Field Trips

Planning a trip to the Science Dome with your class or group

Who: The Science Dome is open to pK-12 classes and other youth groups for field trips.

Cost: $1 per student, minimum of $20 per group

Seating Capacity:

  • 58 seats
  • 2 wheelchair accessible seats
  • Additional space on the floor in front that is perfect for small children
  • Preschool visits are limited to no more than 20 children.

When:  Schedule will vary on a quarterly basis.

  • Spring quarter (April- June 2013)
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am- noon
    • Fridays, 11 am – 3 pm
    • Evenings and other times may be available upon request (pending staff availability)

How:  Please fill out this form to request a field trip.  Allow one week for us to respond to your request.

What: The content is flexible.  We will try to match your needs.  Please have a general idea of what you would like to cover.  If you have an idea that isn’t on this list below let us know and we can work with you to see if it is possible.  Most content is presented live by Science Dome staff however we do offer some fulldome videos as well.

  • Astronomy:
    • Celestial (Stars, Moon, Sun, Planets) Motions
    • Moon phases
    • Seasons
    • Light, Electromagnetic Spectrum
    • Solar System
    • Planets
    • Size, scale and our place in the Universe
    • Constellations and Navigation
    • Current Events
    • The Sun and Stars
  • Science On a Sphere: 
    • Planetary data can be projected on to 3D models of Earth and other planets. Over 300 datasets are available from NOAA, NASA, several universities and other organizations.
    • The data sets are comprised of 6 main categories: Atmosphere, Ocean, Land, Astronomy, Models and Simulations, and Extras
    • Course ideas: Astronomy, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Biology, Geography, Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography
    • More information at http://sos.noaa.gov
  • Fulldome Videos (20 -25 minutes)
    • Two Small Pieces of Glass (Any level)
      • While attending a local star party, two teenage students learn how the telescope has helped us understand our place in space and how telescopes continue to expand our understanding of the Universe. A local astronomer enlightens them on the history of the telescope and the discoveries these wonderful tools have made. While looking through the astronomer’s telescope, the students, along with the planetarium audience, explore the Galilean Moons, Saturn’s rings, and spiral structure of galaxies. They also learn about the discoveries of Galileo, Huygens, Newton, Hubble and many others. The soundtrack was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra.
    • IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System (3rd through 9th grade)
      • Designed for visitors with an appreciation for the challenges of space science and a desire to learn more about science research, IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System follows the creation of NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). Audiences will get an in-depth look at the mission and how IBEX is collecting high-speed atoms to create a map of our Solar System’s boundary.
    • Flight Adventures (3rd through 9th grade)
      • 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 4 forces of flight.  See images of aircraft past, present and future and imagine where flight might take us.
    • Wonders of the Universe (3rd grade and up)
      • Peer deep into space through the eyes of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and travel back billions of years in time to witness the birth of the universe. On this breathtaking excursion you’ll witness the formation of galaxies and explore some of the most wondrous nebulae and astronomical structures yet discovered. As your travels continue, you’ll fly deep into our own Milky Way galaxy and return home to Earth on a spectacular tour through the solar system.
    • Dynamic Earth (Middle and High School)
      • The award-winning Dynamic Earth explores the inner workings of Earth’s great life support system: the global climate. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere. Audiences will ride along on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a monster hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and gigantic whales, and fly into roiling volcanoes.
    • Life (Middle and High School)
      •  Life begins in a grove of towering redwoods, majestic emblems of Northern California. From there, the audience “shrinks” dramatically as it enters a single redwood leaf and then a redwood cell, learning that despite their unique appearance, redwoods are composed of the same basic molecules as all other organisms on Earth. After this opening statement of shared ancestry, the audience launches on a journey through time, witnessing key events since the Big Bang that set the stage for life. The first stars ignite, galaxies coalesce, and entire worlds take shape. On the early Earth, two scenarios for the dawn of life are presented — one near a turbulent, deep-sea hydrothermal vent, and the other in a primordial “hot puddle” on a volcanic island. From these microscopic beginnings, life transformed the entire Earth as it evolved and diversified: filling the atmosphere with oxygen, turning the continents green, and altering global climate patterns. The 25-minute show ends with a review of geological evidence and the connectedness of all living things on Earth.
    • Black Holes (Middle and High School)
      • 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 lurking at the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy.  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
    • Lamps of Atlantis (Middle and High School)
      • Our search for the lost continent of Atlantis takes us on a journey through the astronomical knowledge and understanding of the ancient Greeks. How did the constellations get their names? What different patterns did ancient cultures see in the sky? Was Atlantis a real place? Did it really sink into the sea? We will uncover clues to help us solve this age-old mystery. 
    • Secret Lives of Stars (3rd grade and up)
      • Not all stars are created equal. Some are massive. Others are tiny; almost insignificant. The specific characteristics of a star will determine what type of life it will lead, how long it might live and even the type of death it will die. We will witness the amazing variety of stars and peer into their secret lives.