Love is in the air as the Observatory is again creating a beautiful evening for you and your Valentine! Experience the Observatory as we create a unique romantic atmosphere for our attendees. This special evening will include hors d’oeuvres, sweet treats, a romantic tour of the Observatory, night sky viewing through our historic telescope (weather permitting), and more surprises! Tickets are priced per couple and include 2 alcoholic beverages (beer or wine) per individual and a champagne toast.

Tickets: $125/Member couple, $140/General Public couple - SOLD OUT

Space is extremely limited and we anticipate this event will sell out. Register today!

21+ only, please

It’s easy to assume that the brightest stars in the night sky are the closest to Earth—but in astronomy, appearances can be deceiving. Measuring distance has long been one of the field’s greatest challenges, yet astronomers have assembled a remarkable “distance ladder” that extends from our cosmic backyard to the very edge of the observable Universe. In this class, we’ll explore how astronomers measure distance, from bouncing lasers off the Moon to using stars and galaxies to probe the largest scales of the cosmos.

Class level: Intermediate - This class is recommended for guests with some science and mathematics background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Weekly Public Program

Astronomy Evening at the Cincinnati Observatory is the perfect program to get acquainted with all of the offerings of your local observatory. Located in picturesque Mount Lookout on the East Side of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Observatory is the oldest one of its kind in the country that still uses its original telescope from 1845, and now you too will get to participate.

This 90 minute long, family-friendly program features an Astronomy themed presentation on the different things you can experience in the night sky. Tours of our historic buildings and viewing through our telescope takes place during the second part of the evening (weather permitting).

Tickets: $15/adult, $7/child, FREE For Members.  

Reservations required.  Space is limited.

Our nearest celestial neighbor is often taken for granted, yet it is one of the most fascinating and unique worlds in the Solar System. The Moon is the only place beyond Earth ever visited by humans—and soon, we may return. From how the Moon formed and what lies beneath its surface to how it shapes life on Earth and future plans for lunar exploration, this class takes an up-close look at the Moon as both a scientific mystery and humanity’s next destination. 

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Early birds will be rewarded with a total lunar eclipse on the morning of Tuesday, March 3,
and—weather permitting—the Cincinnati Observatory will open early to celebrate. Join us in the
quiet hours before dawn to witness one of nature’s most spectacular sights through our historic
telescope.

Doors open at 4:30 a.m., with the partial eclipse becoming visible at 4:50 a.m. The Moon will
reach totality at 6:04 a.m., glowing a deep crimson red before setting around 7:00 a.m.

This event will take place only if skies are clear, so please check our website and Facebook
page the night before for updates. No registration is required. A suggested donation of $5 per
person is appreciated.

For most of human history, the sky wasn’t just beautiful — it was a warning system. Comets meant disaster. Eclipses meant the Sun was under attack. A full Moon could drive people mad. Even certain dates, like the Ides of March, carried cosmic dread. In this program, we’ll explore famous superstitions tied to astronomical events and calendar cycles, then unpack the real science behind them. Along the way, we’ll see how our brains are wired to find patterns, how fear shaped early interpretations of the sky, and why the real universe is far stranger — and more interesting — than the omens ever were.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets: Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

The cost is $30 per person. Price includes materials for the activity, snacks, and drinks.

Recommended for ages 12+. 

Embark on a romantic celestial journey with our "Late Night Date Night" at the Cincinnati Observatory. Couples will enjoy a star-filled evening complete with guided stargazing through historic telescopes (weather permitting), an intimate astronomy talk, and a cozy atmosphere perfect for making memories under the night sky. Whether it’s a first date or a special anniversary, this enchanting evening promises to bring the magic of the cosmos a little closer. Ticket price includes admission for two, mocktails, and dessert. 

Tickets: $80 per couple  18+ Only.  

Presenter: Christopher Graney - Vatican Observatory

Planet Earth has been a familiar concept for a mere fraction of recorded history. Until about the mid-1600s, most humans thought of Earth as immobile, likely either dim or simply invisible from the Moon or anywhere else in the heavens, and not (like the planets) participating in what Galileo called "the dance of the stars." But almost as soon as humans started to grasp that Earth is a planet, many also began wondering if perhaps the other planets might be earths. This bold conjecture ignited the whole gripping history and literature of space travel, of extraterrestrials, of other worlds. And yet the thesis that the Universe is full of other worlds like Earth has from the start been fueled more by imagination than by scientific evidence. For all its appeal, it has consistently been undermined by observations of the actual Universe. This talk will be based on material in the new book from Oxford University Press, A Universe of Earths: Our Planet and Other Worlds, from Copernicus to NASA by Dennis Danielson and Christopher M. Graney, and on their related cover article in the March 2026 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine.

Speaker bio: Christopher M. Graney is an astronomer and historian of science at the Specola Vaticana (the Vatican’s astronomical observatory) and the Vatican Observatory Foundation. He is the author of four books and numerous scholarly and popular articles on the history of astronomy. Mr. Graney will be available for book sales and signing before and after the event.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets: Non-members $25/class, Members $20/class, Student (with valid ID) $10/class

Tickets: $15/adult, $7/child, FREE for Observatory Members