Bringing the Universe to the University
The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium is capable of seating 116 students and visitors, showing them the cosmos in 360-degree 4k resolution. Much more than just a planetarium, the facility contains multi-media learning software that can take viewers from the inner complexities of the human body to the farthest reaches of the known universe.
In addition to being an invaluable resource for faculty and students of Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University’s Prescott campus, the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium hosts events and programming open to the greater Prescott and Quad-City public year-round. By inviting local schools and community members to participate in these events, Embry‑Riddle has the potential to influence local students and underrepresented groups in the community who previously had little to no access to STEM-based curriculum by exposing them to the possibilities of careers in high-paying professions that might have otherwise been unattainable.
The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium will undoubtedly deepen and enrich the bond between Embry‑Riddle and Prescott for many years to come.
Subscribe to our mailing list
Upcoming Shows
The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium provides public experiences on many weekends throughout the year.
Please click on any of the show titles below to purchase tickets for your preferred event or purchase directly from our ticketing site.
Shows for General Audiences
The planetarium will host a livestream of the panel discussion occurring at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. This program will also be available for live viewing on the National Air and Space YouTube Channel.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of September 11th, the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil. The nation still mourns the loss of 2,977 civilians and first responders in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania. It was a moment that forever changed the United States.
The panel brings together first responders and aviation personnel from across Washington, DC, to tell the story of 9/11 with an emphasis on stories from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the Pentagon.
- Chris Browne, former manager of National Airport during 9/11 and current John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum
- Daniel Creedon, former departure controller at National Airport
- Michael Defina, former battalion chief of MWAA’s Fire Department at National Airport
- Daryush Mazhari, former USAir Express station manager at DCA and Program Manager, Stakeholder Management Branch for Transportation Security Administration
This program will last for approximately 60 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Thursday, Sept. 10: 4:45 p.m.
Ticket Price: $8
The planetarium will host a livestream of this program occurring in the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed galaxies that appeared far earlier, brighter and larger than astronomers ever expected. So how did they form? Join special guest Michelle Seoyeon Park from Stanford's Institute for Computational & Mathematical Engineering as we journey into a simulated universe. Discover how gravity, exploding stars and other powerful forces shape the first galaxies and how astronomers compare these virtual universes with real JWST observations to uncover the physics behind our cosmic origins.
This program will last for approximately 60 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Friday, Sept. 11: 5 p.m.
Ticket Price: $8
Dive into the Ningaloo Reef, a World Heritage wonder where majestic whale sharks, vibrant coral gardens and the fragile beauty of the ocean come together to create an unforgettable underwater journey.
This program will last for approximately 45 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Friday, Sept. 18: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 19: 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Ticket Price: $10
Around the world, people have looked up at the stars in the sky and made meaning from the patterns they see there. This show features stories from four different cultures — Greek, Innu (Canadian First Nations), Japanese and Hawaiian — and describes how they see a single group of stars in completely different, yet culturally relevant ways. At the end of the show, we’ll share a view of these same stars from Prescott.
This program will last for approximately 35 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Friday, Sept. 25: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 26: 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Ticket Price: $8
Discover the life-saving superpowers and extraordinary bravery of some of the world’s most remarkable dogs. Narrated by Chris Evans, this program showcases dogs trained in dangerous jobs, including water and avalanche rescue.
Superpower dogs doing superhero jobs can get pretty busy, but if their schedules allow, some real-life dogs from the Prescott K-9 unit and Yavapai Dog Search and Rescue team will be present to share their talents with you at the end of select programs.
The November weekend of "Superpower Dogs" will include showings of "A New Inferno," a 15-minute documentary on Phoenix, Arizona’s summer heatwave. This film follows paramedics as they race to save the lives of heatstroke victims using a radical new treatment: ice immersion therapy. Film producer, director and ASU professor Nita Blum-Reddick will attend the Saturday, Nov. 15, 5 p.m. screening to deepen the conversation following the program.
For the comfort and safety of all guests, only trained service animals are permitted at the planetarium. Thank you for your understanding.
This program will last for approximately 45 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Saturday, Oct. 3: 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
- Friday, Nov. 13: 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 14: 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Ticket Price: $10
From the collapsed cores of massive stars to the dark, unfathomable behemoths lurking at the centers of galaxies, we will explore the wealth of knowledge scientists have gathered about black holes across the universe. With the help of tools like the Event Horizon Telescope, we now know more about these mysterious objects than ever before, but how much can we truly discover about something that is so very good at offering only one-way trips within its depths?
This program will last for approximately 35 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Friday, Oct. 9: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 10: 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Ticket Price: $8
This show is all about the concept of size and scale when it comes to the universe. Starting at Earth, we will fly farther and farther away from home, encountering the incredible structures that populate the cosmos, traveling right to the edge of our visible knowledge of what surrounds us.
This program will last for approximately 35 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Friday, Oct. 16: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 17: 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Ticket Price: $8
Interested in getting to know your night sky? This live planetarium program will show you what constellations, planets, meteor showers, and more will be coming to the Prescott skies for your viewing pleasure.
This program will last for approximately 35 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Note: Weather permitting, telescopes will be available for viewing after all shows.
Show Times:
- Friday, Nov. 6: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 7: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Ticket Price: $8
The smallest rocks wandering across the Solar System can sometimes pack the biggest punch. We will explore the past, present and future of the cookie crumbs of the cosmos, seeing just how these modest travelers can have a dramatic impact on our place in space. Join us for the debut of the newest live show to be created by the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium team.
This program will last for approximately 35 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Friday, Nov. 20: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 21: 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Ticket Price: $8
Family Friendly Shows
Recommended for children and their families.
Tom and Stella live on Space Base 1 in the year 2053, training as young astronauts while floating high above Earth. When a massive hurricane threatens the planet, they must take on a dangerous space mission.
This program will last for approximately 30 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Saturday, Oct. 17: 1 p.m.
Ticket Price: $10
Celeste loves dinosaurs. With the wise Moon as her guide, she embarks on a magical journey through time to witness their rise, their incredible transformations and the cataclysm that ended their reign. But in the end, Celeste discovers that dinosaurs never truly disappeared.
This program will last for approximately 30 minutes. Please remember to arrive at the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the showtime indicated on your ticket. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Show Times:
- Saturday, Nov. 14: 1 p.m.
Ticket Price: $10
Box Office Hours
| September | October | November |
| 9/10: 3:45-6 p.m. | 10/3: 1-5 p.m. | 11/6: 5-8 p.m. |
| 9/11: 4-6 p.m. | 10/9: 5-8 p.m. | 11/7: 1-5 p.m. |
| 9/18: 5-8 p.m. | 10/10: 1-5 p.m. | 11/13: 5-8:30 p.m. |
| 9/19: 1-5 p.m. | 10/16: 5-8 p.m. | 11/14: Noon-6 p.m. |
| 9/25: 5-8 p.m. | 10/17: Noon-5 p.m. | 11/20: 5-8 p.m. |
| 9/26: 1-5 p.m. | 10/23: 5-8 p.m. | 11/21: 1-5 p.m. |
| 10/24: 1-5 p.m. |
Field Trips
Please submit the STEM Education Request Form below to request STEM programming.
After submitting the request form, a member of the STEM Outreach Team will contact you within 2-4 business days to discuss the date, time, and details of your visit.
If your group is unable to travel to the Prescott Campus and would like to apply for a visit from the Jim and Linda Lee Mobile Planetarium to bring the stars to your school or institution, please complete the form below.
Please note: Submission of either form is a request for programming from STEM Outreach or the Jim and Linda Lee Mobile Planetarium. Programming is not confirmed until a confirmation e-mail has been received.
Please email questions about a STEM education campus visit to prstmout@erau.edu.
For questions regarding a visit from the Jim and Linda Lee Mobile Planetarium, please email prplanet@erau.edu.Group Packages
- If you have a group of 10 or more who would like to attend a regularly scheduled public show and include a meal at our Earhart's Dining Hall, contact Suzy Gurton at prplanet@erau.edu for details on our "Meal and a Show Package."
- If you would like to host an event on the Embry-Riddle campus and include the rental of the planetarium in your event, contact Pam Passmore at PASSMORP@erau.edu to explore your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about the cosmos? You'll find those answers during our public planetarium shows. But if you have any questions about Embry‑Riddle or the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium, check out some of our answers below.
The planetarium is located inside Building 76 (STEM Building) on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott Campus. If you enter campus on Haas Boulevard, continue down that road until you reach Parking Lot A. The STEM building is the large building in front of Parking Lot A with the big white dome on top. The planetarium is on the second floor on the side of the building most distant from the parking lot. On days with planetarium shows, signs will be put on the side of the roads on campus directing you where to go. You can also refer to our Campus Map.
Accessibility Note: If you use the ramp at the end of the building by the parking lot, you will enter the STEM building on the first floor. At the end of the hall is an elevator that can take you to the second floor right at the box office and planetarium entrance.
During planetarium showtimes, Embry-Riddle Parking Lots A and A1 will be reserved for guests holding planetarium tickets. However, please do not park here during normal business hours on days when there are no planetarium shows. These lots are reserved for Embry-Riddle staff and faculty. Cars without the proper decal parking in these spaces when planetarium shows are not being held may be subject to fines.
You can reserve your seat for a future program through our upcoming shows page and clicking on the show you would like to attend. There will be a reservation form available on that page.
Our box office for in-person purchases will be open during all of our public show weekends. It is located at the reception desk right outside the planetarium. You can purchase tickets from this desk starting an hour before the first public show of the day and up to an hour after the start of the last public show of the day. For example, if there will be planetarium shows at 6:00 and 7:00 PM, the box office would be open from 5:00 - 8:00 PM that evening. Tickets can be purchased at this box office for any of our upcoming shows, not just the shows playing that weekend. Credit and debits cards only. NO CASH OR CHECKS ACCEPTED.
If you encounter any difficulties with the reservation process, please give us a call at 928-777-3422.
We do free shows. If not every ticketed individual has arrived by the time of the show, we will let people in from the standby line on a first-come, first-served basis to fill in any open seats. Please keep in mind that entering the standby line does not guarantee you a seat, but most people who use the standby line do end up getting to see a show. We open the standby line approximately 45 minutes before the first public show of the day. It is located close to the planetarium entrance doors. To receive assistance finding the standby line, follow the signs to the planetarium on Embry-Riddle's campus and ask your nearest usher for directions.
Please get to the planetarium at least 10 minutes prior to the show time indicated on your ticket and enter the line as the signs and ushers will indicate. We start right on time. If you arrive later than your scheduled time, you may not be able to attend the show.
Depending on the event, members of the Embry-Riddle family may receive a discount or even be allowed entry for free! For more information about upcoming opportunities like this, please contact prplanet@erau.edu.
Yes. Up to seven days prior to a show, you may receive a full refund. Please contact us at prplanet@erau.edu, providing us with your full name and order number, so we can cancel and refund your order. Less than seven days prior to a show, no refunds can be issued. Ticket fees will not be refunded.
For free tickets, you are welcome to email us at prplanet@erau.edu to request a cancellation.
No food or drinks permitted. Keep your electronic devices muted and stowed during the show.
Yes. Please ask your usher when you line up for your show, and we can provide you with one.
Yes. When reserving your ticket, please select the Wheelchair Space ticket. These tickets are only available for customers in wheelchairs or other mobility assistance devices that would be used in place of a standard planetarium seat.
Try refreshing the page. Sometimes the old stuff sticks! (press Control + F5 or Control + Shift + R)
Related Resources
Contact Us
Summer Hours: Mon.-Wed.-Fri. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
3700 Willow Creek Road
Prescott, AZ 86301-3720
Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium Director
Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium Assistant Director