🔭 Planetariums, observatories and star parties in San Francisco and Oakland
Grown-ups: these places are on other websites. Hold the button for two seconds to turn the names into links.
Planetariums
- College of San Mateo Planetariumcollegeofsanmateo.edu
San Mateo · Campus planetarium that runs a monthly Friday-night show called The Sky Tonight, with seating first come, first served and no tickets.
- Morrison Planetarium (California Academy of Sciences)calacademy.org
San Francisco · Planetarium in Golden Gate Park that is open daily and shows the films Timescapes and Living Worlds, with free reservations required for every show.
Observatories with public nights
- Chabot Space & Science Centerchabotspace.orgFree
Oakland · Astronomers on the Observatory Deck offer free telescope viewing every Friday and Saturday night, weather permitting, and rain or high humidity closes the domes.
- Lick Observatorylickobservatory.org
Mount Hamilton · Mountaintop observatory whose East Grounds are open daily for self-guided walks, though the Main Building is closed and the Great Refractor is under repair.
Astronomy clubs with star parties
- Mount Diablo Astronomical Societymdas.netFree
Walnut Creek · Club that gives the public free astronomy outreach, with monthly star parties from March to October featuring many telescopes run by its members.
- Peninsula Astronomical Societypastro.org
Los Altos Hills · Club that opens the Foothill Observatory to the public on clear Friday nights for star gazing and on Saturday mornings for solar viewing.