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51³Ô¹ÏÍø also has an observatory on the edge of campus with a 12-inch robotic Meade telescope and an 8-inch Celestron telescope.  A group of dedicated students has taken on the task of bringing the observatory back online.  We have completed the inglorious task of cleaning out the observatory building and evicting the current residents (mice) as well as clearing out overgrowth by the observatory.  We also repaired the dome so it opens and rotates properly.  We are prepared now to begin the practical training on the telescopes and its associated equipment.

We have hosted planetarium shows for campus groups as well as for groups in the community such as Boy and Girl Scouts. We have also hosted private shows such as a birthday party and a wedding.  We offer these private shows at no cost, though we appreciate appropriate donations to help us maintain and upgrade the planetarium.  If you are interested in a show for your group, please fill out and we will be in contact with you.

We offer local schools the opportunity for field trips on Fridays during the academic year.  We can fashion a presentation based on your curricular needs.  The ideal group size for our planetarium shows is 80, but we're happy to work with larger groups by either splitting into two shows and offering alternative presentations, such as physics demonstrations, to accommodate everyone.

We offer shows to the public free of cost.

Upcoming Shows:

We will have a public show on Friday, February 20, 2026, at 7pm on "Celestial Navigation." 

Information:

Please RSVP for the show by calling 330-672-2246 or sending an email to physics_planetarium@kent.edu.  Please arrive 10 minutes early so that everyone can be comfortably seated when the show starts.  If you drive, please park in the R-5 Lot.