Peterson Planetarium

At Peterson Planetarium, audiences of all ages can learn about the solar system, gaze at stars and even participate in STEM activities. Our programming serves a variety of community and University audiences.

The planetarium is an educational outreach of the Science and Math Education Center and serves as a teaching facility for various university courses, as well as local school districts and the community. The theatre seats 38 under a 24-foot projection screen dome. A Spitz 512 star projector was installed in 1996 and the entire facility was renovated in 2014, including the addition of hemispherical mirror projection to provide full dome audio video programming and a supplemental digital projector allowing digital media interaction. 

The Planetarium is a part of the Department of Physical Sciences with funds provided by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Star Parties!

The Peterson Planetarium hosts Star Parties to look at visible planets and the moon. Dates and locations are determined by the moon phase and clouds in the sky. Every Star Party will begin at dusk, and will be announced the day of at 4 p.m. in Hornet Announcements, and by noon on our Facebook (Peterson Planetarium at Emporia State University). An email will be sent out to everyone on our Star Party email list by noon also. Cancelations will be posted on Facebook and by email.

Email scimathc@emporia.edu to join the Star Party mailing list.

You will only receive emails when there is a Star Party, or upon the cancellation of an event.