Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2022-05-10 20:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours, educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. This event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Mark your calendars for future dates:

June 13July 11August 8September 12

[CANCELED] Skywatching: Dix Park - Total Lunar Eclipse
2022-05-15 21:30 - 23:59 | Dix Park, 1010 Blair Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27603, United States
Join staff and volunteers from the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society (CHAOS), and Raleigh Astronomy Club (RAC) for skywatching at Dix Park.

Look through telescopes, facilitated by Morehead staff and dedicated volunteers, at a variety of objects in the sky including Jupiter and Saturn.

To set the stargazing mood, the Triangle Sax Ensemble will be playing some tunes! Bring a blanket or chairs so you can relax under the stars.

Click here to learn more about how you can view the Total Lunar Eclipse.

Register Here

Registration: This event is free and no ticket required. Registration helps us plan for attendance and we can update registered participants of inclement weather changes.

Teen Science Cafe: Our Vanishing Night
2022-05-20 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
OUR VANISHING NIGHT

For generations, everyone experienced the breathtaking beauty of an unspoiled night sky, with views into our universe of thousands of stars and the Milky Way. In this program, you’ll discover how light pollution affects our view of the night sky, find out how to participate in a worldwide citizen-science campaign to document light pollution, and try your hand at designing better streetlights that put light only where it’s needed. Under the planetarium dome, you’ll experience a stunning night sky studded with stars, just as our ancestors did—and as we could too, if we reduced light pollution.

About our speaker: Amy Sayle, PhD, communicates astronomy to the public and tells stories about the stars under the Morehead Planetarium sky, at skywatching events, on night paddles at Jordan Lake, and under dark skies at Bryce Canyon National Park’s annual astronomy festival. She is a founder and coordinator of the North Carolina Science Festival’s annual Statewide Star Party, which features dozens of skywatching events from the NC mountains to the coast on the same weekend in April.

About Teen Science Cafe: Teen Science Cafe is a monthly event, inviting teens to talk directly with scientists about their work. Designed specifically for ages 13-18, we invite guests to ask questions and participate in interesting discussions. This is a free event and offers an opportunity for socializing before the talk with a mini pizza party. Pizza served outside Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at 5:30 pm. The program will begin at 6:00 pm.

RSVP on Facebook for Updates

Photo credit: Steve Christensen. Image: Milky Way over Jordan Lake.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2022-06-13 20:00 - 23:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours, educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. This event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Mark your calendars for future dates:

July 11August 8September 12

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2022-07-11 20:00 - 23:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours, educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. This event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Mark your calendars for future dates:

August 8September 12

Skywatching: James Webb Space Telescope Event
2022-07-14 18:30 - 20:00 | Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
See the stunning first scientific images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope! Join Morehead Planetarium and Science Center educators Nick Eakes and Amy Sayle in learning about the most powerful and complex telescope ever launched into space and how it will help us answer some of humanity’s biggest questions.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2022-08-08 20:00 - 23:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours, educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. This event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Mark your calendars for future dates:

September 12

Skywatching: Perseid Meteor Shower at Dix Park
2022-08-12 21:00 - 23:00 | Dix Park, 1010 Blair Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27603, United States
Join staff and volunteers from the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and Raleigh Astronomy Club to view the Perseid Meteor Shower at Dix Park.

To set the stargazing mood, the Triangle Sax Ensemble will be playing some tunes! Look through telescopes, facilitated by Morehead staff and dedicated volunteers, at the eclipse and other objects in the sky! Bring a blanket or chairs so you can relax under the stars.

This is an informal session, so you can arrive and leave any time during the program. However, if you plan to attend, please register so that we can send you any additional information you may need as we get closer to the date.

Please leave all pets at home, even those on a leash. Darkness, lots of people, expensive telescopes and pets on leashes is a bad combination. Pets will not be permitted near the telescopes.

Register

Registration: This event is free and no ticket required. Registration helps us plan for attendance and we can update registered participants of inclement weather changes.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2022-10-10 20:00 - 22:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours, educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. This event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

[POSTPONED] Skywatching: Little River Regional Park
2022-11-11 18:00 - 20:00
Due to expected rainy weather conditions, this event has been postponed. Please join us for December’s Skywatching: Geminid Meteor Showers.

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center invites you to a free skywatching event at Little River Regional Park (weather permitting). Morehead educators and CHAOS members (from Chapel Hill Astronomical & Observational Society) will bring telescopes and guide you through fun observations of stars, planets, moons, nebulae and other celestial objects. Be sure to call the park office after 4pm for cloud/cancellation updates: 919-732-5505. Meet at the Play Meadow. All ages welcomed. Due to the fragile viewing equipment, please no dogs.

If you’re interested in finding out more about skywatching sessions with Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, check out this link: https://moreheadplanetarium.org/skywatching-faqs/

Skywatching: Geminid Showers
2022-12-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Little River Regional Park, 301 Little River Park Way, Rougemont, North Carolina, 27572, United States
One of the best meteor showers of the year – the Geminid meteor shower — will next peak on Tuesday, December 13, 2022.

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and Little River Regional park will host a free skywatching event.

Learn about meteors and more! For example, did you know meteors, sometimes misleadingly called “shooting stars,” are streaks of light caused by cosmic debris interacting with Earth’s atmosphere. Typically, this debris has been left by a comet. In the case of the Geminids, the source is an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon.

Follow for event updates

Skywatching: Little River Regional Park
2023-03-24 20:00 - 22:00 | Little River Regional Park
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center invites you to a free skywatching event at Little River Regional Park (weather permitting). Come see Venus close to the waxing crescent Moon, plus Mars and other celestial delights!

Morehead educators and CHAOS members (from Chapel Hill Astronomical & Observational Society) will bring telescopes and guide you through fun observations of stars, planets, moons, nebulae and other celestial objects. Be sure to call the park office after 4pm for cloud/cancellation updates: 919-732-5505. Meet at the Play Meadow. All ages welcomed. Due to the fragile viewing equipment, please no dogs.

If you’re interested in finding out more about skywatching sessions with Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, check out this link: https://moreheadplanetarium.org/skywatching-faqs/

[CANCELED] Skywatching: Dix Park
2023-05-20 21:00 - 23:00 | Dix Park, 1010 Blair Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27603, United States
This event has been canceled due to weather.

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center invites you to a free skywatching event at Dix Park in downtown Raleigh (weather permitting). Come see Venus, Mars, and other celestial delights!

Morehead educators and Raleigh Astronomy Club will bring telescopes and guide you through fun observations of stars, planets, moons, nebulae, and other celestial objects.

If you’re interested in finding out more about skywatching sessions with Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, check out this link: https://moreheadplanetarium.org/skywatching-faqs/

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2023-05-22 20:00 - 23:00, 2023-07-10 20:00 - 23:00, 2023-07-24 20:00 - 23:00, 2023-09-25 20:00 - 23:00, 2024-06-10 21:00 - 23:00, 2024-07-15 21:00 - 23:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 8:00 pm and stargazing begins at 9:00 pm. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Carolina Science Cafe | Artemis II: There and Back Again
2023-07-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Gizmo Brew Works, 157 E Franklin St #100, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join Nick Eakes, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador and Astronomy Educator from Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, to discuss Artemis– NASA’s new lunar exploration program. For the first time in over 50 years, humanity is going to set foot on the Moon – sending the first woman and first person of color to the lunar surface.

Through the Artemis missions, NASA will implement new technology to study our closest neighbor in new and better ways, with the ultimate goal of preparing for future human missions to Mars. Nick will provide the history and context of the Artemis program as well as updates on where we are in the mission timeline.

Nick Eakes has been an informal science educator at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center (MPSC) since 2008. Nick is a proud product of Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools and went on to receive his BA in Psychology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012. Along with actively presenting astronomy programs in the planetarium, Nick designs curriculum, travels the state with the NC Science Festival, and is currently the coordinator of Morehead’s astronomy outreach programs – including the Mobile Planetarium and Skywatching.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Gizmo Brew Works on Tuesday, July 11th, starting at 6:00 p.m.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Skywatching: Perseid Meteor Shower at Dix Park
2023-08-12 21:00 - 23:00 | Dix Park, 1010 Blair Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27603, United States
Join staff and volunteers from the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and Raleigh Astronomy Club in viewing the Perseid Meteor Shower at Dix Park on its peak night!

All you need to view meteors are your eyes, but we’ll also have telescopes for you to view other celestial delights, such as double stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. Bring a blanket or chairs and some snacks so you can relax under the stars.

This is an informal session, so you can arrive and leave at any time during the program. However, if you plan to attend, please register so that we can send you any additional information or an inclement weather notice.

Please leave all pets at home, even those on a leash. Darkness, lots of people, expensive telescopes, and pets on leashes are a bad combination. Pets will not be permitted near the telescopes.

Register

Registration: This event is free and no ticket is required. Registration helps us plan for attendance and we can update registered participants of inclement weather changes.

[CANCELED] Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2023-08-28 20:00 - 23:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
This event has been canceled due to weather.

Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 8:00 pm and stargazing begins at 9:00 pm. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2023-10-16 18:30 - 21:30 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 6:30 pm and stargazing begins at 7:30 pm. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Skywatching at Little River Regional Park
2023-12-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Little River Regional Park, 301 Little River Park Way, Rougemont, North Carolina, 27572, United States
Join us from 8 to 10 p.m. at Little River Regional Park on December 13! With the guidance of a Morehead educator and members of Chapel Hill Astronomy and Observing Society (CHAOS), you’ll have the chance to view the sky via telescope, engage in hands-on astronomy activities, and take a laser-guided “star tour” of the night sky. There may also be an opportunity to see meteors from the Geminid meteor shower.

When joining us at this free event, we ask that you leave pets at home and, if you plan to hang out, bring chairs or blankets. Please note that weather can affect this event. Stay up-to-date via social media.

Find additional resources and FAQs on our Stargazing page.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2024-05-13 20:30 - 22:30 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 8:00 p.m. and stargazing begins at 8:30 p.m. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2024-09-09 20:00 - 22:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 7:30 pm and stargazing begins at 8:00 pm. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Skywatching: Partial Lunar Eclipse
2024-09-17 22:15 - 23:15 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Following Starry Nights: Fall Skies on Tuesday, September 17, head to the Morehead Sundial to observe a partial lunar eclipse! This free skywatching event is open to the public and does not require an admission ticket to Morehead. We ask that you review parking information below or on our Plan A Visit page before arriving.

Learn more about skywatching

A lunar eclipse. (Credit: Jayme Hanzak)

About the lunar eclipse

The times below are for Chapel Hill, NC and surrounding areas. To find information on the lunar eclipse in your area, visit Time and Date.
Begins: September 17, 8:41 p.m.
Maximum: September 17, 10:44 p.m.
Ends: September 18, 12:47 a.m.

Parking

PARKING FOR CARS AND VANS
Parking for Morehead visitors is available in several area parking lots and on Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill.
The closest parking lot is located directly in front of the Morehead Building and is owned and operated by UNC as a campus-wide parking lot. This UNC lot will be under construction through early summer 2024. During this time, parking will be limited and only available in designated visitor spaces identified by visitor signage. Visitors can pay for parking using the ParkMobile app (Zone Code 4468) or the Digital Pay Station near our iguana. There is no cash payment option.
Parking on Saturdays and Sundays is free unless the lot is reserved for special events. After business hours and on weekends, other parking lots on the UNC campus may also have spaces available. Overnight parking is not permitted in this UNC lot.
We strongly encourage visitors to plan ahead and allow adequate time to find alternate parking (visit Park on the Hill for more information). Thank you for your understanding as the University works to create an improved parking environment at Morehead. Questions concerning this parking lot can be directed to UNC Transportation and Parking at 919.962.3951.
PARKING FOR BUSES
Buses and oversized vehicles may pull into the lot to drop off students, but must park off-site. For more information about bus parking, please see our Field Trips page (for schools) or Group Visits page (for non-school groups).

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2024-10-21 19:30 - 21:30 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Stargazing begins at 7:30 pm. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

This date is a reschedule for the canceled August 19 event.

Skywatching at Prairie Ridge Ecostation
2024-11-23 19:00 - 22:00 | Prairie Ridge Ecostation, 1671 Gold Star Dr., Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, United States
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center will be at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ winter astronomy night with the Raleigh Astronomy Club! Weather permitting, we’ll have telescopes for skywatching, guided by astronomy educators. Morehead will be onsite from 7 to 9 p.m. for this event.

We recommend dressing for the weather and leaving pets at home. The gate to the road will be open at 6:50 p.m. – please do not arrive earlier as there is nowhere to park safely outside the gate.

Learn more about this event

Skywatching at Little River Regional Park
2024-12-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Little River Regional Park, 301 Little River Park Way, Rougemont, North Carolina, 27572, United States
Join staff and volunteers from Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society (CHAOS) for a skywatching event at Little River Regional Park!

This is an informal session, so you can arrive and leave at any time during the program. However, if you plan to attend, we suggest bringing a blanket or chairs and some snacks so you can relax under the stars.

Please leave all pets at home, even those on a leash. Darkness, lots of people, expensive telescopes, and pets on leashes are a bad combination. Pets will not be permitted near the telescopes.

Have more questions about skywatching? Visit our FAQs page!

Skywatching FAQs
