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.

November Show Schedule
Monday November 27 10:30 – Homeschool Double Feature: From Earth to the Universe & Live All About Stars Show RSVP Required
12:30 – Astronaut
1:30 – Black Holes
Wednesday November 29 12:30 – Forward! To the Moon
1:30 – Superpower Dogs
December Show Schedule
Friday December 1 12:30 – Superpower Dogs
1:30 – Live Night Sky & Astronomy Show
2:30 – Apollo 11: First Steps
Saturday December 2 11:00 – Forward! To the Moon
12:00 – Experience the Aurora
1:00 – Dream Big
2:00 – Cosmic Mashups: Gravity, Galaxies, and Supermassive Black Holes
Monday December 4 Homeschool Show
10:30 – Homeschool Double Feature: “Astronomy & Mystery of the Christmas Star” Show RSVP Required
12:00 – Astronaut
12:30 – Dream Big
Wednesday December 6 12:00 – Live Night Sky Tour
12:30 – Black Holes
1:30 – Great Bear Rainforest
2:30 – From Earth to the Universe
Friday December 8 12:00 – Forward! To the Moon
12:30 – Cosmic Mashups: Gravity, Galaxies, and Supermassive Black Holes
1:00 – Seniors Group: Eclipses & Phases of the Moon
2:30 – Live Night Sky Tour
Saturday December 9 11:00 – Oasis in Space
12:00 – Humpback Whales
1:00 – Fighter Pilot
2:00 – Black Holes
Monday December 11 12:30 – Two Small Pieces of Glass
1:00 – Live Solar System Tour
2:00 – Cosmic Mashups: Gravity, Galaxies, and Supermassive Black Holes
2:30 – Experience the Aurora
Wednesday December 13 1:30 – Eclipses & Phases of the Moon
2:30 – Superpower Dogs
3:30 – Volcanoes
Friday December 15 12:00 – Oasis in Space
12:30 – Great Bear Rainforest
1:30 – Cosmic Mashups: Gravity, Galaxies, and Supermassive Black Holes
2:30 – Live Night Sky & James Webb Space Telescope Update
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.