🔭 Planetariums, observatories and star parties in Charlotte
Grown-ups: these places are on other websites. Hold the button for two seconds to turn the names into links.
Planetariums
- Discovery Place Sciencediscoveryplace.org
Charlotte · Planetarium shows such as Under the Same Stars and Violent Universe play in the museum's IMAX Dome Theatre in Uptown Charlotte.
- Museum of York County: Settlemyre Planetariumchmuseums.org
Rock Hill · A digital planetarium inside the museum with weekend and weekday star shows, including Carolina Skies live on Saturdays, and Sensory Saturday mornings.
- The Schiele Museum of Natural Historyschielemuseum.org
Gastonia · The natural history museum's planetarium runs Oasis in Space, a tour of our celestial neighborhood, on weekdays and twice each weekend day.
Observatories with public nights
- UNC Charlotte Observatoryobservatory.charlotte.edu
Charlotte · The university observatory hosts a fall star party for children and adults and a monthly Future Astronomers program for ages 8 to 14.
Astronomy clubs with star parties
- Catawba Valley Astronomy Clubcatawbasky.orgFree
Maiden · The club hosts public star gazes on Friday nights at its Lucile Miller Observatory, with no reservations needed, scheduled through early 2027.
Dark-sky places within a drive
- Appalachian State Dark Sky Observatorydso.appstate.edu
Purlear · A university research observatory in the mountains northeast of Boone that opens to visitors only on scheduled ticketed evening programs.
- Mayland Earth to Sky Parkmayland.edu
Burnsville · An International Dark Sky Park with the Bare Dark Sky Observatory, a domed planetarium and grounds open around the clock for stargazing.