Public Programs
Public programs are offered on Friday evenings throughout the year at 7:30 pm (May through September at 8:30 pm) and Saturday afternoons during the academic year at 1:00 pm. Admission to all public programs is $8 for adults and $6 for children, seniors and UToledo community members (children 3 and under are free).
We accept credit card and cash payments. All shows are first-come, first-served - reservations and advanced ticket purchases are not available. Doors open 30 minutes before the show, during which time you can explore the displays in our lobby. (Note the time change to 8:30 PM as of May 1.)
The planetarium (show) portion of the program is approximately one-hour, while the
observing session on Friday night will continue until everyone has had a chance to
take a look through the telescope. More information below.
Fall 2024 Schedule
The Other Side of Infinity: Black Holes
Friday evenings at 7:30 PM from October 4 to October 25, 2024
Narrated by Academy-Award nominated actor Liam Neeson, this cutting-edge production features high-resolution visualizations of cosmic phenomena, working with data generated by computer simulations, to bring the current science of black holes to the dome screen.You will enjoy the striking, immersive animations of the formation of the early universe, star birth and death, the collision of giant galaxies, and a simulated flight to a super- massive black hole lurking at the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy.
Spooky Space
Saturday afternoons at 1:00 PM from October 5 to October 26, 2024
Explore the sky and outer space with a Halloween twist. Meet the space counterparts to spooky characters like ghosts, vampires, and witches. Spooky Space is a great Halloween show for ages 6 and up.
Phantom of the Universe
Friday evenings at 7:30 PM from November 1 to November 22, 2024
PLEASE NOTE THE TIME CHANGE TO 7:30 PM
The show reveals the first hints of its existence through the eyes of Fritz Zwicky, the scientist who coined the term “dark matter.” It describes the astral choreography witnessed by Vera Rubin in the Andromeda galaxy and then plummets deep underground to see the most sensitive dark matter detector on Earth, housed in a former gold mine. From there, it journeys across space and time to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, speeding alongside particles before they collide in visually stunning explosions of light and sound, while learning how scientists around the world are collaborating to track down the constituents of dark matter.
Did An Asteroid Really Kill the Dinosaurs!
Saturday afternoons at 1:00 PM from November 2 to November 23, 2024
Astronomy and Dinosaurs, what else could anyone want? This program examines the mystery of the great extinction some 65 million years ago. Travel with us as geologists roam the earth in search of clues that ultimately lead scientists to the massive impact from space in the Yucatan Peninsula that killed the dinosaurs. This is an exciting and entertaining program that answers the question, “Did an Asteroid Really Kill the Dinosaurs?
Santa's Secret Star
Friday evenings at 7:30 PM from November 29 to December 21, 2024
Saturday afternoons at 1:00 PM from November 30 to December 22, 2024
Santa’s Secret Star is an updated full-dome version of our classic children’s program by the same name. Follow along as Rudolph introduces Santa to his friends the constellations. Watch how the constellations help Santa and his crew make it back to the North Pole. Learn how you can navigate by the stars just like Santa.
What you can expect:
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A live guided tour of the Toledo night sky
You will learn about the constellations visible from Toledo and any planets visible to the naked eye. We also typically discuss one "hot topic" in astronomy, such as the discovery of new planets around other stars, or the latest NASA discover on Mars.
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The full-dome presentation
Whether we are traveling inside a black hole, taking a tour of the moon with Elmo, or learning about the skies over Toledo, you and your family will simply be amazed at the full-dome immersive show. -
An open-ended question and answer session
Our expert host will answer all of your astronomy questions, whether they pertain to the live tour of the night sky, the feature presentation, or any other astronomy question that you might have. -
Observing at Brooks/Ritter Observatory
You will be escorted over to Brooks Observatory atop McMaster Hall to view the stars and/or planets through our new 14 telescope. On the first Friday of every month, we instead observe with the Ritter 1m (40 in) telescope. This telescope is the largest active telescope east of the Mississippi and is still used by the astronomers at UToledo for their research. All observing is weather permitting!