Tucson's Flandrau Planetarium receives national recognition

One of Tucson's major science attractions is receiving recognition.

USA Today listed the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium for a spot in its 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards. It's ranked 4th best planetarium in the United States.

Planetarium design manager Shiloe Fontes says being located on the University of Arizona campus gives Flandrau an advantage.

"We really do have that benefit of being on a campus that has such a history in space exploration and planetary science and optics, and that gives us a lot of contact to be able to communicate to our public," she said.

The planetarium will celebrate its 50th anniversary this fall. It attracts nearly 70,000 visitors every year, including about 14,000 K-12 students on field trips.