Frequently Asked Questions

Pre-K through 12th grade, with different programming for each. You don’t have to pick one curriculum for the whole day — most schools have us do a different presentation for each grade.

That’s up to you. We have 20 live lessons and a library of full-dome films. For pre-K you might choose Sesame Workshop’s One World, One Sky; for high schoolers, a lesson on planetary orbits and retrograde motion. Tell us what you want before the visit, or let us choose by age.

Yes. Our programs support NGSS and state science standards for Earth and space science.

Absolutely. We tailor shows by grade level, by a specific curriculum goal, or around seasonal events like eclipses and meteor showers.

The interactive lessons are tightly scripted to stay on topic — there’s a lot to cover in 25 minutes. That said, our presenters take student questions and adapt on the fly for each group.

No. Summer camps are a favorite of ours, and plenty of clients book us purely because the dome is a great time — our film library includes titles that are more fun than educational.

Not at all. We run programming for adults too: real astronomy using the full capability of the software, corporate events with a lighter touch, and most things in between. For most groups we’re something they’ve never done before.

An assembly is one show for half or all of your students at once, set against the backdrop of your gym, with the presenter half a court away. This is an immersive STEM experience that surrounds your students, with the presenter a couple of feet away. Because the dome is 360 degrees, everybody has the best seat. And with 20+ lessons and smaller groups, the material is tailored grade by grade.

For most grades, about 50 students fit at a time, along with our presenter and a few teachers. For junior high groups, plan on slightly fewer than 50; for high school seniors, about 40.

About 30 minutes, including getting everyone settled and giving instructions. Plan on 5 to 10 minutes between groups.

Up to 600. A full-day booking gives you up to twelve 30-minute sessions with as many as 50 students each.

We have a dome with a door over six feet tall, so students walk right in—no crawling whatsoever. The dome is also accessible for students who can’t walk through the door.

Yes, and we’re proud of it. Students can remain in wheelchairs, and we’ll adjust entry and exit procedures to accommodate your students. It is helpful, but not necessary, to let us know ahead of time which of your groups may require these accommodations.

Six meters across — about 20 feet — and just under 12 feet tall. Our low-profile dome sets up in rooms with ceilings as low as 10 feet.

Once students walk into the dome, our presenter directs them where to sit. Students sit directly on your floor. The dome goes over and around everyone, not under, so they’re sitting on the real floor of wherever we set up.

About 30 minutes to set up and about 30 minutes to pack up.

Ideally 25×25 feet with 13 feet of vertical clearance — a gym, multipurpose room, or large library meeting room. A regulation 10-foot hoop with a full-size backboard means you’re fine. Tighter rooms work down to 20×20 with 12-foot ceilings, and our low-profile dome handles ceilings as low as 10 feet — ask before you rule a room out.

One standard 3-prong outlet within 50 feet of where we set up. That’s it.

Yes. For safety, comfort, and projection quality, the dome is indoors only.

A Galaxy on the Go presenter who is experienced with children and trained on both our software and our age-specific lesson plans. Every presenter passes a background check.

Chicago. Our presenters, our domes and our office are all here, so we can hold your date without a deposit, move it on short notice, and come back next year without you waiting on a tour route. More questions worth asking before you book a mobile planetarium →

First come, first served. Some dates book more than a year out; others are open with a few days’ notice. If you need one specific date, say so when you reach out and we’ll do our best. Flexibility always helps.

Everything we need for a contract is on our contact form — but you don’t need all of it to send a first inquiry. Send what you have.

No. Your date is reserved without a deposit. We can even hold your preferred date while you go through your approval process.

Move your date whenever you need to, right up to the day before. Earlier notice means more dates to pick from.

Yes. We carry a $2 million commercial general liability policy, and adding your organization as an additional insured costs nothing.

Yes, and we’re an approved CPS vendor. We prefer a check in advance where that works, but we’re flexible.

Yes. Between the live lessons and the film library, you’d have to bring us in a lot before we ran out of material for any grade.

Usually we can do something. Email hello@galaxyonthego.com and we’ll talk it through.

Anywhere within 300 miles of Chicago. Beyond about 50 miles, pricing may be adjusted to cover presenter travel.