School & Group Shows

O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium

The following educational shows are available for schools or other groups. Please have available the requested time and date, the title of the show you would like to see and the approximate number attending. If you would like to see two shows while you are here, we are happy to set up a combo of your choice of show titles.  A minimum of 15 people and a minimum payment of $75 is required to schedule a group show. 

Important: It is highly recommended that you schedule school / group shows at least a month in advance, since demand is high and available dates are limited.  For more information or to schedule a presentation, please email Planetarium Director Lauren Albin at lealbin@yhc.edu

Please click here to schedule a show.

School group rates:

  • $75 flat fee for first show, regardless of group size
    • Additional shows for the same students are at regular public rates ($3 per student and $5 per adult)

Non-school group rates:

  • $3 per student and $5 per adult per show
    • $75 minimum charge in effect per show
Totality!
Special Showing: Totality!
Recommended for 4th Grade & Up
 
Total solar eclipses are a rare and beautiful phenomenon, and in this new planetarium show you will learn how eclipses happen, how to safely view one, and where the 2023 annular solar eclipse and 2024 total solar eclipse will take place. Join us as we understand the science behind solar eclipses & how to view the April 8th solar eclipse as a partial eclipse locally. Before you leave be sure to grab a eclipse glasses & other educator materials. 
 
Note: If you or your school is interested in materials for observing the April 8th solar eclipse as a partial eclipse locally or if you would like more information about where to find excellent materials for teaching eclipses in the class room, please reach out to Planetarium Director Lauren Albin. 
 
Magic Tree House: Space Mission
Magic Tree House: Space Mission

Recommended for Kindergarten to 4th Grade

Travel with brother-sister duo Jack and Annie in their Magic Tree House® as they proceed to answer the questions left for them in a mysterious note. With the help of an astronomer, the Internet, an astronaut, books and the writer of the mysterious note, Jack and Annie are taken on a wondrous journey of adventure and learning. This exciting voyage will carry visitors to the planets and far out into the Universe where Jack and Annie nearly get…well, we don’t want to give it away. The adventure is just beginning!

The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather
The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather

Recommended for Pre-Kindergarten to 3rd Grade

From the far reaches of outer space comes the Zula Patrol as it tries to save the Solar System's weather from interplanetary villain Dark Truder. Based on the highly acclaimed PBS TV series and written by Zula's Emmy-award winning staff, this exciting full-dome show will help your students learn all about weather on Earth and other planets as well. This program supports many national and state science education standards.

Perfect Little Planet
Perfect Little Planet

Recommended for 1st through 5th Grades

Imagine the ultimate space vacation! Discover our solar system through a new set of eyes—a family from another star system is seeking the perfect vacation spot. Fly over the surface of Pluto. Sail through the rings of Saturn. Feel the lightning storms of Jupiter. And walk on the surface of Mars. Which destination would you choose?

The Little Star That Could
The Little Star That Could

Recommended for Kindergarten to 4th Grade

This show tells the delightful story about an average yellow star in search of planets of his own. Along the way, he meets other stars and learns what makes each one special. He eventually finds his planets and each is introduced with basic information about the solar system.

Educator's Guide: Grades K-2

Educator's Guide: Grades 3-4

Earth, Moon, & Sun
Earth, Moon, & Sun

Recommended for 2nd Grade & Up

Explore the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun with the help of Coyote, an amusing character adapted from Native American traditions. Learn why the Sun rises and sets and the basics of solar energy. Examine the Moon’s orbit, craters, phases and eclipses. 

Educator's Guide: Georgia Version

Educator's Guide: North Carolina Version

Ice Worlds
Ice Worlds

Recommended for 3rd Grade & Up

Take a tour of frozen vistas throughout our solar system to explore the critical relationship between ice and life. Studying our neighbors in space increases understanding of the natural cycles and human influence on ice, snow and water on Earth and its ever-changing climate.

Download an Activity Sheet

STARS: The Powerhouses of the Universe
STARS: The Powerhouses of the Universe

Recommended for 4th Grade & Up

Every star has a story. Some are as old as time, faint and almost forgotten. Others burn bright and end their lives in powerful explosions. New stars are created every day, born of vast clouds of gas and dust. Through every phase of their existence, stars release the energy that lights the cosmos. Journey to the furthest reaches of our galaxy and experience both the awesome beauty and destructive power of STARS. Suitable for all ages, this dramatic program explores the powerhouses of the universe and man’s relationship with the night sky throughout history. The show features stunning 3D animation and the voice talent of Mark Hamill, best known for his portrayal of Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy. Check out a preview of the show below.

STARS is a production of Adventure Science Center, Sudekum Planetarium, Nashville, Tennessee, distributed by Sky-Skan, Inc.

Dynamic Earth
Dynamic Earth

Recommended for 4th Grade & Up

With amazing full-dome visuals based on satellite data and supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production explores the inner workings of Earth's climate system, following a trail of energy that flows from our Sun into the interconnected systems that create our climate. You'll ride on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and whales and fly into fiery volcanoes!

Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity
Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity

Recommended for 6th Grade & Up

This exciting full-dome production brings the current science of black holes to the dome screen. Zip through other-worldly wormholes, witness the collision of giant galaxies, and experience a simulated flight to a supermassive black hole lurking at the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy.

Download NASA's Educator's Guide

Wildest Weather in the Solar System
Wildest Weather in the Solar System

Recommended for 3rd Grade & Up

Join us on a spectacular journey to witness the most beautiful, powerful and mysterious weather phenomena in the solar system. You’ll fly through the thick atmosphere of Venus, magnetic storms on the sun, liquid methane showers on Titan, and a 400‐year‐old hurricane whirling at hundreds of miles per hour on Jupiter. After seeing a storm with the power of a 100‐megaton hydrogen bomb and a dust storm that can engulf an entire planet, you'll be glad you live on Earth!

Moons: Worlds of Mystery
Moons: Worlds of Mystery

Recommended for 3rd Grade & Up

Take a journey through our solar system and explore the remarkable diversity—and surprising might—of moons! From volcanoes and geysers to ice-covered oceans and methane rain, these natural satellites have truly spectacular features. Learn what these celestial bodies reveal about the history and workings of our solar system, and return home with newfound wonder about the dynamic and intricate cosmos in which we all live.

CAPCOM GO! The Apollo Story
CAPCOM GO! The Apollo Story

Recommended for 4th Grade & Up

This immersive full-dome program—named CAPCOM for the capsule communicator at Mission Control—showcases the achievements of the Apollo program and what it took to put the first humans on the moon. The immense challenges they overcame will inspire a new generation to become the explorers, designers, engineers and dreamers of the future.

Sunstruck
Sunstruck

Recommended for 5th Grade & Up

Gain an enhanced understanding of the Sun and how it impacts our world. Travel back to the beginning of the solar system and experience the birth of the Sun. Discover how it came to support life, how it can threaten life, and how its energy will one day fade away. Included is information on the Sun’s layers, how the Sun creates “space weather,” and its impact on Earth.

Chasing the Ghost Particle
Chasing the Ghost Particle: From the South Pole to the Edge of the Universe

Recommended for 6th Grade & Up

Deep in the ice at the heart of Antarctica is IceCube, the biggest and strangest detector in the world, which waits for mysterious messengers from the cosmos called neutrinos. Scientists are using these tiny and elusive particles to explore the most extreme places in the universe, such as exploding stars and black holes. From one of the most remote locations on Earth to the unexplored regions of the cosmos, Chasing the Ghost Particle will take you on a journey you won’t soon forget!

Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter
Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter

Recommended for 8th Grade & Up

From the journey of protons racing through the world’s largest particle collider to close-up views of the Big Bang, this new full-dome show is designed to immerse audiences in the search for dark matter. We journey across space and time, speeding alongside particles as they collide in spectacular explosions of light, learning how scientists around the world are collaborating to track down the true nature of dark matter.

Explore
Explore

Recommended for 8th Grade & Up

Ever wondered how our modern spacecraft can navigate quickly and accurately to Earth orbit and beyond? This show explores the story of humanity's fascination with the stars—from ancient stargazers to the breakthrough discoveries of scientists like Johannes Kepler. Kepler's Laws are fundamental in physics and astronomy and central to modern spaceflight. The show demonstrates how those laws work using simple, easy-to-understand animations and clear explanations.

Holiday Shows

Ooky Spooky Light Show
The Ooky Spooky Light Show (October)

Recommended for 1st Grade & Up

A Special Holiday Presentation

This special music presentation, offered in October only, features a variety of classic and favorite Halloween tunes such as “Monster Mash,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Thriller,” in an amazing full-dome graphics and light show. The visuals are fun, spooky and will leave audiences smiling in delight.

Let it Snow (November-December)
Let it Snow (November-December)

Recommended for 1st Grade & Up

A Special Holiday Presentation

This special music presentation, shown in November and December only, features a variety of holiday classics. The merry soundtrack is visually enhanced with artistic animation and full-dome holiday scenery, making it a fun and entertaining experience for audiences of all ages.

Season of Light (November-December)
Season of Light (November-December)

Recommended for 3rd Grade & Up

A Special Holiday Presentation

This special holiday presentation, shown in November and December only, explores the traditions surrounding the Christmas season and the star that led the Wise Men to Bethlehem.

Additional Add-Ons

By request, the following brief presentations can be shown at the conclusion of one of the other shows described on this page at no additional charge.

Seasonal Stargazing
Seasonal Stargazing

Recommended for 1st Grade & Up

A good basic program on how to find things in the night sky using simple-to-follow starhopping directions and descriptive constellation tours, plus a taste of some of the most beautiful objects in astronomy. Tailored for the specific season of your visit.

Approximate running time: 14 minutes

Losing the Dark
Losing the Dark

Recommended for 3rd Grade & Up

Starry skies are a vanishing treasure because light pollution is washing away our view of the cosmos. This mini-show illustrates some of the issues regarding light pollution, including simple ways to reduce it.

Approximate running time: 6 minutes

Mini Cosmic Concert
Mini Cosmic Concert

For Various Ages

This fun (and purely entertaining) mini-show features music, exciting graphic sequences and motion effects.

Approximate running time: 6 minutes