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Department of Physics

Public Shows

For up-to-the-minute information about ISU Planetarium offerings, contact the Planetarium skyline day or night at (309) 438-5007.

Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.

  • The ISU Planetarium is pleased to offer: Big Astronomy - People, Places, Discoveries.

    The ISU Planetarium is open and we’re thrilled to welcome you back to our dome! In celebration, we have a great new show for you. Journey to three world-class observatories in Big Astronomy: People, Places, Discoveries . Show times are Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays at 2 PM and 7:30 PM, beginning August 13.

    This full-dome planetarium show explores Chile’s rugged Andes Mountains and arid Atacama Desert -- remote, extreme regions that offer perfect conditions for astronomical research. There, visit the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) and Gemini South Observatory, which use optical telescopes to collect and magnify visible light with giant mirrors. Then, trek to the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA), a radio telescope with sixty-six networked antennae that collect radio waves from deep space. Along the way, you’ll meet an inspiring cast of astronomers, engineers, technicians, and support staff who keep these incredible telescopes running.

    After each program, we point out highlights found in the current evening sky; including the bright stars, constellations, and planets visible from Central Illinois.

    Free parking for the Planetarium’s weekend programs is available a short distance from the ISU Planetarium in the University’s red tag F-67 parking lot, located on the east side of School Street.

    Following the latest CDC guidance and Illinois State University policy, face coverings are required in all University public indoor spaces. This includes the ISU Planetarium.

    For more information, please call the ISU Physics Department at (309) 438-8756 or visit the Illinois State University Events page for specific show dates and times.

  • The ISU Planetarium is pleased to offer online and free: Legends of the Night Sky - Perseus and Andromeda.

    Thank you to Joanne Young and Audio Visual Imagineering for making this show available!

    See Legends of the Night Sky

    Ticket Information

    Tickets are available 20 minutes before each show in the Planetarium gift shop (located next to the Planetarium). Cash or check only.

    • Preschoolers (Ages 3-4): $3
    • Children (Ages 5-12): $4
    • Adults (Ages 13-59): $5
    • Seniors (Ages 60 and up): $4
    • University faculty, staff, and students: $4
    • Planetarium Friends: free