Educational Outreach

AstroSphere Information

The AstroSphere Portable Planetarium is an inflatable dome with a portable star projector that transports you and your students through the solar system and beyond! Please see the information below to learn more about the program, standards, room requirements, and more!
 

Standards Alignment

• South Carolina College & Career Ready Standards (2021):
  1-ESS1-1, 1-ESS1-2; 5-ESS1-1, 5-ESS1-2
• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  1-ESS1-1, 1-ESS1-2; 5-ESS1-1, 5-ESS1-2

Program Length & Scheduling

• Each program lasts 45 minutes, scheduled in 1-hour blocks to allow time for safe entry, exit, and reset between sessions.
• Up to four (4) programs can be offered in a single day.

Curriculum Overview

• The General Sky Tour takes students on a celestial journey exploring topics such as:
  • Basic navigation of the night sky
  • Star colors and brightness
  • Constellations and asterisms
  • Earth’s rotation and axis tilt
  • A brief look at the Solar System or Moon (if time allows)
• Customization: Minor adjustments to content can be made upon request.

Schedule & Room Requirements

Scheduling

• Available Tuesdays–Fridays.
• Please factor in travel time — museum staff cannot depart before 6:30 a.m.

Space & Noise

• The AstroSphere requires a completely silent, private space.
  • No other classes, activities, or background noise in the room during programs.
  • The dome cannot be broken down and reset within the same day.

Location

• Must be indoors (we cannot safely set up outdoors).
• The dome cannot be placed on a stage for safety reasons.

Room Specifications

• Floor space: 24 ft of clear, open space.
• Ceiling height: Minimum of 10.5 ft (including lights or hanging fixtures).
• Power: Two accessible, working outlets required to inflate and power the projection system.

Capacity

• Up to 25 students (3rd grade and below).
• Up to 20 students (4th grade and above) — space is tighter for older students.

Technology

• If your school uses internet/Wi-Fi blockers, please arrange a way for us to temporarily bypass them.
• Notify us ahead of time so our team can ensure proper setup and communication.