Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2024-05-13 20:30 - 22:30 (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 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
2024-06-10 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.

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

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2025-06-17 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! On June 17, experience stunning views, guided constellation tours, and craft cocktails, all while enjoying music from local DJs. Music begins at 8:00 p.m. and stargazing begins at 8:30 p.m.

Views from The Durham is free and open to all ages. Please note that this event is weather-dependent.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2025-07-01 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! On July 1, experience stunning views, guided constellation tours, and craft cocktails, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. In this session, Morehead astronomy educators will focus on the 5-day waxing crescent moon and Mars. Music begins at 8:00 p.m. and stargazing begins at 8:30 p.m.

Views from The Durham is free and open to all ages. Please note that this event is weather-dependent.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2025-07-29 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! On July 29, experience stunning views, guided constellation tours, and craft cocktails, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. In this session, Morehead astronomy educators will focus on the 4-day waxing crescent moon and Mars. Music begins at 8:00 p.m. and stargazing begins at 8:30 p.m.

Views from The Durham is free and open to all ages. Please note that this event is weather-dependent.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2025-08-26 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! On August 26, experience stunning views, guided constellation tours, and craft cocktails, all while enjoying music from local DJs. In this session, Morehead astronomy educators will focus on the 2-day waxing crescent moon with Mars nearby. Music begins at 7:00 p.m. and stargazing begins at 7:30 p.m.

Views from The Durham is free and open to all ages. Please note that this event is weather-dependent.

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2025-09-16 20:00 - 22:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Event Update

Views from The Durham is still on for September 16! While it will be too cloudy for telescopes, the Morehead crew will be under The Durham Hotel’s covered roof with stellar space-themed activities.

Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a stargazing night! On Tuesday, September 16, experience stunning views, guided constellation tours, and craft cocktails, all while enjoying music from DJ Gemynii. In this session, Morehead astronomy educators will focus on Saturn, which should be visible in the night sky with no moon to outshine it. Music begins at 8:00 p.m. and stargazing begins at 8:30 p.m.

Views from The Durham is free and open to all ages. Please note that this event is weather-dependent.

Skywatching: International Observe the Moon Night | Observación del cielo: Noche Internacional de Observación de la Luna
2025-10-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Peach Road Cultural Center, 911 Ileagnes Rd, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27603, United States
Join Morehead Planetarium, Raleigh Parks, Raleigh Astronomy Club, and Consulado General de Mexico for a special skywatching event on International Observe the Moon Night! Learn about the Moon, constellations, and the planets in our Solar System through telescopes and other fun activities.

Skywatching will take place at Peach Road Park in Raleigh. 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.

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

Please note that this event is weather-dependent. In the event of a cancellation, we will provide updates on our website and social media.

Learn more about skywatching events

Únase al Planetario Morehead, Parques de Raleigh, el Club de Astronomía de Raleigh y Consulado General de México para un evento especial de observación del cielo en la Noche Internacional de Observación de la Luna. Aprende sobre la Luna, las constelaciones y los planetas de nuestro Sistema Solar a través de telescopios y otras actividades divertidas.

La observación del cielo se llevará a cabo en Peach Road Park en Raleigh. Esta es una sesión informal, por lo que puede llegar y salir en cualquier momento durante el programa. Sin embargo, si planea asistir, te sugerimos traer una manta o sillas y algunos bocadillos para que puedas relajarte bajo las estrellas.

Le pedimos que deje a todas las mascotas en casa, incluso a las que llevan correa. La oscuridad, mucha gente, los telescopios caros y las mascotas son una mala combinación. No se permitirán mascotas cerca de los telescopios.

Tenga en cuenta que este evento depende del clima. En caso de cancelación, proporcionaremos actualizaciones en nuestro sitio web y redes sociales.

Aprende más sobre observaciones del cielo

Skywatching at Little River Regional Park
2025-11-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Little River Regional Park, 301 Little River Park Way, Rougemont, North Carolina, 27572, United States
Join Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society (CHAOS) for skywatching at Little River Regional Park! On this night, we’ll be focusing on Saturn’s nearly edge-on rings.

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.

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

Please note that this event is weather-dependent. In the event of a cancellation, we will provide updates on our website and social media.

Have more questions about skywatching? Visit our FAQs page!

Skywatching FAQs

Skywatching at the Morehead Sundial
2025-11-23 17:45 - 18:45 | Morehead Planetarium Sundial, 220 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for free pop-up skywatching at the Morehead Sundial! On this night, we’ll be focusing on Saturn’s nearly edge-on rings.

This is an informal session, so you can arrive and leave at any time during the program. We ask that you leave all pets at home, even those on a leash. Darkness, lots of people, expensive telescopes, and pets are a bad combination. Pets will not be permitted near the telescopes.

Please note that this event is weather-dependent. In the event of a cancellation, we will provide updates on our website and social media.

Have more questions about skywatching? Visit our FAQs page!

Skywatching FAQs

Skywatching at Stagville — Geminid Meteor Shower
2025-12-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Horton Grove – Historic Stagville State Historic Site, 5925 Jock Road, Bahama, North Carolina, 27503, United States
Join staff and volunteers from Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society (CHAOS), and Historic Stagville for the peak night of the Geminid meteor shower!

To view meteors, all you need are your eyes. However, we’ll offer telescopes for you to catch Saturn, Jupiter, and other celestial sights. Please note that this event is weather-dependent. In the event of a cancellation, we will provide updates on our website and social media.

To attend and receive updates about this free event, please register using the link below. We hope to see you there!

Register

Know Before You Go

This outdoor event will take place in the open field at the Horton Grove entrance of Historic Stagville State Historic Site. Due to the high volume of people and limited parking, please carpool if possible.

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.

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

Have more questions about skywatching? Visit our FAQs page!

Skywatching FAQs
