researchers as they find out why humpbacks are the most acrobatic of all whales, why they sing their haunting songs, and why these intelligent, 55-foot, 50-ton animals migrate up to 10,000 miles round-trip every year.
Run Time: 40 minutes
This is more than an eclipse show—it supports NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) curriculum, including:
- Phases of the Moon
- Solar and Lunar Eclipses
- Moon Lit by Reflected Sunlight
- Moon's Rotational Period and Orbit
- Scale/Orientation of Earth-Moon System
- Composition of the Lunar Surface
- Shape of the Solar System
Target Audience: Students age 8+ and general audience
Run Time: 20 minutes
We start our live show by examining the night sky. Free of light pollution, our immersive dome ceiling lets us clearly see the stars, planets and constellations in our area.
Hop aboard an expedition into the solar system with our astronomer! From visiting the sun and our neighboring planets to the seeing where Earth is located within the Milky Way, this journey through the solar system is sure to engage space enthusiasts of all ages.
Watch a sneak peek!
After observing the beauty and wonders of the ever-changing night sky, our astronomer will guide us beyond the reaches of our solar system on a grand tour of the universe. Along the way, we’ll explore the wonders of space as we head to the edge of the observable Universe. Be ready to visit planets, stars, asteroids, black holes, and more.
Watch a sneak peek!
John (“Otter”) Stratton is a young American fighter pilot who flies the F-15 Eagle, arguably the most potent and successful fighter plane ever built. His grandfather was a decorated World War II flying ace, and he intended to follow in his footsteps. At Red Flag, the international training exercise for air forces of allied countries, many of the world’s best pilots meet for the most challenging flying of their careers. Red Flag is the final training for pilots and their aircrews before being sent into actual combat. We follow our young pilot as he makes his way through this extraordinary event held in the desert of Nevada.
Run Time: 40 minutes
Over seven months in the Arctic Circle, our crews captured timelapse images of the Aurora Borealis with high resolution digital SLR cameras outfitted with fisheye lenses. The results are spectacular. For the first time, the aurora has been captured as it was meant to be experienced, as a display that covers the entire sky. This immersive show shares the science behind the aurora and tells the story of the quest to find and photograph the aurora to show in planetariums. Winner of 2 Telly Awards.
Run Time: 27 minutes
Dreams of flying, model aircraft and a young girl and her grandfather come together in this multi-media planetarium show about the science of aeronautics. Learn about famous inventors and aviators of the past and the pioneers who first revealed the four forces of flight. See images of aircraft past, present and future and imagine where flight might take us.
Run Time: 22 minutes
Narrated by Academy Award ® winner Jeff Bridges, Dream Big: Engineering Our world is a first of its kind film that will transform how we think about engineering. From the Great Wall of China and the world’s tallest building, to underwater robots, solar cars and smart, sustainable cities, Dream Big celebrates the human ingenuity behind engineering marvels big and small, and reveals the heart that drives engineers to create better lives for people around the world.
Run Time: 42 minutes
Galileo’s telescopic observations began a revolution, transforming our views of the cosmos and our place within it. It’s a revolution which, four hundred years later, continues. Today you can attend star parties where amateur astronomers set up their telescopes for public viewing. Views through such telescopes would have amazed Galileo. Two Small Pieces of Glass puts you in the middle of a modern star party. Discover the wonders that even a small amateur telescope can reveal and learn about the scientists that made such views possible.
Run Time: 23 minutes
Seen by millions worldwide, Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity is one of the most successful planetarium shows ever produced. This cutting-edge production features high-resolution visualizations of cosmic phenomena, working with data generated by computer simulations to bring the current science of black holes to the dome screen. Audiences will be dazzled with striking, immersive animations of the formation of the early universe, star birth and death, the collision of giant galaxies, and a simulated flight to a super-massive black hole luring at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Narrated by Liam Neeson.
Run Time: 24 minutes
What lies at the heart of our galaxy? For twenty years, ESO’s Very Large Telescope and the Keck telescopes have observed the center of the galaxy, looking at the motion of more than a hundred stars and identifying the position of the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. Embark on a Journey to the Centre of the Milky Way and travel faster than light from the driest place on Earth, the Atacama Desert in Chile, right to the center of our own galaxy, where a black hole is consuming anything that strays into its path. 84 million stars will appear in front of your eyes, each hiding mysteries waiting to be solved. Are there planets around them, perhaps with moons? Do they have water? Could they harbor life?
Run Time: 7 minutes
A “public service announcement” planetarium show introduces and illustrates some of the issues regarding light pollution, and suggests three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it. The show educates the public about the problems of light pollution and the responsible use of lighting.
Run Time: 7 minutes
Oasis in Space will transport you on a startling and beautiful voyage through our universe, galaxy and solar system in search of liquid water, a key ingredient for life on Earth. We begin our journey by exploring Earth, with its vast oceans and plentiful water that makes life possible. One by one, we fly to the other planets and moons, discovering their characteristics, such as atmosphere, temperature and composition.
Download the educator's guide.
Run Time: 23 minutes
Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins blasted away from Earth on a Saturn V rocket on July 16, 1969. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin set foot on the moon, the first humans to do so. The three returned to Earth on July 24.
The filmmakers reconstruct the exhilarating final moments of preparation, liftoff, landing and return of this historic mission—one of humanity’s greatest achievements and the first to put men on the moon. With a newly-discovered trove of never-before-seen footage and audio recordings, Apollo 11: First Steps Edition joins Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, the Mission Control team and millions of spectators around the world, during those momentous days and hours in 1969 when humankind took a giant leap into the future.
Run Time: 48 minutes
Planets and pulsars and stars—oh my! Come join us for a ghoulishly good time as we tour the galaxy and beyond. We’ll explore the spooktacular space topics that are sure to send shivers down our spines. This special event is family-friendly and we encourage everyone to dress up in their favorite not-too-scary Halloween costume.
Join an immersive adventure to experience the life-saving superpowers and extraordinary bravery of some of the world’s most amazing dogs. In this inspiring true story narrated by Chris Evans, our best friends are also real-life superheroes. Journey around the globe to meet remarkable dogs who save lives and discover the powerful bond they share with their human partners. Follow ‘Halo’, a rookie puppy training to join one of the most elite disaster response teams in America. Meet ‘Henry’, an avalanche rescue expert in the mountains of British Columbia, ‘Reef’, a Newfoundland lifeguard with the Italian coastguard, ‘Ricochet’, a Californian surf legend helping people with special needs, and the Bloodhound brothers, ‘Tipper and Tony’, who are leading the fight to save endangered species in Africa. As we discover the incredible abilities of dogs and the astonishing science behind their superpowers, we’ll never look at our best friends the same way again!
Run Time: 47 minutes
