Mark Wishon and his son Nolan, 5, check out the projected image of planets on a globe in the lobby of the Orange Coast College Planetarium. The Planetarium held a celebration of its third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
A Foucoult Pendulum illustrates the Earth’s rotation by knocking down pins as it swings back and forth in the lobby of Orange Coast College’s Planetarium. The Planetarium held a celebration of its third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Rachelle Coy holds up her son Archer, 2, so he can look at the surface of the sun through a telescope as Orange Coast College’s Planetarium held a celebration of its third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
An image of Earth is projected onto the dome of the planetarium as Orange Coast College’s Planetarium held a celebration of its third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Orange Coast College alumni Paul Frank signs autographs for attendees to the open house celebration for the Planetarium’s third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
An image of the surface of Mars is projected onto the dome of the planetarium as Orange Coast College’s Planetarium held a celebration of its third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Henry Eberhart, 8, left, launches a small paper rocket with an air compressor system at the Orange Coast College Planetarium celebration of its third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Artist and OCC alumni Paul Frank signs books and postcards for fans as Orange Coast College’s Planetarium held a celebration of its third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Brooke Hawkins holds her son Harrison, 2, as they watch the Foucoult Pendulum mark time in the lobby of the Orange Coast College Planetarium during a celebration of its third anniversary since opening its doors in 2019 at an Open House event Saturday in Costa Mesa on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Orange Coast College’s $24 million planetarium was introducing children and the community to the stars for barely a year before the pandemic forced it closed.
After reopening for public shows earlier this year, the planetarium celebrated an open house and its third anniversary on Saturday, March 19. Along with exhibits on space and science, there were demonstrations of rovers and rockets and other fun activities.
“We are really excited to be back open so we can offer regular public shows covering new Earth science and astronomy topics,” Planetarium Director Scott Mitchell said in a statement. “We’re going to start with the opening of our first major exhibit (it will be on meteorites), and a whole new slate of public events like monthly telescope nights, the Space Out relaxation hour, and our kids STEM events.”
