Bakersfield College Planetarium-Heartland Charter School

Registration window September 15, 10:00 a.m. -September 21, 7:00 p.m.

Get ready for an unforgettable journey through space! What if you could explore the night sky, travel across the Solar System, visit Pluto, and journey beyond our Milky Way—all in one evening?

Your adventure begins under the real night sky with a live tour led by Planetarium Director Nick Strobel. He’ll help you spot the constellations, planets, and other amazing sights visible in the evening sky. Then, experience the difference between a bright city sky and a truly dark night sky as you discover how light pollution affects what we can see from Earth.

Step inside the planetarium for an immersive 29-minute adventure through space. Travel from the Sun to the planets—including dwarf planet Pluto—and see the Solar System in an entirely new way.

You’ll discover:

☀️ How the Sun and planets compare in size to Earth

🌍 Just how enormous—and tiny—different worlds really are

🚀 The incredible distances between the planets

⭐ What the sky might look like from another star system

🌌 How our Solar System fits within the Milky Way

🔭 How our galaxy compares to a typical galaxy in the universe

This isn't just a planetarium show—it's a chance to see the universe from a whole new perspective.

No light-up shoes, please! Shoes that light up when pressure is applied (as in walking or running) are bright enough in the Planetarium to ruin everyone's dark adaptation and the show's experience. Students wearing light-up shoes will be asked to remove them before being seated.

The planetarium entrance will be open 5 minutes before the start of the show. Groups arriving early are asked to wait QUIETLY outside. College classes are in session right next to the planetarium before and after the planetarium show. Groups arriving late will not get the entire show. We must end the presentation by a certain time because of other scheduled planetarium shows.

The planetarium door will be locked when the show begins. The door into the outer hallway will also be locked when the show begins. People leaving the room during a show will NOT be allowed back in!

Allowing people back in during a show would ruin the audience's dark adaptation and disrupt the show for others. Please be considerate of others!

Ticket cost:

• Students in grades 5+ $3.00
• Chaperones $20.00 (Each family will receive a solar system model to take home.)

*The price for tickets paid with a credit card will be slightly higher due to the Ticketbud processing fee.

May I pay using my student's planning amount? Yes! You can pay for your student's ticket and one chaperone ticket with your student's planning amount. Reminder: Only one chaperone ticket per family may be purchased using planning amounts. 

What are the check-in procedures? Families should meet in front of the planetarium doors at 11:15 am. There is a strict closed-door policy. No one will be allowed to enter after 11:30 AM

Who may attend? Students must be in at least the 5th grade to attend. Younger siblings are NOT allowed to attend. Only one chaperone per family.

Is there on-site parking available? The Planetarium entrance will be open 5-10 minutes before your scheduled show. The Planetarium is on the second floor, northwest corner of the Math-Science Building. Get directions on our new map.

The map also has information for disabled access. Please visit the BC Parking information page for parking details and one-day parking passes.

Allow 15-20 mins to park and walk to meet me.

The only free parking lot is the student parking lot P16, located on the corner of Hailey and University Ave. It will have brown gravel. The Dean & Adah Gay Sports Complex and the baseball fields are next to P16.

Can we pack snacks or lunch for this event or field trip? No food, drinks, gum, or candy is allowed in the planetarium.

How do I contact the event organizer?

Name: Katie Davis

Phone number: 6615496520

Email address: [email protected]

You must have a student enrolled at Heartland Charter School to attend this event. We verify enrollment for all attendees.

How to Reserve Your Spot

To officially join us on this field trip, you must complete both steps of our registration process. Please follow these directions carefully:

Step 1: Check out on Ticketbud

Complete the checkout process here on Ticketbud. This initiates your reservation. *If you want to pay with your student funds, please reserve tickets labeled "Paid with student funds through Procurify".

• Confirmation: You will receive an email confirmation from Ticketbud once your order is complete.
• Tip: If you do not see the email within a few minutes, please check your Spam/Junk folder. If you cannot find a confirmation email from Ticketbud, you did not successfully reserve tickets.
• Action: Once you have your confirmation, move immediately to Step 2.

Step 2: Place your Order in Procurify

Your spot is not confirmed until an order is placed in the Procurify system for students who are enrolled in Heartland and their primary chaperone. You do NOT need to place an order in Procurify for siblings who are not enrolled or for additional chaperones.

• Search: Log in to Procurify, search the name of this field trip in the catalog, and complete your order as you would for any other educational resource.
• Note: Do NOT place a Procurify order for siblings who are not enrolled in Heartland.
• Deadline: You must place your Procurify order within 3 days of your Ticketbud registration.
• IMPORTANT! Registration Requirement: To avoid losing your spot, both steps must be completed. Failure to place an order in Procurify within the three-day window will result in removal from the attendee list, and funds will be manually deducted from your account.

Heartland events are designed for families to attend together. Students need to be accompanied by an adult chaperone. If your student will be attending with another family, please email the field trip host to let them know once you complete your registration. Chaperones must be the legal parent or 25 years and older. All chaperones must be healthy, ethical people with the skills to be responsible adult chaperones.

Please review our Field Trip Refund & Attendance Policy!

To ensure we can provide these experiences to as many students as possible, please review our commitment and refund guidelines before registering.

All Sales are Final

• No Refunds: Once a ticket is reserved or purchased, we cannot offer a refund for any reason, including illness, scheduling conflicts, or a change of plans.
• Non-Transferable: Tickets are tied specifically to the student account used at registration. They cannot be sold, gifted, or transferred to another family.

The "No-Show" Policy

Because Heartland pre-pays many venues based on Ticketbud headcounts, an unused ticket is a direct loss of school resources.

• Fund Deduction: If a family reserves a spot and does not place an order in Procurify, the student's planning amount will still be manually deducted from their Procurify account, and the student will be removed from the attendee list.
• Loss of Access: Families who are frequent "no-shows" may lose access to future field trip registrations. We track attendance to ensure that limited spots go to families who are committed to attending.

Professional Courtesy: If an emergency arises, and you truly cannot make it:

• Notify the Lead Teacher: Please email the organizing teacher as soon as possible.
• Why it matters: This prevents the entire group from waiting at the venue entrance for your arrival, keeping the educational program on schedule for everyone else.

Our Goal: By only registering for events you are fully committed to, you help us keep our field trip program sustainable and open to all students.