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Snow King Observatory & Planetarium
The Only Mountaintop Observatory & Planetarium in the United States!
Welcome to Snow King Observatory and Planetarium! We’re situated at 7,900 feet where science, education, and the cosmos converge. Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or first-time visitor, our guides are here to make the universe accessible, awe-inspiring, and fun!
We offer daytime museum-style tours, evening planetarium shows, and nighttime stargazing experiences. Scroll down to find the experience that’s right for you.
Finding Us
We’re located at the top of Snow King Mountain! The base of the gondola is located at Phil Baux Park in downtown Jackson, WY. From the top of the gondola, we’re a short walk to the southwest, about 300 feet (100m): look for the asphalt walkway and red lights to your right. Make your way to the top of the hill which is behind the Summit Building and Aurora Restaurant.
Plan to arrive at the gondola base at least 20 minutes before your session to allow time for the scenic ride up and the walk over.
Buy TicketsState-of-the-Art Facility
1-Meter Optical Telescope
The crown jewel of our observatory deck is a Planewave 1-meter aperture telescope. This research-grade instrument provides stunning views of planets, moons, clusters, galaxies, and nebulae. During our Night Experiences, guests are invited to gaze through our submarine-style periscope and eyepiece system, then use our suite of cameras and detectors to capture their own images of the cosmos.
38-Seat Planetarium Theater
Our 8-meter planetarium dome features 360-degree astronomy films, live shows about the night sky, and immersive fly-throughs of the solar system. Our astronomy guides are on hand to bring it all to life!
Science On a Sphere
Developed by NOAA, our lobby centerpiece displays images, animations, and live data sets of Earth and beyond to visualize our planet like never before. Follow ocean currents, track earthquake data, and gaze at our beautiful Blue Marble, then take a tour of the moons of our Solar System or explore depictions of exoplanets beyond our Sun.
Current Planetarium Features
Dark Universe — Explores modern cosmology, dark matter, and dark energy. Narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Capcom Go — The inspiring story of the Apollo missions and what it took to put the first humans on the Moon.
Edge of Darkness — Recent missions to comets and asteroids, featuring stunning footage from the Rosetta mission’s flight through Comet 67P and the first close-ups of Pluto. Narrated by Hayley Atwell.
We Are Stars — A family-friendly journey from the Big Bang to life on Earth, covering stellar nucleosynthesis and our cosmic origins. Narrated by Andy Serkis.
Unseen Universe — How humanity built telescopes to see beyond visible light, including the Event Horizon Telescope and the first-ever image of a black hole. Narrated by John Billingsley.
Forward to the Moon — NASA’s Artemis program and the mission to return humans to the Moon, including the first woman and person of color. Narrated by Kari Byron.
Cosmic Mashups — A deep dive into galaxy mergers, supermassive black holes, and the science of colliding galactic centers. Produced by the Fiske Planetarium
DESI 5000 Eyes — An exploration of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument and its mission to produce the most complete map of our universe. Produced by NOIRlabs.
Daytime Experience
12:00pm – 4:00pm on Select Days (Last tickets sold 3pm, last planetarium show 3:30pm)
Step inside our incredible new science education facility. Your daytime ticket covers the full daytime hours, so explore as long as you like!
During your visit you can catch our immersive planetarium shows, watch space exploration films in our classroom theater, tour the research telescope and dome, view sunspots and solar flares using our rooftop solar telescope, and visualize NOAA data with our Science On a Sphere exhibit. Planetarium shows run throughout the day in 30-minute sessions with programs rotating daily, so every visit offers something new.
Evening Planetarium Shows
Two sessions per evening on select days: 5pm – 6pm and 7pm – 8pm
Each one-hour show takes place in our 8-meter, 4K, full-dome planetarium theater. During your visit, you’ll get to watch two acclaimed astronomy short-films from our current lineup.
Cap off your evening with dinner at the Aurora Restaurant — reservations available on Resy.
Our Night Experience - Tour & Show
9pm – 10:30pm Select Days
Join us at 7,800ft as the stars begin to shine! Our 90-minute night experience offers a glimpse of everything Snow King Observatory and Planetarium has to offer. While we wait for Wyoming’s skies to darken, you’ll tour our facility, including a Science on a Sphere presentation, a look inside our Telescope Control Room, and a show in our planetarium. Making our way up to the observing deck, guests are welcome to use our collection of consumer telescopes before we crack open the observatory dome’s eyelids and turn our 1-meter research telescope toward the night sky.
If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we can move into the planetarium for a star talk featuring the constellations, planets, fly-bys, and deep-sky images we would have seen from the deck.
The LATE Night Experience - Peak Stargazing
10:30pm – Midnight, Select Days
Peak Season Only: June 13 – August 16
Our premier stargazing experience, set within Jackson Hole’s officially certified International Dark Sky Community. Ride the gondola up at sunset for sweeping views of the Teton Range, then stay for the darkest skies in the region overlooking the South and Eastern Gros Ventre wilderness. On the observing deck, explore a variety of telescopes at your own pace before our team turns the 1-meter Planewave toward the night’s best targets. Ride back down under a sky full of stars with quaint Jackson Hole below.
If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll move into the planetarium for a star talk featuring the constellations, planets, fly-bys, and deep-sky images we would have seen from the deck.
Tickets are limited — book in advance!
Planning for a Group?
Book the Whole Observatory & Planetarium
Reserve the only mountaintop observatory and planetarium in the United States: exclusively yours! At 7,900 feet above Jackson Hole, it’s an unforgettable setting for school field trips, corporate events, private celebrations, and once-in-a-lifetime private stargazing experiences.
A full facility buyout gives your group exclusive access to our planetarium, Science on a Sphere, solar telescope, 1-meter research telescope, and observatory deck, with our guides on hand throughout. Whether you’re visiting under the midday sun or a sky full of stars, we’re ready to entertain and inform!
Contact us to start planning your event.
Other Activities
Scenic Gondola Rides
Enjoy the best views of the Tetons, the Elk Refuge, and the town of Jackson on our brand-new gondola to the summit of Snow King Mountain.
