The Planetarium is an important educational resource for schools, colleges, community groups and the general public. Weekdays provide the main focus for activities for schools and colleges, while evenings offer an opportunity for community groups to enjoy shows. Public shows are held every two weeks on a Friday evening during the winter (from September to April) and on Sunday afternoons during the summer (from May to August).

Schools are catered for across all areas of the science curriculum and at all levels. School parties can also book a Planetarium show with a live internet telescope session, where one of a number of telescopes from places like Chile, Australia, the Canary Islands, mainland USA and Hawaii can be controlled directly from the Planetarium, and pictures of the sky are captured on computer from these far away places.

Public shows are wide-ranging and include a tour of what can be seen in the sky in any one month, shows on the Big Bang theory, features on the sun and our neighbouring planets, the legends behind the constellations, views of the sky from different parts of the world and much more! Advance bookings are essential for all educational and community group visits and are recommended for public shows, as shows are very popular and sell out fast.

Together with the Observatory, the Planetarium forms the local focus for any astronomical events. It is run jointly by the Cleveland and Darlington Astronomical Society (CaDAS) and Stockton Borough Council, and members of the Society are often on hand to share their wealth of knowledge with visitors. Winter public shows are held on Friday evenings to coincide with ‘public observing night’ where, if the skies are clear, the Observatory is opened and CaDAS members bring along their own telescopes for you to view the wonders of the heavens first hand and up-close.

The Planetarium is also licenced for civil weddings ceremonies and is proving very popular with couples that fancy something a little different for their special day! Contact Stockton Register Office on (01642) 527720 for further information.

For bookings and further information, contact the Planetarium Director on (01740) 630544 or visit www.wynyard-planetarium.net.