Programs
The OSU Planetarium offers astronomy programs for all grades and age groups from preschool through college level. All school groups are welcome: public and private schools as well as home-schooling groups. Shows are given by request only. Program availability is limited primarily by the availability of personnel to do them, and while we try to honor all requests we cannot guarantee availability. Please email us for more information.
All shows are presented by graduate students in the OSU Department of Astronomy, and are given at a level appropriate to the audience. Planetarium shows cover basic naked-eye astronomy, with particular emphasis on the following topics:
- Annual motions of the planets and the Sun
- Daily motion of the Sun and the stars
- The orientation of the sky
- Locations of important points and well-known constellations
- The Seasons
- The appearance of the sky from different locations on the Earth
- The Milky Way and its stars
- Light pollution in urban areas.
Upon request, planetarium shows can also cover special topics, including (but not limited to):
- The Planets
- The Moon and its phases
- Telescopes and Spacecraft
- Star-formation, evolution
- Moon formation
- History of Astronomy
The Astronomy Department reserves the right to determine the content and scope of these presentations.
Shows typically last about an hour, which included a 40-50 minute presentation and time for Q&A afterwards with one of our astronomers.
Pricing
The fee for a private showing is $100.00 via check made payable to The Ohio State University or via credit card (Visa, MC accepted). If you prefer to pay via credit card, please follow the link provided on the email received with your Invoice. No Cash or Money Orders accepted.
Fees
The Fee Structure for planetarium shows can be found by following the list of links on the right side of this page. A $50.00 fee will be added to your invoice if any of the following apply: additional staffing is needed, if there is excess setup or tear down, the show begins before 10 AM or after 5PM, or is on the weekend.
Cancellations
Due to scheduling a presenter and reserving the planetarium, Payment must be received no later than 48 hours prior to your scheduled show to retain your group’s reservation. There are no refunds for cancellations. If you need to cancel, please provide 48 hrs notice via telephone call to our main office and we will be happy to reschedule your show within a 6 month period. There are no refunds for groups who do not show up for their scheduled time. If a group arrives 15 minutes late or more, we are not obligated to provide the scheduled show.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to education-based groups such as schools who are unable to pay our fee. If you require funding assistance to make a field trip to the planetarium, please apply for financial aid for your group by emailing the planetarium staff directly. Explain the group that you have and why you need funding assistance. We will approve assistance on a case by case basis. Our goal is to support all education-based groups who would like to visit the planetarium.