EFSC Planetarium, Cocoa

The size of the universe is nearly beyond comprehension, yet somehow it all seems to fit within the Eastern Florida State College Planetarium & Observatory. Nestled along the shores of Clear Lake, the planetarium and observatory take visitors throughout the solar system, across the spirals of distant galaxies, and right into a black hole's solid candy heart. Two star projectors work together within Star Theater, where a 70-foot screen recreates the night sky with special effects and lasers. This allows the planetarium's team to take audiences on a tour of different constellations, or combine music and laser effects for a bit of fun. The Discovery Movie Theater screens science documentaries, while a space-themed art gallery takes a more creative look at the heavens.

Interactive science exhibits sprawl across the rest of the facility, which boasts free entry for all. One of these—The Foucault pendulum—proves Newton's First Law of Motion in a clear, visual way. A giant 235-pound pendulum swings from the ceiling, striking a golf ball from a tee every 26 minutes on the dot, in perfect harmony with the Earth's rotation. In another area, a rooftop telescope looks into the heavens and displays its findings on a computer monitor for all to see.