If you have come to buy tickets for Astronomy Night on our PurplePass page, and are discouraged to find no remaining tickets available for sale, fear not! We put aside half of all seats available and give them out (for free!) on a first-come/first-served basis. We distribute the free tickets on the day of the event, often as early as 5:00pm. No guarantees can be offered as to the availability of tickets based on your arrival, so it's a good idea to come a little early. For any concerns or questions, please email James the Planetarium Coordinator at james.enos@mesacc.edu.
Mesa Community College invites the public to explore our amazing Universe in our state-of-the-art Planetarium located on the Southern & Dobson Campus!
MCC Astronomy Nights are held on the first Friday of the month during February, March, April, & May and September, October, November, & December.
MCC Astronomy Nights include planetarium shows, telescope viewing, information tables, hands-on activities, and more! Planetarium shows and indoor activities occur rain or shine, but telescope viewing of the night sky is only offered when the sky is clear.
Planetarium shows run from 6:00-10:00 PM, with shows starting every hour.
| Name of Show | Date |
|---|---|
| Forward! To the Moon | February 2, 2024 |
| Mars: The Ultimate Voyage | March 1, 2024 |
| Totality! | April 5, 2024 |
| Tour the Universe w/ Pink Floyd | May 3, 2024 |
The MCC Planetarium is now Digistar 6!
The MCC Planetarium underwent major renovations in January 2018. The upgrade includes a new 4K projection system, new graphics computers, and new planetarium software. Our new view of the Universe is gorgeous!
Other Information:
The line for seating forms approximately 15 minutes before show time. There is no late seating for planetarium shows. Please arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of show time.
During Astronomy Nights, we also offer telescope viewing of the Moon, planets, and other celestial sights. Unlike the planetarium shows, telescope viewing will only occur if the skies are clear.
The planetarium is wheelchair accessible.
Astronomy Nights are held at the MCC Planetarium on the south side of the Physical Science Building (PS 15). This building is just east of Dobson Road, on Planetarium Way north of the Dobson Road-US 60 interchange and one light south of Southern Avenue. Please see the map for our location on MCC's Southern & Dobson campus.
The Planetarium is labeled with "PLANETARIUM" in large black letters which are visible from Dobson Road and Planetarium Way.
Free parking is available in the lots south of the Physical Science Building.