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Snow King Observatory & Planetarium
Only Mountaintop Observatory & Planetarium in the United States!
Welcome to Snow King Observatory and Planetarium, where the wonders of the cosmos come to life! Situated 8,000 feet up at the intersection of science, education, and awe-inspiring discovery, we invite you to embark on an extraordinary journey through the vastness of space.
Step inside of our state-of-the-art facility and prepare to be mesmerized by captivating astronomical displays, immersive multimedia experiences, and live presentations led by our Guides. Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or a curious novice, there’s something here for everyone to marvel at and delve into.
Explore the universe during the day in our state-of-the-art 8-meter planetarium where you can cool off on a hot summer day or warm up in the winter while you travel through space and time. Planetarium shows rotate throughout the day along with programming at the solar telescope, Science On a Sphere exhibit (SOS), and in our immersive classroom theater. With your daytime ticket you can spend an hour or the entire day learning about the universe. Planetarium shows and educational programing rotate on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis so no matter when you visit you will have a new, entertaining, and educational experience.
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State of the Art Telescope
View the grandeur and beauty of the universe with your own eyes! Our 1-meter primary mirror Planewave telescope provides astounding views of planets, galaxies, and everything in between. Sit at the telescope and look at the Moon through a periscope and eyepiece system…or use our suite of cameras and detectors to take your own images of the Orion Nebula.
37 Seat Planetarium Theater
Take in a star show to learn about the constellations and planets visible that night…or enjoy a film about supermassive blackholes and galaxy clusters…or even fly around the Solar System and visit a few planets! With both live shows and engaging movies, there’s plenty to explore in this 360-degree theater.
Science On a Sphere (SOS)
Our interactive globe will visualize Planet Earth like you’ve never seen before—take a look at ocean currents, view historical earthquake data, or simply gaze at the beauty of our Blue Marble. Live data from NOAA can be displayed before we journey to other planets or take a tour of the moons of our Solar System. You can even visit an exoplanet or two.
What's Showing
Discover the mysteries of the universe as you gaze upon the twinkling stars, distant galaxies, and elusive celestial phenomena through our 4K resolution, 360-degree, full-dome planetarium. Enjoy scenes and explanations of “What’s Up?” each night in the local sky, complete with constellations visible here in Jackson Hole.
Watch a space-themed movie on many different topics including the Artemis Missions in “Forward to the Moon” and far-away galactic collisions in “Cosmic Mashups: Gravity, Galaxies, and Supermassive Blackholes.” From the serene beauty of our own solar system to the mind-boggling expanse of the cosmos beyond, each of our films promise new insights and revelations about the wonders of space. With more than a dozen shows to choose from already, there’s lots to explore and experience!
Day Experience
Now Open 11am until 4pm Select Days (Daily during Peak Season)
See the stars during the day at our amazing new science education facility where you can explore the universe in a comfortable, climate-controlled planetarium. During the day you can enjoy our many constantly rotating planetarium shows, marvel at space exploration videos in our classroom theater, tour the new research telescope and dome, look at sunspots through or amazing solar telescope, or wonder at the many presentations on display on the Science On a Sphere exhibit. Shows change throughout the day so you can jump in for 30 min or spend the entire day exploring this amazing new facility. Different days of the week include varying film, show, and presentation topics–so you’ll see something new on each and every visit up top here! Your Daytime ticket is good for the entirety of that day, so feel free to stay from open until close and experience the marvels of the cosmos all day.
Evening Planetarium Show
5-6pm and 7-8pm select days
Our evening shows take place entirely in our 8-meter planetarium theater. Within the one hour showtime, we will first play any one of our full-dome films, and then one of our in-house astronomers will follow it up with a related science talk. Whether its exploding galaxies or comets souring through our night sky, we have topic talks that delve into great detail on all sorts of fascinating space related subjects, all supplemented with glorious images and animations above your head. We can even fly you through the solar system or show you all of the night’s constellations. Come join us for a show before or after your dinner with a view at the Aurora Restaurant (reservations available on Resy)!
Night Experience - Tours & Shows
9:00pm – 10:30pm
Our 90 minute nighttime experience offers a glimpse of everything we have to offer here at the Snow King Observatory and Planetarium. After your beautiful ride up the Gondola, we will start our evenings inside our facility around the Science on a Sphere, where one of our Guides will talk you through the solar system. Then we will learn about our telescopes in our classroom theater and how we manage them in our Telescope Control Room. As we wait for our Wyoming skies to darken up, enjoy a movie in the planetarium before we finally make our ways to our upstairs Observing Deck. Between our handful of smaller telescopes and our state-of-the-art 1 meter telescope, we can see stars, planets, galaxies and much more! We hope to send you back down the Gondola at the end of the night full of awe at the beauty of our universe, all in the palm of our hands here at the top of our mountain.
Night Experience - Late Night Stargazing
Beginning in June during Peak Season
Enjoy a ride up the Snow King Gondola around sunset where you will see the most spectacular view of Jackson Hole and the Teton Mountain Range around. Then join us on the observatory deck where you will see the Tetons in the distance and the stars above. Explore a variety of smaller telescopes and then make your way to the 1-meter Planewave telescope. Your first glimpse through the eyepiece will be impressive, but when you see a 10 second exposure via the telescope’s camera system, it will blow your mind! In the event of a cloudy night you will be treated to an extended planetarium tour of the exact night sky you would see that night through the telescope and you will be able to explore the universe in much the same way as with the telescope. End your night with a beautiful scenic gondola ride down the mountain with the lights of Jackson Hole below. Tickets are limited for this amazing experience, book your spot in advance so you do not miss out.
Pair with a Concert
King Concerts & the Stars
Take a trip to the summit…and beyond! King Concert guests will be able combine the concert experience with a visit to the Observatory & Planetarium, adjacent to the concert venue before or after the show.
Before the music starts, head up to the Snow King Observatory & Planetarium to check in with your add-on ticket for unique music experience!
A pre-concert add-on observatory ticket will provide access to music shows in the planetarium from Pink Floyd and Imagine Dragons, full concerts playing in our Classroom Theater, and access to our self guided exhibits and beautiful astronomy image gallery.
When the encore is done and you’re not ready for the night to end, head up to the Snow King Observatory & Planetarium to check in with your post-concert add-on observatory ticket for more music shows! Expand your mind with amazing music, views, and astrophysics at King Concerts this summer!
More detail on available concert dates to come.
Planning for a Group?
Book the Whole Observatory & Planetarium
At the Snow King Observatory & Planetarium, we’re committed to entertaining while fostering a deeper understanding of astronomy and science among people of all ages and backgrounds. Through engaging educational programs, eye-catching exhibits, and interactive talks, we aim to inspire curiosity, ignite passion, and spark the imagination of future generations of scientists and explorers.
Join us on a journey to the furthest reaches of the universe, where the boundaries of knowledge are constantly expanding, and the beauty of discovery knows no bounds. Whether you’re here for an educational field trip, a captivating star show, or simply to gaze up at the night sky in wonder, we invite you to embark on an unforgettable adventure with us. We’re bringing the cosmos to everyone that visits Jackson. Welcome to discovery. Welcome to Snow King.
Other Activities
Winter Big King Pass
The Big King Pass offers the best value in Jackson Hole with unlimited all-day, all-mountain access to visitors' favorite things to do in Jackson Hole.
King Tubes
King's Tube Park has snow tubes, three smooth groomed lanes, and a rope tow to take you up the hill. All you need are warm clothes and a need for speed!
