Solar Eclipse Party
Solar Eclipse Party
Monday, April 8 | 12:30 – 4:45 p.m.
Join Morehead as we celebrate the solar eclipse! Outdoor activities are free and include solar observing, hands-on astronomy activities, and more. Ticketed admission in the building includes a live stream of the eclipse from totality, meteorite activities, and special eclipse-themed screenings of Carolina Skies in our Fulldome theater. Our museum store will also sell eclipse glasses and other merchandise as supplies last.
Please review parking information before arriving.
We are out of stock of eclipse glasses!
Activities
Outdoors — Free
- Telescopes and sunspotters for solar observing
- Gift shop table with eclipse glasses and other merchandise
- Hands-on solar and eclipse activities, and more!
Indoors — $10 admission
- A live stream of the eclipse from totality on our Science Stage
- Meteorites and other indoor activities in our Launch Lab
- Carolina Skies: Solar Eclipse (SOLD OUT) – a 30-minute presentation providing information about the causes of solar eclipses and a special look at a total solar eclipse in the planetarium.
Tickets go on sale Monday, March 25. Guest passes, memberships, and walk-up discounts, such as those for UNC students and Museums 4 All, do not apply to this event.
Globally, this event is referred to as a total solar eclipse. However, North Carolina will see only a partial eclipse due to our location and the path of totality. The following times are for Chapel Hill, NC:
- Begins: 1:58 p.m.
- Maximum eclipse: 3:15 p.m.
- Ends: 4:28 p.m.
When looking at the Sun, it is extremely important to wear the correct eyewear. Sunglasses do NOT provide sufficient protection and can cause severe and permanent damage to your eyes if used during this event.
According to the American Astronomical Society, do NOT look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device, even when using eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer. The concentrated solar rays could damage the filter and enter your eyes, causing serious injury.
We strongly recommend purchasing a pair of certified eclipse glasses from our gift shop, Cosmic Goods, or front desk. If you’re joining us on Monday, April 8, a limited number of eclipse glasses will be for sale at the gift shop table outdoors while supplies last. Two pairs per person limit.
Parking Information
The UNC-owned parking lot in front of our building is currently under construction. Visitors must currently pay using ParkMobile (Zone Code 4468). On the day of the Solar Eclipse Party, we expect parking to be extremely limited.
For the latest parking information and locations, we recommend reviewing the Town of Chapel Hill parking and UNC-Chapel Hill parking pages.
Public Transportation
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is accessible via Chapel Hill Transit, PART, and GoTriangle. Please note Chapel Hill Transit offers fare-free bus service between UNC, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro.
Directions
From Raleigh and Eastern North Carolina
Take I-40 west to Exit 270 (US 15-501). Turn left off the exit and cross over I-40 onto US 15-501 south. Travel 1.5 miles. When the road forks, take the right fork to Franklin Street. Follow Franklin Street west for 2.5 miles and look for Morehead on the left.
From Pittsboro and the Sandhills Area
Take US 15-501 north to Chapel Hill. Cross Fordham Boulevard (this is the US 15-501 Bypass) and stay on US 15-501 Business, which is Columbia Street. Travel 1.5 miles and turn right onto Franklin Street. Follow Franklin Street east for a half mile and look for Morehead on the right.
From Durham and Areas Northeast of Durham
Take I-85 south to US 15-501. Travel south and cross I-40. Travel 1.5 miles. When the road forks, take the right fork to Franklin Street. Follow Franklin Street west for 2.5 miles and look for Morehead on the left.
From Burlington, Greensboro, and Western North Carolina
Take I-40 east to Exit 266 (NC Highway 86). Turn right onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Travel north 4.1 miles and turn left onto Franklin Street. Follow Franklin Street west for a half mile and look for Morehead on the right.