The SUNY Oneonta planetarium operates the Evans & Sutherland Digistar 6 system- one of the world's most advanced fulldome digital theater systems! It features a digital projector capable of bringing you sharp views of the stars, planets, and constellations visible in the night sky. Additionally, the system can show full dome movies and animations, providing you with a complete planetarium show experience.
The planetarium is used in a variety of science classes across campus, and offers a fun and enriching experience for all students. Are you a student interested in learning more about the planetarium? Join the Nebula Society! This student-run organization designs and runs shows for the campus community, and all majors are welcome!
Planetarium shows for the general public and school groups are also available during the school year. See below for our current show schedule.
Spring 2026 Public Planetarium Shows
The SUNY Oneonta planetarium offers family-friendly shows for the public on Friday nights and Saturdays throughout the Spring 2026 semester.
Tickets are $4 per person per show and can be purchased online through the University Ticketing System, or at Hunt Union. This small fee helps us offset the increasing cost of planetarium maintenance and allows us to offer the highly requested Saturday shows. Tickets are FREE for SUNY Oneonta students. Purchase your tickets online ahead of time to guarantee your seat. Unsold tickets will be available day-of, on a first-come-first-serve basis, cash only. Walk-in seating is not guaranteed.
Please arrive 10 minutes early as doors close promptly at showtime.
Show Schedule and Topics
Select Friday Nights
The Life and Death of Stars
Travel across the cosmos to witness how stars are born from vast clouds of gas and dust, shine for millions to billions of years, and ultimately shed their outer layers in dramatic explosions. The Life and Death of Stars explores stellar evolution within the Winter and Spring night sky, and highlights the latest telescope imagery of young stars forming planets, old supergiant stars, beautiful supernova remnants, and more! (Best for ages 8 and up)
Saturday Mornings in February
On Saturday mornings in February we will offer two family-friendly 45-minute planetarium shows.
Cultures in the Cosmos
Explore constellations in the night sky through the eyes of people from three separate indigenous cultures around the world: the Native American Ojibwe Tribe, Modern Hawaiian Starlines of Polynesia, and ancient Imperial Chinese astronomy in Asia. (Best for ages 8 and up)
The Sky Tonight
This 45 minute live tour of the stars showcases the constellations visible in the evening sky and takes you on a journey through our Solar System and beyond. (Suitable for all children and adults).
Saturday Mornings in March - May
On Saturday mornings in March - May we will offer two family-friendly 45-minute planetarium shows.
Messengers in Time and Space
Messengers of Time and Space explores how modern telescopes, like the Gemini and Rubin Observatories, will work together to explore objects that move and change in the night sky. Audiences will also learn how information can reach us through other messengers like cosmic rays, elusive particles called neutrinos, and even gravitational waves rippling through space. (Best for ages 10 and up)
The Sky Tonight
This 45 minute live tour of the stars showcases the constellations visible in the evening sky and takes you on a journey through our Solar System and beyond. (Suitable for all children and adults).
- Lap children 2 and under do not require a ticket. Tickets are non-refundable unless shows are cancelled due to weather. Doors close right at showtime, so please arrive 15 minutes early.
- Ticket fees only apply to the shows listed above. They do not apply to student events, college admission/alumni events, or school field trips. Please contact the Science Discovery Center with any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Planetarium shows kid-friendly?
Yes! All of our planetarium shows are designed for the general public. Suggested age ranges for each show are listed with the show description.
Can Planetarium show tickets be purchased at the door?
Planetarium show tickets must be purchased online. You can stop by or call the Science Discovery Center before a show for ticket assistance, if needed.
The show is sold out! If I show up, can I still get a seat?
No. Our planetarium has strict capacity restrictions. Please purchase a ticket for a future show.
I bought tickets but I can no longer come to the show. Can I get a refund?
Tickets are non-refundable, but they are transferable! Please feel free to donate your tickets to another family if you cannot attend the show.
Help us “project” a better future for the planetarium!
The SUNY Oneonta Planetarium runs ~250 shows per year, reaching over 4500 students, families, and community members. But our planetarium projectors, software and computers are getting old. Help us raise the funds needed to upgrade the planetarium and continue to provide our visitors with unprecedented views of the night sky!
Future planetarium upgrades will include:
- New 4k projectors offering high-resolution views of the night sky.
- The latest Digistar software, offering new planetary imagery, real-time views of the sun, updated datasets, and expanded visual content.
- Modern computers with high-end graphics cards to run the software and projectors.
- An upgraded sound and lighting system to make pre-recorded shows feel more like HD movies.
- Funding for our planetarium intern, who is the sole reason we can offer you weekend shows!
- Funding to support the creation of new planetarium show content by students and faculty.
Donations of any amount help us achieve our goal. THANK YOU for helping us continue to share the wonders of the Universe with our local community!
School, Community and Private Groups
We regularly host educational groups from preschool through high school for planetarium shows that supplement in-class instructional units and also offer private planetarium shows.
Contact
Perna Science Building 018A
108 Ravine Parkway
Oneonta, NY 13820
United States