OCC Planetarium Public Shows Calendar
Tuesday, September 16
Magic Tree House: Space Mission
4:00 pm
Travel with the brother-sister duo Jack and Annie in their Magic Treehouse as they learn about how scientists uncover the mysteries of the universe. With the help of a real astronomer, astronaut, and of course, a pile of books, Jack and Annie are take non a wondrous journey of adventure and learning to the edges of the universe.
Based on the popular book series by Mary Pope Osborne.
Recommended ages: 5-10
Exploding Universe
5:00 pm
The universe we see and even our existence has been shaped by explosive events like supernovae: the death throes explosions of giant stars. These maelstroms create the elements which form complex molecules and life, seeding the galaxies for future star systems. Explosive events of all scales from the subatomic of particle accelerators mimicking conditions in the early universe, to super volcanoes, stellar deaths and even black hole mergers, form the fabric of the universe we live in. Our understanding of the universe and the matter, energy and forces which are it's substance are tied to explosions of all sizes from the immense to the almost undetectably minute.
Recommended ages: 10 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
Laser light shows feature loud music and flashing lights. These programs are not recommended for those with sensitivity to light or sound.
Wednesday, September 17
One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure
5:00 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
We Are Stars
6:00 pm
What are we made of? Where did it all come from?
Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, and our explosive origins. Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon, and the molecules of life.
Narrated by Andy Serkis
Recommended ages: 6 and up
Rush 2112 - Lazerdome
7:00 pm
Over forty years ago the three prophets of Rush foretold an intergalactic war on their prog-rock album, 2112. They predicted that in the year 2062, the universe will finally find peace — and oppression — as the Solar Federation unifies warring planets and instates the music-hating Priests of the Temples of Syrinx as overlords. Everything will change, however, in 2112 when an optimistic free-thinker finds a “strange musical device” and martyrs himself while attempting to bring melody to the stars.
Track List:
2112, Overture, The Temples of Syrinx, Discovery, Presentation, Oracle: The Dream, Soliloquy, Grand Finale, A Passage to Bangkok, The Twilight Zone, Lessons, Tears, Something for Nothing
Laser light shows feature loud music and flashing lights. These programs are not recommended for those with sensitivity to light or sound.
Friday, September 19
Taylor Swift: Through the Eras - LAZERDOME
6:00 PM
What's better than a Tay Swift playlist? A Tay Swift playlist set to laser lights! Enjoy unforgettable hits from all of her ten distinct eras. Sing along to all your favorites and let the show transport you through different stories as only laser light can.
Players gonna play, haters gonna hate, fakers gonna fake, so just shake it off!
Set List:
Our Song, You Belong With Me, Enchanted, I Knew You Were Trouble, Blank Space, Style, Wildest Dreams, Look What You Made Me Do, Cruel Summer, August, Willow, Anti-Hero, and Shake It Off!
Laser light shows feature loud music and flashing lights. These programs are not recommended for those with sensitivity to light or sound.
N'Sync with Britney Spears - LAZERDOME
7:15 pm
Laser N'sync with Britney is a power pop combo from the 90s that blasts laser fun onto the dome.
Set List:
Oops, I did it Again, Celebrity, Overprotected, Gone, Stronger, Tearin' up my Heart, Anticipating, Pop, Not a Girl, It's Gonna Be Me, What It's Like to Be me, Digital Get Down, Crazy, Baby One More Time, and Bye Bye Bye!
Laser light shows feature loud music and flashing lights. These programs are not recommended for those with sensitivity to light or sound.
Grateful Dead - LAZERDOME
8:30 pm
America’s greatest cosmic rock & roll band — from kaleidoscopic psychedelia to homespun country rock to epic live jams and beyond, The Grateful Dead’s songs are woven into the very fabric of music itself. Now experience “The Dead” on a whole other level – through laser light!
Set List:
Touch of Grey, Fire on the Mountain, Truckin', Friend of the Devil, Sugar Magnolia, Drums/Space, Uncle John's Band, Me and My Uncle, Scarlet Begonias, Ripple, and One More Saturday Night
Laser light shows feature loud music and flashing lights. These programs are not recommended for those with sensitivity to light or sound.
Saturday, September 20
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
Earth, Moon, & Sun
2:00 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
Dynamic Earth
3:00 pm
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.
Recommended ages: 10 and up
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
Parking Fee
Parking on-campus is $5 for the day, 24 hours/day, 7 days a week. The fee can only be paid through the Passport Parking phone app or and the parking permit is linked to your car's license plate number. We highly recommend parking in Lot E off of Merrimac Way (Google Maps "OCC Lot E").
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, September 26, 2025
Dr. Kyle Kremer, UCSD
The Dynamic Lives of Black Holes, Neutron Stars, and White Dwarfs in Globular Clusters
The dense centers of globular clusters are home to a whole zoo of exotic astrophysical phenomena. I study the unexpected events experienced by compact objects — black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs — within these dense stellar systems. Over the past decade, the groundbreaking detections of gravitational wave signals from merging compact object binaries by the LIGO/Virgo detectors have opened a new window to the cosmos. I will discuss ways these gravitational wave events may have originated in globular clusters, made possible by the unique dynamical activity of compact objects within these systems.
Beautifica
Beautifica is a 360 journey through worlds real and imagined, from mindblowing particle fields to unashamedly euphoric fantastic environments almost impossible to describe.
The brainchild of visionary composer James Hood working with some of the finest immersive animators on the planet, this family-friendly show is a feast for the senses, which will leave your spirit refreshed and your face grinning ear to ear.
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!