South Downs Planetarium & Science Centre

What it’s like

Sit under an 11 metre dome for a show on the heavens, then get a go on solar telescopes by day or star-gazing telescopes after dark.

The dome is the whole point here. It's 11 metres across, and once the show starts you're looking at the dynamics of the heavens rather than a screen bolted to a wall, which is a different kind of experience for a kid used to planetarium apps on a tablet.

Outside the show itself, there's the chance to use solar telescopes to look at the sun during the day, and proper star-gazing telescopes once it's dark. That second bit depends on the sky playing along, obviously, but it's the sort of thing you don't get at most science centres and it's worth timing your visit for an evening slot if you can.

Doors open 45 minutes before the show, so there's no long wait around beforehand or a big queue to manage. You can also arrange a visit outside the usual show times if that suits your day better, which is handy if you're trying to work around nap times or a toddler's patience for sitting still in the dark.

Need to know

Booking

Open 45 minutes before show time or by prior arrangement

• Doors open 45 minutes before show time, not before
• Star-gazing telescopes only come out after dark, so daytime visits are more about the sun and the dome show
• You can arrange a visit outside normal show times if the usual slots don't fit

Plan your visit

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