Planetarium Rental Information Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Planetarium available for rental?
The Planetarium is available for rental on Friday Evenings between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. All reservations are based on staff and date availability.

Can the Planetarium be reserved during the week?
Since the Planetarium serves as a classroom for the college, it is not available for rental when classes are in session: Monday to Thursday

Can I rent the Planetarium on a Saturday Night?
Not during our regular public programming of Astronomy and Laser shows (September to April).

What do I need to do to reserve the Planetarium?
Call our office and let us know the date and time you would like to reserve. We will then check our calendar and staff for availability and inform you if your date is open.

Why do you need at least a month in advance to reserve the Planetarium?
We need at least a month in advance to ensure that our staff is available for your rental.

Why can’t I just call and reserve a party for this weekend?
The Planetarium does not have regular staff during the weekends. Our presenters are only scheduled when needed therefore we need time to check on their availability.

Why is my reservation tentative until staff is available?
The Planetarium does not have regular staff during the weekends. Our presenters are only scheduled when needed therefore we need to check on their availability first before we can reserve the Planetarium for your event.

When is my reservation secure?
Once a presenter is determined to be available for your party, a rental agreement is mailed or faxed to you. When the rental agreement and a deposit are returned to our office, then your event is placed on the calendar.

Is there a limit on the number of guests that may attend my party?
If you are reserving the Planetarium for a “Little Dipper’ Package the number of people allowed could be up to 140 (which is the number of seats inside the Planetarium Dome)
If your reservation is the “Big Dipper” Package, which allows you use of the lobby to serve food and beverages, the number of people that can be seated in the lobby is 30.

What do I get if I reserve the “Little Dippper” package?
You get private use of the Planetarium and a Fulldome Digital Star Show. Package also includes a tour of the night sky and we may play music of your choice before your Astronomy show starts. We are also open to requests ie: what the stars looked like the date of your birthday, what do the stars look like in the North/South pole, etc.. (duration of rental is approximately one hour and a half)

What do I get if I reserve the “Big Dipper” package?
You get all the items from the “Little Dipper” package plus use of the lobby to serve your food and beverage (we set up tables and chairs)(duration of the rental is approximately three hours)

What is the difference between a Fulldome Digital Star Show and a laser show?
Star shows contain fun and engaging educational information about the solar system, the stars, the constellations, etc… Laser light shows contain music accompanied by images projected by a Laser.

How long are the shows?
Our Astronomy and Laser shows are about an hour long.

What is a “tour of the night sky”?
A tour of the night sky is a live presentation inside the Dome where our Astronomer displays the Stars using the Star Projector and identifies constellations and planets that are visible at night, during any given season.

What if I want to have a Laser show for my party? What is the cost?
We can arrange to have a Laser show instead of an Astronomy show for your party. The current rate is $200 in addition to the rental rate, so if you want to rent the Planetarium for the “Little Dipper’ package with a Laser show instead of an Astronomy Show your rental fee would be $550. For the “Big Dipper” it would be $650.

If I reserve the Planetarium and want a Laser show do I also get an Astronomy Show?
When you reserve the Planetarium and you want to have a Laser show, your presentation is a Laser show instead of an Astronomy show and not both presentations.

What if I want to do a Laser show and an Astronomy Show for my party?
Contact our office for more information.