William M Thomas Planetarium
The Chronos star projector (purple object at the center)
produces a crisp, brilliant star field. The SciDome (black block
to the right of Chronos) projects all-dome video onto the 36-foot dome. Select
the picture to get a larger version of this picture.
Information for K12 schools |
Map to Planetarium |
Bakersfield Night Sky |
Spring Schedule of Public Shows
Purchase tickets at the BC Ticket Office. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Doors will open 30 minutes before the show starts. Select the links below for more information about each of the shows.
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Newly posted: Dawn of the Space Age on Thursday, May 1st from 7 to 8:30 PM. Honoring the 50th anniversaries of the first U.S. satellite and the start of NASA. Note that this particular event will NOT have the evening sky tour and it is geared to high school age and older audiences. This show is SOLD OUT!
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May 9 (7:30 to 8:30 PM): Black Holes / May 10 matinee (2 to 3 PM): Secret of the Cardboard Rocket -- both shows are SOLD OUT!
The William M Thomas Planetarium has a new Chronos star projector from GOTO and a SciDome all-dome video system from Spitz installed under a new Spitz premium-seam 36-foot dome. Individual seating for 72 people all facing toward the same direction under the largest dome (36-foot diameter) in all of the Central Valley.
Shows For the Public
Shows for public groups are by reservation only. Occasionally, there will be shows for the general public on a weekend, but tickets must be purchased ahead of time. These special showings will be advertised on this website several weeks in advance and notices sent to the media at that time. Hopefully, the local news media will publish the notices we give them in a timely manner but these special showings usually sell out quickly. See below for information about the regular planetarium shows for public groups.
Planetarium morning shows for public groups (esp. school groups) will be Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30 and 11 AM during the college's fall and spring semesters. Cost for a show is a special fieldtrip rate of $120 for the entire group and each presentation is about an hour long. Public groups may make planetarium morning show reservations now using the online reservation system. Teacher resources for space-related curriculum is available from the "Information for K12 schools" link below.
Planetarium evening shows for public groups can be most Tuesday or Thursday evenings by reservation only during the college's fall and spring semesters (excluding holidays and final exam weeks). However, they must be at a time when the Planetarium Director, Nick Strobel, is available to give the one-hour presentation. The cost is $250 for the entire group. The available shows are the same ones listed on the Field Trip Information and Tips page. Group sizes can be up to 72 people. The planetarium is closed during school holidays, final exam weeks, and the summer.
Information for K12 schools |
Map to Planetarium |
Bakersfield Night Sky |
History
Opened in the fall of 1962 (and formally dedicated in early January 1963), the William M Thomas Planetarium in Math-Science 112 has provided shows for over 4,500 K-12 students per year. The B.C. astronomy and physical science classes also use the planetarium at selected times during the semester. View an animation of the transition from the old planetarium to the new planetarium (1 MB download Macromedia Flash file). The animation includes a link to a comparison of the original and new floorplans and equipment pricing.
The upgraded planetarium was named after Rep. Bill Thomas and dedicated on November 2, 2006. Congressman Thomas directed the $1 million in federal funds needed to move the planetarium into the 21st century. Link to the article in the Bakersfield Californian describing the ceremony (includes some video footage -- link will appear in a new window).
Quick Links
(These links will take you out of the Bakersfield College website.)
- Bakersfield Night Sky
- Total lunar eclipse of August 28, 2007 movie
- Article with graphics from the April 8, 2007 issue of the Bakersfield Californian newspaper
- Mercury Transit 2006 Pictures
- This week's sky at a glance
- Sky almanac (quick overview of what's visible now)
- Astronomy Notes (will answer just about any other astronomy question)
Documents for Planetarium Directors
last updated: April 28, 2008
Webpage contact: Nick Strobel
