Embry-Riddle’s New Mobile Planetarium to Bring the Universe to Arizona Youth

Elementary, middle and high school students throughout Arizona will soon have access to a university planetarium experience from the comfort of their schools, thanks to the generosity of Jim and Linda Lee’s new mobile planetarium from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

This inflatable dome will allow students, parents and educators in rural areas to experience the wonders of space without traveling to Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona, campus. 

“The mobile dome is a giant, inflatable hemisphere we fill with the entire universe,” said Eric Edelman, director of the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium. “Shows take place in an atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re sitting around the campfire, absorbing the wonders of the universe.”

An Inflatable Universe

The new mobile planetarium inflates into a venue 18 feet in diameter, accommodating up to 20 children or a smaller group of adults for guided journeys through space.

“This dome allows us to share the wonders of the cosmos with individuals far and wide,” said Edelman. “If there are groups that do not have the resources to participate in our exciting field trip experiences to Embry-Riddle’s campus, we can now visit them — leaving no stone unturned and no mind uninspired.”

The planetarium equipment was acquired in early 2024.

“It’s our hope that these presentations will offer a unique, intimate experience for viewers — fostering a sense of wonder and exploration for participants of all ages,” said Edelman.

Students from the Yavapai Apache Nation in Camp Verde emerge from the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium mobile dome. (Photo: Embry-Riddle/Connor McShane)

Boldly Going… to Rural Arizona

Planetarium donors Jim and Linda Lee aim to provide students in rural or remote areas throughout Arizona access to STEM education. Their plan is for the mobile planetarium to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers throughout the state.

“If you enter the mobile dome for an exciting STEM program, get ready for science, exploration and wonder,” explained Edelman. 

The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium will begin accepting mobile visitation requests in fall 2024 from rural schools, community centers and event venues across the state.

About the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium

The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium is the only Arizona planetarium north of Phoenix, capable of seating 116 students and visitors. The facility also contains multimedia learning software that can take viewers from the inner complexities of the human body to the farthest reaches of the universe.

For more information, call the planetarium at 928-777-3422 or email prplntrm@erau.edu.

Posted In: Space