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From the beginning of time, people have been fascinated with the stars, lying on the ground or looking through telescopes to gaze at the universe above. Pensacola State College allows astronomy fans of all levels to glimpse the Pensacola night sky from the PSC Planetarium, located in Bldg. 21 at the SW corner of the Pensacola campus, near the intersection of Airport Blvd. and Ninth Ave.
PSC Planetarium Specialist Allison Spradlin gives PSC students, faculty and staff, local school and home school groups, and community members an opportunity to enjoy the night sky from indoors and to learn more about the universe through entertaining monthly public shows and private bookings throughout the week.
The planetarium seats 97 people, with room for wheelchairs. Spradlin said that various school groups come in for field trips every day of the week and that she is already booked up for the 10 a.m. private showing time through March 2025.
With a background involving movie projection, Spradlin is a natural fit for the Planetarium. Her motivation and creative thinking led to bringing the monthly public shows to PSC. The shows are one hour long and include a guided look at the night sky, with Allison’s directed discussion after the feature presentation concludes.
“The only public show that didn’t completely sell out was the first one, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, as people simply didn’t know we were opening the planetarium to the public; since then, every monthly show has sold out. Ironically, Dark Side of the Moon is our most popular show, selling out immediately. I’ve needed to add additional showings throughout the year!”
The next show on Friday, March 7, at 6 p.m. is From Earth to the Universe, a stunning voyage through space and time that conveys the splendor of the Universe through sparkling sights and sounds
Tickets are free to PSC students, faculty and staff, and children under three years of age, with reservations still needed for seats; public tickets range from $4 to $6 and can be purchased at www.performingarts.pensacolastate.edu. Payment for admission can also be made at the PSC Ashmore Auditorium ticket office inside Bldg. 8 on the Pensacola campus in advance of the scheduled show or by calling the ticket office at (850) 484-1847. All sales are final. Refunds are not available.
For scheduling and reservations, call 850-484-2188 or email planetarium@pensacolastate.edu. The show to be presented is determined when the reservation is made.
For general information, show information, and space links like NASA Kids’ Club or the Space Weather Center, visit www.pensacolastate.edu/community/planetarium.