Sac State Planetarium

Home
United States
Sacramento, CA
Sac State Planetarium

Call Directions Website Contact the university

A state-of-the-art Planetarium theater at the new Tschannen Science Complex on the Sac State campus.

10/05/2026

This month we will be bringing back our popular “JWST: The Fourth Year” and “Encounters in the Milky Way” shows. These shows continue to sell out, so grab your tickets before they're gone! Learn about some of the James Webb Space Telescope's most amazing photos released during its fourth year of operation, or choose interactions between asteroids, comets, stars, and entire galaxies.

We also have a big announcement regarding parking. We are no longer able to offer free parking on campus at our public shows. All cars coming to campus will need to purchase a parking permit (currently $5 for a two-hour pass or $10 for an all day pass). This can be done over the phone, through an app (PayByPhone), or at the permit machine located on the 3rd floor of Parking Structure 2. Regardless of which method you use, you will need to know your car's license plate number. You do NOT need to put a ticket or receipt on your dash - your license plate is your pass once you make the purchase.

Tickets for our October shows go on sale Tuesday, October 6 at 12 noon. Check out the Hornet Ticket Office for more info: https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/hornet-tickets/planetarium.html

09/11/2026

The new academic year has begun here at Sac State, and campus is busy once again after a quiet summer!

This month we’re featuring two returning favorites: “JWST” and “Encounters in the Milky Way”. Come check out some of the most amazing images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s fourth year of operation in our newly updated “JWST: The Fourth Year”. Learn about close encounters between objects in the universe as told by the relaxing voice of Pedro Pascal in “Encounters in the Milky Way”.

Tickets are on sale now! Check out the Hornet Ticket Office for the full schedule and more info: https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/hornet-tickets/planetarium.html

08/17/2026

Fall field trips are now open for reservations! We are excited to continue to offer field trips to K-12 classes for no admission cost. Bring your students to the Sac State Planetarium to experience the wonders of the universe! A minimum of 20 students is required to reserve a field trip. Time slots are offered Monday through Friday, mornings and early afternoon. Check out our booking website for current availability, and to reserve your show: https://appt.link/SacStatePlanetarium/FieldTrip/

08/05/2026

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has completed its fourth year of image releases, which means it’s time for another updated version of our JWST planetarium show! Come check out “JWST: The Fourth Year” and see some of the most amazing new photos from one of NASA’s most impressive telescopes.

Also returning this month are the popular “Encounters in the Milky Way” and “Backyard Astronomy: The Sky Tonight.” Come learn all about galactic interactions and the August skies this month at the Planetarium!

Tickets are on sale NOW. Check out the Hornet Ticket Office for the full schedule and more information: https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/hornet-tickets/planetarium.html

07/02/2026

We’ve got a special version of our popular Kid’s Day shows this month: Choose Your Own Astronomy! These shows will be hosted by our Planetarium Director Dr. Kyle Watters, and the audience for each show will get to choose which topics they get to explore! Come check out these unique shows while they’re here. The very popular “Encounters in the Milky Way” is also featured this month!

Tickets are on sale NOW! Check out the Hornet Ticket Office for the full schedule and more information: https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/hornet-tickets/planetarium.html

06/15/2026

It’s officially summer here at Sac State, though astronomical summer doesn’t begin until the summer solstice on June 21. With the summer months comes the hot weather, so why not cool off and watch a show in the Planetarium?

This month we’re featuring our newest show, “Encounters in the Milky Way”, as well as the favorite “Backyard Astronomy: The Sky Tonight” updated for June skies. General admission for all shows are $7, while kids under 12 (and Sac State students) can claim free tickets! Bring your young astronomers in for a show, and beat the heat while exploring the skies!

Tickets are on sale NOW! Check out the Hornet Ticket Office for the full schedule and more info: https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/hornet-tickets/planetarium.html

05/08/2026

We’re excited to announce a brand-new show, “Encounters in the Milky Way”! The show tells the tales of some of the past interactions of our solar system and our galaxy, as well as looking towards the future of what lies ahead. The film portion of this show is also narrated by Pedro Pascal! We’re offering all four showings COMPLETELY FREE, for the premiere weekend only! Spots are limited, and we anticipate that these shows will sell out quickly, so set an alarm for Tuesday at noon to get online and secure your free tickets to come see "Encounters in the Milky Way" on the weekend of May 22nd-23rd.

We are also featuring a “Kid's Day” show all about The Solar System, as well as “Backyard Astronomy” updated for May’s skies. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 12th at 12:00 noon. Check out the Hornet Ticket Office for the full schedule: https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/hornet-tickets/planetarium.html

04/03/2026

NASA’s Artemis II has finally launched! Four astronauts will fly around the Moon and go farther away from Earth than any human has before. This team leads the way for future return trips to the surface of the Moon!

We’ve got a great lineup of shows this month, including a couple of Kid’s Day shows all about the Solar System (including the Moon!), and a couple more all about stars and galaxies. The popular “Backyard Astronomy: The Sky Tonight” and “Aurora: Lights of Wonder” shows make a return as well!

Tickets go on sale Monday, April 6 at 12 noon. Check out the Hornet Ticket Office for more information: https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/hornet-tickets/planetarium.html

Address

6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA
95819

Telephone

+19162784586

Website

https://www.csus.edu/planetarium

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sac State Planetarium posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Sac State Planetarium:

Want your university to be the top-listed university in Sacramento?