Sensory-Friendly Coyote Explores the Earth, Moon, and Sun

Name: Sensory-Friendly Coyote Explores the Earth, Moon, and Sun
Start: 2026-03-14T15:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-03-14T16:30:00-05:00
Location: William M. Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College

Schedule

Sat Mar 14 2026 at 03:30 pm to 04:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

William M. Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College | Champaign, IL

There are sensory-friendly shows at the Staerkel Planetarium on March 14! These matinées will feature "lights up, sound down" and will have a relaxed atmosphere where patrons can come, go, and move around as needed. Our sensory-friendly shows are great for guests with autism spectrum disorder, sensory sensitivities, or young children. All are welcome, even if you don't need sensory accommodations!
Explore the relationships between the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun with the help of Coyote, an amusing character adapted from Native American oral traditions who has many misconceptions about our neighbors in space. His confusion makes us think about how the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun work as a system as we distinguish between myth and science. Examine how the Sun rises and sets and how the Sun shines, then learn about craters on the Moon, phases, and eclipses. Lastly, we look at past exploration of the Moon. Originally produced by the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in North Carolina.
Admission is $8 for adults or $7 for Parkland students, seniors 65 and older, or children 12 and under. Passes may be purchased at tickets.parkland.edu or in the lobby beginning a half-hour before the first show. Members of the Friends of the Staerkel Planetarium are admitted for free.