PUBLIC Shows
Our shows last approximately 45-60 minutes.
In-Person shows in our dome: All shows are free and open to the public, but reservations are required. 15-20 minute introduction simulating what's up in the sky tonight and/or discussion of a topic relevant to the film, then we play one of our 20-40 minute full dome feature films and answer your burning questions! After the show, our telescope assistants invite you to the rooftop telescope for live viewing of the night sky, weather permitting. Check out our Plan Your Visit page for information about parking and accessibility. All visitors must follow WVU Safety Guidelines. If you have any questions or concerns please email planetarium@mail.wvu.edu.
Virtual presentations on Zoom: All you need is an internet connection and the Zoom platform! Register to get your personalized zoom link and then tune in on the date/time of the event. If you have any questions or concerns about accessing Zoom, please email planetarium@mail.wvu.edu.
All shows are free and open to the public, but registration is required via the links below. If you need to cancel your reservation, please let us know as soon as possible so we may open remaining seats to others. Doors open approximately 15 minutes before the show. Please note that we aim to start each presentation promptly on time. Once the show starts and the doors are closed, we do not permit additional guests to enter for both safety concerns and to not interrupt the show in progress. Thank you for your understanding.
| Date | Show and Intended Audience | Time | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, January 12th, 2022 (Virtual Presentation) |
“The International Space Station” | 7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| Wednesday, January 26th, 2022 (Virtual Presentation) |
“The Winter Night Sky” |
7:00-8:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| Wednesday, February 9th, 2022 (Virtual Presentation) |
"Wild and Wonderful Pluto" |
7:00-8:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022 (Virtual Presentation) |
"Celebrating the Contributions of Black Astronomers" | 7:00-8:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| Friday, March 11, 2022 (Children's Show) | Children's Show - "Accidental Astronauts" | 7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| Friday, March 11, 2022 | "Dawn of the Space Age" | 8:00-9:00pm | This show already occurred |
| Friday, March 25, 2022 (Children's Show) | "Two Small Pieces of Glass" | 7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| Friday, March 25, 2022 | "To Space and Back" | 8:00-9:00pm | This show already occurred |
| Friday, April 8th, 2022 |
Children's Show - "Earth's Wild Ride" | 7:00-8:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| Friday, April 8th, 2022 |
"Black Holes" |
8:00-9:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| Friday, April 22nd, 2022 | Children's Show - "Earth, Moon, & Sun" |
7:00-8:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| Friday, April 22nd, 2022 |
Earth Day Show - "Dynamic Earth" |
8:00-9:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| May 6th, 2022 | Children's Show - "Secrets of Gravity" |
7:00-8:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| May 6th, 2022 | "The Dark Matter Mystery" |
8:00-9:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| May 20th | Children's Show - "Larry Cat in Space" |
7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| May 20th | "Ultimate Universe" |
8:00-9:00pm | This show already occurred |
| June 10th | Children's Show - "Accidental Astronauts" |
7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| June 10th | "Tales of the Maya Skies" |
8:00-9:00pm | This show already occurred |
| June 24th | "Supervolcanoes" |
7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| June 24th | "Einstein's Gravity Playlist" |
8:00-9:00pm | This show already occurred |
| June 30th | Special Event "Music Under the Stars" |
7:30-8:30pm | This show already occurred |
| July 8th | Children's Show - "Oasis in Space" |
8:00-9:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| July 8th | "Space Opera" |
9:00-10:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| July 22nd | Children's Show - "Two Small Pieces of Glass" |
8:00-9:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| July 22nd | "Stars of the Pharaohs" |
9:00-10:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| August 5th | Children's Show - "Earth's Wild Ride" |
7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| August 5th | "From Earth to the Universe" |
8:00-9:00pm |
This show already occurred |
| August 26th | Children's Show - "Secrets of Gravity" (Trailer) |
7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| August 26th | "Dawn of the Space Age" (Trailer) |
8:00-9:00pm | This show already occurred |
| September 9th | "Larry Cat in Space" (Trailer) |
7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| September 9th | "Dynamic Earth" (Trailer) |
8:00-9:00pm | This show already occurred |
| September 23rd | "Tales of the Maya Skies" (Trailer) |
7:00-8:00pm | This show already occurred |
| September 23rd | "Stars of the Pharaohs" (Trailer) |
8:00-9:00pm | This show already occurred |
| October 6th (THURSDAY) | Children's Show - "Secrets of Gravity" (Trailer) Why do things fall to the ground without magic? The young magician’s apprentice Limbradur is far more interested in the universe and its secrets than boring magic spells. He is fascinated by the stars, the universe and the laws of nature. So, one night he sneaks into the Albert Einstein Museum, where he meets ALBYX3, a small, clever but rather quirky robot who knows all about Albert Einstein and his theories. Alby takes Limbradur on a magical journey of discovery through time and space, during which they not only uncover the secrets of gravity but also learn much about friendship and imagination. For Limbradur and Alby both have secrets of their own. |
7:00-8:00pm | Register Here! |
| October 6th (THURSDAY) | "Einstein's Gravity Playlist" (Information) Einstein's Gravity Playlist is an original planetarium show that explores the ripples in space-time known as gravitational waves. Albert Einstein first predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916, and a century later, scientists detected these waves using incredibly precise laser technology here on Earth. In honor of this long-anticipated detection, the scientists who created the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2017. In this show, viewers follow Lucia, a PhD student in physics, on an exploration of how gravitational waves are formed, how they move through the universe, and how scientists like her work to hear them. |
8:00-9:00pm | Register Here! |
| October 28th | Children's Show - "Accidental Astronauts" (Trailer) Follow the adventures of Sy 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 starship computer. Follow an asteroid as it crashes into the Moon. Bounce along with them on the lunar surface. Get up close and personal with a solar storm. "The Accidental Astronauts" is a space adventure for all ages. |
7:00-8:00pm | Register Here! |
| October 28th | "Black Holes" (Trailer) Few mysteries in the universe have the power and awe of the black hole. Where do they come from? How do we find them? Is there one on Earth's horizon? Black Holes takes you on a journey through one of the most mystifying, awe-inspiring phenomena in the universe: a black hole. |
8:00-9:00pm | Register Here! |
| November 11th | "Ultimate Universe" (Trailer) Ultimate Universe takes you on a stunning journey through the cosmos, exploring galaxies, nebulae, and our own neighborhood, the Solar System. |
7:00-8:00pm | Registration coming soon |
| November 11th | "Stars: Powerhouses of the Universe" (Trailer) Every star has a story; some are as old as time, faint and almost forgotten while others burn bright and end their lives in powerful explosions. New stars are created every day, lighting the Universe. Journey to the furthest reaches of our galaxy and experience both the awesome beauty and destructive power of stars. |
8:00-9:00pm | Registration coming soon |
| November 18th | Children's Show - "Earth, Moon & Sun" (Trailer) 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. |
7:00-8:00pm | Registration Coming Soon |
| November 18th | "Drifting North - Intro the Polar Night" (NEW!) The first of a two-part series about the year-long MOSAIC Expedition to the Central Arctic. Watch as darkness descends, storms swirl, and scientists work to gather data from the harsh and unforgiving environment. |
8:00-9:00pm | Registration Coming Soon |
| December 2nd | Children's Show - "Oasis in Space" (Trailer) Be transported on a startling and beautiful voyage through our universe, galaxy and solar system in search of liquid water - a key ingredient for life on Earth. |
7:00-8:00pm | Registration Coming Soon |
| December 2nd | "Drifting North - The Arctic Pulse" (NEW!) The second of a two-part series about the year-long MOSAIC Expedition to the Central Arctic. Watch the team of scientists work to survive one of the most extreme and unique regions of our planet as they work to unravel data about our climate. |
8:00-9:00pm | Registration Coming Soon |
| December 16th | Holiday Show: "Season of Lights" (Trailer) Season of Light explores the reasons humans are so fascinated with lighting up our lives during the December holiday season. The show recounts the historical religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice — not only Christian and Jewish, but also Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, Mexican and Hopi. | 6:00-7:00pm | Coming Soon |
| December 17th | Holiday Show: "Season of Lights" (Trailer) Season of Light explores the reasons humans are so fascinated with lighting up our lives during the December holiday season. The show recounts the historical religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice — not only Christian and Jewish, but also Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, Mexican and Hopi. | 7:00-8:00pm | Coming Soon |
| December 17th | Holiday Show: "Season of Lights" (Trailer) Season of Light explores the reasons humans are so fascinated with lighting up our lives during the December holiday season. The show recounts the historical religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice — not only Christian and Jewish, but also Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, Mexican and Hopi. | 8:00-9:00pm | Coming Soon |