VSU Planetarium, Valdosta

Photo: Jadvii, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Valdosta State University’s small planetarium, on the third floor of Nevins Hall, puts on free public evening shows during the school year, and its astronomy students host thousands of schoolchildren every year. A Digitarium Kappa digital projector can show the sky from anywhere on Earth, or from any world in the solar system, at any point in history.

• Seats47
• Public showsFree; evening shows at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m. on show nights
• WhereNevins Hall, Room 3004 (third floor), 1500 N. Patterson St.
• SeasonClosed mid-May to mid-August

Public Shows

Free tickets are handed out first come, first served at a table outside the planetarium, starting at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. show. Shows suit ages 5 and up and run under an hour; when skies allow, VSU sometimes adds an observatory open house, such as its spring Astronomy Day event. Watch VSU’s news releases for the season’s show titles and dates. Limited public parking is in front of Nevins Hall and at the Admissions Office across Patterson Street.

Under the Dome47 seats

Nevins HallThird floor

School and Group Visits

Shows for K-12 schools and nonprofit civic groups are booked through VSU Event Services at 229-333-5998 and presented by trained astronomy students; available times are limited.

• Groups need at least 10 people and can’t exceed 47, chaperones included.
• For grade 8 and younger, bring one adult chaperone for every 10 students.
• Book at least two weeks ahead.
• The planetarium is closed from mid-May to mid-August.

Contact: Department of Applied Mathematics and Physics, 229-333-5778 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). VSU Planetarium website. More stargazing: Georgia planetariums and observatories.