Our 47-seat planetarium is equipped with a Digitarium Kappa digital projector, the first of its kind in the world. With this facility, we can reproduce the night sky as seen from anywhere on Earth or from the surface of any object in the solar system, and at any time in history, past or future.
The VSU Planetarium is a valuable teaching tool and a facility for an extensive public outreach program. Astronomy majors give planetarium shows to thousands of visiting schoolchildren and members of nonprofit civic organizations. 

The Planetarium is available to non-profit school groups and civic organizations for daytime shows on a limited basis.

 

Upcoming Shows (2025)

Friday, January 31:Planet Parade
Friday, February 21:Dawn of the Space Age
Friday, April 4:Spring into Summer
The Planetarium is on the third floor of Nevins Hall, Room 3004, near the southeast elevator.  Tickets and sign-up lists for the shows will be available FREE (first come, first served); come to the table in front of the planetarium at 5:30 pm, for the 6 pm show, or the later shows at 7 pm, 8pm, and 9pm. Students in astronomy and physics will be helping at the front desk and upstairs on the deck. The program is suitable for children of all ages.  Seating is limited to 47 per show. For more information, please call the Applied Mathematics and Physics Department at (229)-333-5778. Their hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 8 am-5:30 pm and Friday 8 am-3 pm.

Special Viewings (2025)

March 14th: Total Lunar Eclipse Viewing 1am-4am

The campus and public are invited to view a Total Lunar Eclipse early in the morning of Friday, March 14, from 1:00 am to 4:00 am.  During that time, the Moon will be passing into the shadow of Earth, leading to a 66-minute period of totality.  At that time, the Moon is expected to turn red due to Earth’s atmosphere scattering sunlight into the “umbral” shadow zone.  This “blood moon,” as it is now called, is very dramatic and should be visible, weather permitting, from anywhere in the US, coast to coast. Astronomy students and Dr. Martha Leake will be on the VSU Observatory deck, on the fourth floor of Nevins Hall, with telescopes aimed at the Moon and other available objects between 1 am to 4 am.

Remember that you can watch from home, too.  But for easy access to our rooftop viewing opportunity, enter at the southeast door to Nevins Hall to take the elevator to the 4th floor, and exit to the deck.  We hope you have a chance to enjoy the event!

 

VSU PLANETARIUM POLICY

Our planetarium shows for school groups and civic organizations (up to 47 visitors) may be scheduled through the Event Services office (229 333-5998, or email:  facility@valdosta.edu). Please observe the following policies when requesting a show:

  1. Groups must comprise at least ten individuals.
  2. We provide shows for non-profit civic organizations and school groups in grades K-12. For grades 8 and under we request that one adult chaperone per ten students be included in the group.
  3. The planetarium seats 47; for reasons of safety, groups may not exceed this number (including chaperones).
  4. Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance of the requested date.
  5. The planetarium is closed from mid-May to mid-August.
  6. All of our shows are suitable for ages five and up.