Snow King Observatory & Planetarium — Attraction in Jackson

Great, unique experience in Jackson!

We visited in late June from 9pm-midnight on a night where the moon was not visible during that time and we had no cloud coverage - excellent viewing conditions. The sunset was around 9:10pm, so the first hour to hour and a half, it was not yet dark. When the sunset is so late, it's definitely worthwhile to stay later in the evening and wait for the darker hours. During the less dark time, they provided some commentary and then we watched a 20 minute video in the planetarium.

The restrooms were clean and small lockers were available for personal items.

The astronomers running the program were great! Well spoken and easy to understand for casual observers. They had a ton of knowledge to share and once it was dark enough, they moved the large telescope to various interest points (star clusters and a black hole) and everyone got a chance to look. They also had smaller telescopes available outside, and one of the astronomers pointed out constellations with a laser pointer. They were very available for questions.

We did get a little lost looking for the gondola entrance since this Google maps item wasn't yet available. I'd definitely give yourselves more time and arrive before 9pm, as we ended up missing the first 15 minutes of the program.

You can leave anytime during the program, as the gondolas are running the whole time. Dress for the weather; it's cooler up there than in Jackson and you're outside for a good bit of the program. Plan to stand for most of the time. Some seats were available but not enough for all ~35 people.

The photo attached was taken with our Pixel 8 Pro & then edited with Google's astrophotography filter. It wasn't as brilliant to the naked eye but you could definitely make out the...

A FANTASTIC experience at the Snow King Observatory and Planetarium ! From the amazingly curated shows in the planetarium to the well thought-out design of the facility to the enthusiastic staff - you couldn't ask for a better way to spend your time! The Director, Joe, clearly has such depth of knowledge and passion for the stars, space and astronomy -- we got swept up by his energy during his fun presentations and also appreciated his willingness to answer our casual questions as we walked around looking at the "Universe" photos on the walls. The whole staff was really great and eager to help us get the most out of our time there. We learned so much from the "movies" shown in the Classroom too! AND don't miss the evening Star Shows - you get to see the huge telescope (I understand it's one of the best there is!) in action as well as several others from the rooftop Observatory. During our 5 days in Jackson, we actually went back twice -- a DEFINITE MUST to visit, enjoy and learn some VERY...

Came to Jackson because I’m a cowboy at heart. Always wanted to visit. Loved the town. I intend to return with my family. The big surprise was visiting the observatory and planetarium on top of snow king ski mountain. I’ve always been fascinated by space and the stars but never did anything to pursue that interest so I decided to take the gondola ride and give it a try. What a gem! A real surprise treat that took my Jackson trip out of this world!… pun intended… LOL. I’m definitely an amateur but now more than before I want to learn and do more. Snow king lit that candle for me. And there’s so much to be learned that even if I become more of an expert there’s no doubt that this location is a must destination time and time again. Seems like a great place for amateurs AND experts. The staff was really personable. The tall guy who did the presentations was really great, enthusiastic- a great ambassador to the stars. The panoramic view of the Tetons is breathtaking. A must stop...