Orange Coast College Planetarium — Attraction in Costa Mesa

Fantastic experience! I'm looking forward to attending here more.

But, what's with the chairs? To become fully immersed, one should be looking straight up in the theater. Instead, the chairs ensure that, in order to be seated properly and look up, you have to tilt your head all the way back, then roll your eyes all the way up - it's not a comfortable position to maintain for any amount of time, let alone a full hour. If you don't do this, then you're only looking forward and a bit up, roughly at the angle of watching a high-mounted TV at a sports bar.

Thankfully, the groups on both sides of us didn't quite understand what they were signing up for and decided to depart about 1/2 way into the show. It allowed us to sort of spread out and "lay down", so that the back of our heads were on the seat bottom cushion. It's not the most comfortable way to sit, but it's the best way to experience this...

As an Video and audiophile I was incredibly underwhelmed. You might ask why? First the audio was compressed with very tame dynamics, no bass and to low volume. Add some subs, crank up the volume and make it a concert. And now to the worst part, the video, it brought me back to 1995, no HD and so dim with no pop. Come on guys 4k and 8k is everywhere, meanwhile your showing yesterday's tech and charge a lot. Not worth...

Paid parking. Restroom is available and clean. Shop inside. No food or drinks inside the planetarium. Waiting area outside with benches. An average planetarium.

The sound seemed a little too loud, the projection was good but a little washed out. The seat doesn't recline. Inside is a little small but makes sense for a community planetarium. They encourage children's science learnings. The staff...