Morehead Planetarium, The First of Its Kind in the South

Posted Jun 10, 2018
On May 10, 1949, the Morehead Planetarium opened on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. It was first planetarium in the South, the first planetarium on a university campus and the sixth planetarium to be built nationwide. The planetarium was primarily a gift of John Motley Morehead III, an 1891 graduate and founder of Union Carbide Corporation. (NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources)

Related: Campus Connections

Andy Griffith’s daughter reflects on her father’s legacy, North Carolina roots
For generations of tv viewers, Andy Griffith was Sheriff Andy Taylor, who was the wise and kindhearted lawman of the fictional town of Mayberry. To...
Sat Aug 1, 2026

Best-selling novelist, UNC alum Sarah Dessen reflects on her ‘Change of Plans’
At UNC, Sarah Dessen initially chose psychology as her major. But after she took a creative writing class with the late Doris Betts, she was...
Wed Jul 29, 2026

A guide to Chapel Hill's vibrant music scene
Some of my favorite memories at Chapel Hill have taken place in loud rooms lit by colorful stage lights. Listening to live music with friends...
Tue Jul 28, 2026

The Delicious Legacy of Chapel Hill’s Favorite BLT
Perched just off Highway 15-501 in Chapel Hill, NC, the old-school breakfast and lunch joint Merritt’s Grill serves such comforting Southern classics as pulled pork...
Mon Jul 27, 2026