Welcome to the SCCS Planetarium Website
We want to welcome you to the Southern Cayuga Planetarium, where every journey begins with a single star. Prepare to embark on a celestial adventure unlike any other letting your imagination soar as we explore the wonders of the cosmos together. We are currently offering two ways to experience the mysteries of space!
2024 Solar Eclipse... The eclipse on April 8 begins at approximately 2:10pm and ends at 4:35pm. Total solar eclipse in our area is at approximately 3:22pm. Exact times may be followed via: https://eclipse2024.org/
Family/Community Shows -- Spring 2024
(Please Click Here for Additional Show Information)
We are excited to once again offer families an opportunity to visit the planetarium for evening shows. These evenings include a 4k video presentation, ‘live’ discussion and exploration of space phenomena and either on site hands-on experience or take-home follow up activities!
This spring we will be hosting the following family nights:
Thursday, March 28, 2024: Double Feature- ‘Lights Out! Eclipses: Whys, Wonders & Wows’ and ‘From Earth to the Universe’. Registration is full.
The first show will begin at 5:30pm followed by a 10-15 minute experience under the 'live sky' learning fun facts about space before watching the second movie. Come early...from 5:00pm-5:30pm, the planetarium classroom will be open to participate in hands-on discovery all about Eclipses! Each family will be sent home with an activity pack to extend the experience even further.
Tuesday, April 2, 2024: Double Feature- ‘Lights Out! Eclipses: Whys, Wonders & Wows’: Search for the Edge of the Solar System’. Registration is full. The first show will begin at 5:30pm followed by a 10-15 minute experience under the 'live sky' learning fun facts about space before watching the second movie. Come early...from 5:00pm-5:30pm, the planetarium classroom will be open to participate in hands-on discovery all about Eclipses! Each family will be sent home with an activity pack to extend the experience even further.
NEW SHOWTIME ADDED!
Thursday, April 4, 2024: Double Feature- ‘Lights Out! Eclipses: Whys, Wonders & Wows’ and ‘Earth, Moon and Sun’. Registration is full.
The first show will begin at 6:00pm followed by a 10-15 minute experience under the 'live sky' learning fun facts about space before watching the second show.
Come early...from 5:00pm-6:00pm, the planetarium classroom will be open to participate in hands-on discovery all about Eclipses! Each family will be sent home with an activity pack to extend the experience even further.
Monday, May 13, 2024: ‘One World, One Sky’. More information on this evening will be coming soon!
For more information on the grade level shows for school visits listed below, please contact
Heather Snyder at snyderh@southerncayuga.org.
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The Southern Cayuga Central School Planetarium
Fall 2019
Over the past seven years, countless parents and community members have shared stories of their long ago visits to the SCCS planetarium. Now is the time to rekindle those memories and to inspire the next generation of students to explore the skies above.
The Southern Cayuga School District is pleased to announce that renovations are complete and a new state-of-the-art digital projection system is operational. Over the summer of 2019, contractors upgraded all major mechanical systems, electrical, lighting, heating, and ventilation, and created a new robotics lab for our high school students. The new digital projection system will provide full-dome shows, real-time visualizations, and flight simulations through space. The technology has come a long way since the original Spitz projector was installed over 50 years ago. SkySkan Projection Systems of Nashua, New Hampshire, has provided training to a core group of staff members to operate the new projection system. I promise you’ll enjoy the show.
All are welcome to attend and check out the new projection system and visit the robotics lab. SCCS is hosting monthly star shows for the families of Southern Cayuga and field trips for students from across Cayuga County.
Special thanks goes out to our community for their approval of the project and to Bob Parker & Tony Cavallaro of J&B Installations for donating and overseeing the complete roof replacement. Special thanks to Senator Pam Helming and Assemblyman Gary Finch for securing a $50,000 in state grants to purchase the new projection system. Special thanks to the Friends of the Planetarium for their continued advocacy. Most importantly, special thanks to the SCCS Board of Education for their leadership in bringing this project to fruition.
Patrick Jensen
SCCS Superintendent
