OCC Planetarium Public Shows Calendar
Tuesday, October 20
Earth, Moon & Sun
4:00 pm
Earth, Moon & Sun is a fun and exciting full dome exploration of a huge range of heavenly phenomena. Lunar phases, eclipses, day and night, the sun and seasons are all explained with the help of a very confused and troublesome coyote, straight from Native American folklore. Through correcting Coyote's many misunderstandings, we can begin to unfold what's really going on in the sky.
Recommended ages: 6-12
To Worlds Beyond
5:00 pm
Eight other worlds share our solar system, each one stranger and more interesting than the last. Travel from the surface of the sun all the way to the icy realm of comets. Volcanos the size of France, storms bigger than the Earth, and clouds that rain acid are just some of the incredible things to discover on worlds both big and small as you make your journey through the Solar System.
Recommended ages: 8 and up
Michael Jackson - LAZERDOME
6:00 pm
Michael Jackson's amazing musical career is chronicled in this laser tribute the The King of Pop. His timeless hits live on in laser light.
Set List:
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, The Way You Make Me Feel, ABC, Black Or White, Human Nature, Thriller, Man In The Mirror, Dirty Diana, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), Billie Jean, Bad, Smooth Criminal, and Beat It
Wednesday, October 21
The Great Solar System Adventure
4:00 pm
Join showman extraordinaire "The Great Schiaparelli" as he takes the audience on a death-defying space-time adventure within his wondrous Observatorium.
From the sun-scorched surface of Mercury to the icy expanses of Pluto and beyond, prepare to be subjected to the myriad dangers and wonders of our Solar System, on a breathtaking tour that reveals just how precious our home planet really is.
Be warned though, the Observatorium isn’t just for show. It will transport the audience right to the heart of some of the deadliest locations in our slice of the heavens. It’s going to take some fancy flying to get everyone back in one piece!
Recommended ages: 6 and up
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5000 Eyes: Mapping the Universe with DESI
5:00 pm
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is creating the most detailed map of our nearby universe. Installed on the Mayall telescope on Kitt Peak in Southern Arizona, DESI's 5000 independently operated robots can measure the light from thousands of galaxies at once. Join us as we explore the science, instruments, and people behind this global endeavor.
Recommended ages: 12 and up
Elton John: Rocket Man - LAZERDOME
6:00 pm
Elton John has sold over 300 million records over 6 decades in show business, making him one of the biggest selling artists of all time. Laser Elton John celebrates his larger than life persona, bringing the Rocket Man’s powerful music to life in gorgeous laser light. Featuring Benny and the Jets, Saturday Night, Rocket Man, and many other Elton John hits.
Track List:
Saturday Night, Crocodile Rock, I’m Still Standing, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Your Song, Philadelphia Freedom, Rocket Man, Bennie & the Jets, Candle in the Wind, Honky Cat, Pinball Wizard
Saturday, October 23
Birth of Planet Earth
1:00 pm
Scientists now believe that our galaxy is filled with solar systems, including up to a billion planets roughly the size of our own. The film employs advanced, data-driven, cinematic-quality visualizations to explore some of the greatest questions in science today: How did Earth become a living planet in the wake of our solar system’s violent birth? What does its history tell us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like?
Recommended ages: 8 and up
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One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure
2:00 pm
Explore the night sky with your favorite friends from Sesame Street in Big Bird's Adventure: One World, One Sky. Follow along with Big Bird, Elmo, and their friend from China, Hu Hu Zhu, as they take you on a journey of discovery to learn about the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Sun, and the Moon.
Recommended ages: 3-6
Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter
3:00 pm
The mysteries of Dark Matter still elude scientists to this day, but through new ground breaking technologies and scientific determination we are slowly uncovering the vast hidden parts of our universe. With the help of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, one of the most ambitious engineering projects in human history, we are discovering new things about the universe every day.
Recommended ages: 12 and up
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Skywatchers LIVE!
4:00 pm
Join one of our planetarium experts on a live guided tour of the stories, sights, and other wonders in the night sky. The constellations, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies found overhead have been part of human consciousness for millennia, and today we have the knowledge and technology to explore all of them in great detail.
Stick around after the show for a live Q&A with our presenter! This show is updated almost weekly!
Recommended Ages: 10 and up
Get TicketsParking Fee
Parking is available on campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through Passport Parking (recommended "OCC Lot E" in Google Maps). Parking permits are digital and are linked to your vehicle's license plate. Payment can be made using the Passport Parking mobile app or website.
Parking Rates
- Standard rate: $5.35 per day
- July 17 – August 16 (during the OC Fair): $10.35 per day
Please park only in designated student parking areas. Vehicles parked in faculty/staff spaces or other restricted areas may be cited.
Public Star Shows!
Public programs are a cornerstone of the Planetarium's mission. Regular showings are offered on weekends so anyone can come enjoy a rotating schedule of breathtaking full-dome experiences.
For all public shows, please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled show begins. There will be no late admittance due to safety concerns.
We advise against bringing children younger than 5 years old to planetarium programs. The planetarium theater gets very dark and the visuals can be alarming to young children. However, bringing young children for One World, One Sky Big Bird's Adventure is strongly encouraged!
All programs are approximately 45 minutes long.
Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
**The Planetarium adheres to a strict No Late Admittance policy. Once the doors have closed, the show is underway and must not be interrupted due to safety concerns.**
Skylark Speaker Series - Friday, November 6, 2026
Dr. Evan Haze Nunez-Cravin, Carnegie Observatories
Looking Inside and Out: SoCal, Galaxies, and Galactic Atmospheres
In this talk I will discuss our understanding of how galaxies change over time. I will first highlight the importance of California observatories in the early days of extragalactic astronomy, then I will discuss our old theories and places where they are still valid, and finally I will discuss our current understanding of how truly complex the galactic ecosystem and specifically how their "atmospheres" must be included in our picture of galaxy evolution.
Gift Certificates
Whether it's for an astronomy enthusiast, a curious mind, or someone eager to explore the mysteries of the cosmos, our gift certificates are a stellar choice. Grab yours now and let the journey into the stars begin!