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Coming soon!
Planetarium Show Schedule


Planetarium Evening Shows
Open to the public!
February 3 & 24, 2012
March 16 & 23, 2012
April 13 & 27, 2012
More information


Below is a list of shows that are currently available to schools for field trips. All programs listed are offered Monday through Friday during the school year by reservation.



Saturn: Jewel of the Heavens Saturn: Jewel of the Heavens
FULL-DOME DIGITAL VIDEO
Grades 3 and up
See visual excerpts of this program

From its bizarre moons with mysterious features to the millions of icy particles that compose the enigmatic rings, this is a three-dimensional tour of the Saturnian system that includes information about our solar system as well.
36 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 3 1e, 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 4c
Grade 4 1b, 1c, 5
Grade 5 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c


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Earth, Moon and Sun Earth, Moon and Sun
FULL-DOME DIGITAL VIDEO
Grades 1 and up
See visual excerpts of this program

How do the Earth, Moon and Sun work together as a system, and what is the myth and science behind it? Why does the Sun rise and set? Why do we see different constellations during different seasons? What is an eclipse? Learn about the Moon's phases and orbit. Explore past and future space travel to our moon and beyond.
30 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 1 1a, 1b, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4d
Grade 2 1a, 1b, 1e, 2e, 4b, 4c
Grade 3 1a, 1c, 2a, 2c, 2d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e
Grade 4 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 6a, 6c
Grade 5 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6h
Grade 6 4a, 4b
Grade 8 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e


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Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity
FULL-DOME DIGITAL VIDEO
Grades 3 and up
See a preview of this program

There's a place from which nothing escapes, not even light, where time and space literally come to an end. It's at this point, inside this fantastic riddle, that black holes exert their sway over the cosmos. Zip through otherworldly wormholes, experience the creation of the Milky Way Galaxy, and witness the violent death of a star and subsequent birth of a black hole.
23 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 4 1b, 1f, 1g, 6a, 6c, 6f
Grade 5 1a, 1h, 4e, 5a, 5c, 6c, 6h
Grade 6 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4b, 7a, 7e
Grade 7 6a-g
Grade 8 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2g, 3d, 4a-e, 5a, 5c, 8a, 9a
Earth Science Grades 9-12 1b, 1d, 1e, 1g, 2a, 2b, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g
Physics Grades 9-12 1g, 1m, 2b, 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 5n


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Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope
FULL-DOME DIGITAL VIDEO
Grades 3 and up
See visual excerpts of this program

While looking through the astronomer's telescope, the planetarium audience explores the Galilean Moons, Saturn's rings, and the spiral structure of galaxies, learning about the discoveries of Galileo, Huygens, Newton, Hubble and many others. This program traces the history of the telescope from Galileo's modifications to a child's spyglass - using two small pieces of glass - to the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy.
25 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 3 4c
Grade 4 1g, 6a, 6c, 6d
Grade 5 4a, 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6c, 6h
Grade 6 3a, 3d, 4b, 7a, 7e
Grade 7 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g
Grades 9-12 1d, 1e, 1g, 2b, 2d, 2f, 8a
History and Social Science Grade 7 6a-g, 7.6.4, 7.10.2, 7.11.4


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IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System
FULL-DOME DIGITAL VIDEO
Grades 3 and up

Designed for visitors with an appreciation for the challenges of space science and a desire to learn more about science research, this program 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.
28 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 5 5a, 5b, 5c
Grade 6 3a, 3d, 4a, 4b, 7a, 7e
Grade 7 6a, 6b, 6c, 6e
Grade 8 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2f, 3a-d, 4a-e
Earth Science Grades 9-12 1a-g, 2a-g
Physics Grades 9-12 1g, 1h, 3a, 3c, 4a, 4e, 5h, 5i, 5j, 5o


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Dawn of the Space Age Dawn of the Space Age
FULL-DOME DIGITAL VIDEO
Grades 3 and up
See a preview of this program

Treat your students to a historically accurate reconstruction of man's first steps into space beginning with the launch of Sputnik and ending with the new private space exploration. This program teaches science as well as history providing a greatly enhanced immersive planetarium experience.
40 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Earth in the Solar System
History of Science and Technology
Transfer of Energy


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Secret of the Cardboard Rocket Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
FULL-DOME DIGITAL VIDEO
Grades 2 and up
See a preview of this program

Climb aboard a magical cardboard rocket with two young adventurers and experience a breathtaking, up-close look at each of our Solar System's planets with guidance from their astronomy book. Discover the secret to making this seemingly impossible trip to the edges of the universe and back, and gain a new sense of wonder about space along the way!
40 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 2 1a, 1b, 1e, 2e, 4c
Grade 3 1a, 1e, 2a, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4d
Grade 4 2a, 3a, 3b, 6a
Grade 5 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c
Grade 6 3a, 3d, 4a, 4b, 5e


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Kaluoka'Hina: The Enchanted Reef Kaluoka'Hina: The Enchanted Reef
FULL-DOME DIGITAL VIDEO
See a preview of this program

Be transported to a tropical reef, a one-of-a-kind world: colorful and foreign, full of adventure and danger, riddles and mysteries, old legends and myths ... a world inhabited by creatures that are humorous and courageous, lovable and bizarre, charming and dangerous.
32 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 2 2a-f
Grade 3 1a, 2a, 3a-d, 4b, 4d, 4e
Grade 4 3a, 3b, 5a, 5c
Grade 5 3a, 4a, 4b, 5b
Grade 6 2d, 3a, 5a-e
Grade 7 3a, 3e, 4a, 4b, 4f
Grade 8 2a, 4d, 4e
Ecology Grades 9-12


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Our Sky Family Our Sky Family
Grades K - 1
See a preview of this program

This fascinating show introduces the planets and the concept that we are actually part of the solar system. Students find themselves taken on a magical trip through the solar system where cartoon personifications of the planets present photographs and information about themselves.
32 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade K 1a, 3a, 3c, 4c, 4d
Grade 1 1a, 3c


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The Explorers The Explorers
Grades 4 & up
See a preview of this program

The Explorers focuses on the human spirit of exploration throughout time and space. The dome is used to identify constellations, to observe what daily motion can tell us about wayfinding, and to study changes in the sky as the observer's latitude changes. During a live section in the program, the audience will get a chance to use their knowledge to navigate using techniques used by Polynesians for thousands of years. Then . . . it's on to Mars!
45 minutes
* Public shows offered. Click here for details.

California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 4 5c, 6a, 6b, 6c
Grade 5 3a, 4b, 5c, 6d, 6f, 6g, 6h
Grade 6 3a, 4b, 5c, 6d, 6f, 6g, 6h


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A Christmas Story A Christmas Story
Grades 3 & up
See a preview of this program

"A Christmas Story" is told lovingly by a father to his young daughter. During the story he explains the origins and importance of some of our holiday season traditions. After dinner, the family is off to the planetarium for a brief introduction to the winter sky and some possible explanations for the Star of Wonder.
35 minutes
California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 3 1a, 1b, 3d, 4a, 4c, 4d
Grade 4 3b, 6a, 6c
Grade 5 5b, 5c, 6d, 6h
Grade 6 4a, 4b, 7a, 7e
History and
Social Science
Grade 3 3.2-1
Grade 4 4.1-2
Grade 5 5.1-2
Grade 6 6.3-1, 6.7-6


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Santa Snork Saves the Seasons Santa Snork Saves the Seasons
Grades 3 - 6
See a preview of this program

When we go out to look at the winter constellations, why is it cold? Is it like this everywhere on Earth, and more importantly, why does the Earth have seasons? Planetary investigator Sam Snork not only saves the seasons, but he also presents an alien interpretation of "A Visit from Saint Nicholas."
40 minutes
California Content Standards Addressed:
Science Grade 3 1a, 1f, 2a, 4a, 4e
Grade 4 1g, 2f, 3b, 3c, 4a, 5c
Grade 5 1g, 2f, 3b, 3c, 4a, 5c
Grade 6 3a, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 5e


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To schedule a visit to the Peña Planetarium, please call the Impact Center reservations office at (559) 733-6433.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Sara Sutton,
Impact Center Supervisor
phone: (559) 733-6871
phone: (559) 733-6328
fax: (559) 730-2747




Jim Vidak
County Superintendent of Schools


Tulare County Office of Education
2637 West Burrel
P.O. Box 5091
Visalia, CA 93278-5091
phone: (559) 733-6300
fax: (559) 737-4378
TTY (hearing impaired): (559) 733-6307


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