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Eberly College of Arts & Sciences
WVU Planetarium and Observatory
Connecting you to the Universe
Reserve Your Free Show Directions & Parking

Showtimes

Free and open to the public — reservations are required!
 
 

We present Public Shows every other Friday. We generally have children's shows at 7pm (or 8pm in Summer) and advanced shows at 8pm (or 9pm in Summer) followed by rooftop telescope observing, weather permitting. Our dome capacity is 60 visitors total. 

Our shows last approximately 45-60 minutes. After the show, our telescope assistants invite you to the rooftop telescope for live viewing of the night sky. Check out the Plan Your Visit section of our website for information about What to Expect, FAQs, Parking and Directions, Accessibility and more. For questions or concerns please email planetarium@mail.wvu.edu.

Important!

  • To cancel your reservation, please contact us so we may open remaining seats.
  • Late visitors will not be admitted! Doors close promptly at the start of a show.

Upcoming Planetarium Shows

Select Book Now to make your reservation

Sep
05
Poster thumbnail for the show Two Small Pieces of Glass 👪 Children's Show

"Two Small Pieces of Glass" 👪 Children's Show

Friday, Sep 05, 2025
8:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Coming soon!
Available Thursday, Aug 21 at 8:00 AM

While attending a local star party, two teenagers learn how the telescope has helped us understand our place in space and how telescopes continue to expand our understanding of the Universe. Their conversation with a local female astronomer enlightens them on the history of the telescope and the discoveries these wonderful tools have made. The students see how telescopes work and how the largest observatories in the world use these instruments to explore the mysteries of the universe.

Sep
05
Poster thumbnail for the show Saturn and Beyond 🪐

"Saturn and Beyond" 🪐

Friday, Sep 05, 2025
9:00 PM - 9:50 PM
Coming soon!
Available Thursday, Aug 21 at 8:00 AM

Saturn’s rings are one of the most beautiful sights in the solar system. Astronomers have known about these rings for over 400 years, yet they still present many questions. Learn the history of the discovery of Saturn’s rings and see the mysterious features captured by space craft that have explored the planet.

Sep
19
Poster thumbnail for the show We are Guardians 👪

"We are Guardians" 👪Children's Show

Friday, Sep 19, 2025
7:00 PM - 7:50 PM
Book Now

We Are Guardians looks at how our world, its peoples and ecosystems are intrinsically connected, and how with the help of satellite monitoring we can examine the links between human activities and climate change.

Sep
19
Poster thumbnail for the show Mars: The Ultimate Voyage

"Mars: The Ultimate Voyage"

Friday, Sep 19, 2025
8:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Book Now

Join us on a journey to the Red Planet—the farthest voyage ever made by humans. What does it take to make it to Mars? In this new production designed by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, we’ll discover the many challenges astronauts will face and how creativity, communication, and collaboration are essential for deep space exploration.

Oct
03
Poster thumbnail for the show WVU Fall Family Weekend - Saturn & Beyond

WVU Fall Family Weekend - "Saturn & Beyond"

Friday, Oct 03, 2025
7:00 PM - 7:45 PM
Book Now

For families attending WVU Fall Family Weekend

Saturn’s rings are one of the most beautiful sights in the solar system. Astronomers have known about these rings for over 400 years, yet they still present many questions. Learn the history of the discovery of Saturn’s rings and see the mysterious features captured by space craft that have explored the planet.

Oct
03
Poster thumbnail for the show WVU Fall Family Weekend - Saturn & Beyond

WVU Fall Family Weekend - "Saturn & Beyond"

Friday, Oct 03, 2025
8:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Book Now

For families attending WVU Fall Family Weekend

Saturn’s rings are one of the most beautiful sights in the solar system. Astronomers have known about these rings for over 400 years, yet they still present many questions. Learn the history of the discovery of Saturn’s rings and see the mysterious features captured by space craft that have explored the planet.

Oct
04
Poster thumbnail for the show WVU Fall Family Weekend - Saturn & Beyond

WVU Fall Family Weekend - "Saturn & Beyond"

Saturday, Oct 04, 2025
7:00 PM - 7:50 PM
Book Now

For families attending WVU Fall Family Weekend

Saturn’s rings are one of the most beautiful sights in the solar system. Astronomers have known about these rings for over 400 years, yet they still present many questions. Learn the history of the discovery of Saturn’s rings and see the mysterious features captured by space craft that have explored the planet.

Oct
04
Poster thumbnail for the show WVU Fall Family Weekend - Saturn & Beyond

WVU Fall Family Weekend - "Saturn & Beyond"

Saturday, Oct 04, 2025
8:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Book Now

For families attending WVU Fall Family Weekend

Saturn’s rings are one of the most beautiful sights in the solar system. Astronomers have known about these rings for over 400 years, yet they still present many questions. Learn the history of the discovery of Saturn’s rings and see the mysterious features captured by space craft that have explored the planet.

Oct
24
Poster thumbnail for the show El Universo Maya [Film in Spanish]

"El Universo Maya" [Film in Spanish]

Friday, Oct 24, 2025
7:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Coming soon!
Available Friday, Oct 03 at 8:00 AM

Busca inspirar y educar a través de la descripción de los precisos logros astronómicos de los mayas y cómo la astronomía los conectó al Universo. Los espectadores se transportan a lugares donde los mayas construyeron ciudades y templos alineados a los movimientos del Sol, la Luna y los planetas. Los antiguos mayas observaron y documentaron los acontecimientos astronómicos con gran precisión.

Oct
24
Poster thumbnail for the show Tales of the Maya Skies

"Tales of the Maya Skies"

Friday, Oct 24, 2025
8:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Coming soon!
Available Friday, Oct 03 at 8:00 AM

Tales of the Maya Skies takes you on an exciting journey back in time to the beautiful jungle city of Chichén Itzá and the world of the ancient Maya. Here we discover how this ancient civilization learned to interpret the world around them to develop a sophisticated understanding of astronomy, mathematics and science - knowledge that has influenced much of our present day learning.

Nov
07
Poster thumbnail for the show Accidental Astronauts 👪

"Accidental Astronauts" 👪Children's Show

Friday, Nov 07, 2025
7:00 PM - 7:50 PM
Coming soon!
Available Friday, Oct 24 at 8:00 AM

Follow the adventures of Cy and Annie and their dog Armstrong as they embark on an unexpected journey into space!

Explore the Earth, Sun and Moon system with a wise-cracking spaceship computer. See an asteroid crash into the Moon. Bounce along with them on the lunar surface. Get up close and personal with a solar storm. And gain a new appreciation of our home planet.

The Accidental Astronauts is a space adventure for all ages.

Nov
07
Poster thumbnail for the show From Earth to the Universe

"From Earth to the Universe"

Friday, Nov 07, 2025
8:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Coming soon!
Available Friday, Oct 24 at 8:00 AM

The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has been the subject of campfire stories, ancient myths and awe for as long as there have been people. A desire to comprehend the Universe may well be humanity’s oldest shared intellectual experience. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos. To learn about this journey of celestial discovery, from the theories of the ancient Greek astronomers to today’s grandest telescopes, we invite you to experience From Earth to the Universe.

WVU Planetarium shows are always free of charge to the public, but we gladly accept donations. If donating interests you, please do so here: https://give.wvu.edu/campaign/wvu-planetarium-project/c428289. Donations support outreach events and the maintenance of our publically available 14” diameter Schmidt-Cassegrian telescope. They also help us achieve our goal of licensing a new and exciting show every year!

Nov
21
Poster thumbnail for the show Earth, Moon, Sun 👪

"Earth, Moon, Sun" 👪Children's Show

Friday, Nov 21, 2025
7:00 PM - 7:50 PM
Coming soon!
Available Friday, Nov 07 at 8:00 AM

Learn why the Sun rises and sets, examine the Moon’s orbit, craters, phases and eclipses, and explore past and future space travel to the Moon and beyond with the help of Coyote, an amusing character adapted from Native American oral traditions, who has many misconceptions about Earth and its neighbors.

Trailer

Nov
21
Poster thumbnail for the show Dynamic Earth

"Dynamic Earth"

Friday, Nov 21, 2025
8:00 PM - 8:50 PM
Coming soon!
Available Friday, Nov 07 at 8:00 AM

Dynamic Earth explores the inner workings of Earth’s great life support system: the global climate. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere.