DuPont Planetarium

Public Show Schedule

The Ruth Patrick Science Education Center's DuPont Planetarium at the University of South Carolina Aiken consists of a 30-foot diameter tilted aluminum dome by Astro-Tec, Digistar II planetarium projection systems from Evans & Sutherland, and Spice automation system by Sky-Skan. This equipment has the capabilities of all-sky, video and panoramic projection. The 45-seat planetarium chamber houses the only known "camera obscura" in such a

Complementing the planetarium facility are two large sundials with shadow lines included in the cement plaza area. Also complementing the planetarium facility are the observatory housing the Bechtel Telescope and a variety of other telescopes:

• 17.5-inch Dobsonian reflecting telescope (Donated by observatory presenter, Jim Cadieux).
• 8-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain catadioptric telescope with a full-aperture solar filter.
• 7-inch Scherr refractor telescope.
• 90 mm Orion Skyview refractor telescope with a full-aperture solar filter.
• 40 mm Coronado Personal Solar Telescope (PST) (Donated by observatory presenter, Jim Cadieux).

The DuPont Planetarium opened in September 1995. The planetarium conducts K-12 school programs, general-interest level programs for the public and specialized programs for university classes. For information on special shows and birthday parties, call Laura Pierce at 803-641-3313.

Visit other planetarium related links

Directions to DuPont Planetarium

To the Moon and Beyond Show kit available for planetariums

33° 34' 29.14440" N or 33.57478116402771
81° 46' 10.73198" W or -81.76964700222015

Please indicate if you need any special services, assistance, or accommodations to participate in planetarium programs by contacting Laura Pierce at LauraP@usca.edu or 803-641-3313.