Planetarium Showing Second Saturday Show This Week

The newly renovated Harry C. Vaughan University of Wyoming Planetarium will show its second Saturday show for children this week.

According to planetarium director Travis Laurance, the newly added Saturday shows are planned for a specific group.

“We wanted to do a show specifically for kids, or that’s geared towards children. When we say children it’s kind of a catch all for basically anybody who is new to astronomy,” says Laurance.

This Saturday’s show will introduce people to exactly what they see when they look at the night sky. The show will take place at 4 p.m., a time Laurance says was determined after speaking to parents about the best time for such an event.

The planetarium’s Friday night shows have been very popular, with most shows selling out well before show time. It is recommended for those who wish to attend to purchase tickets in advance, although tickets are available at the door if seats are still available.

The show on Friday, March 13 is a special show because it has been prepared and will be presented by one of the planetarium's high school student employees. The show, Pale Blue Dot, will demonstrate the scale of earth compared to the universe.

"It's starting with earth and then moving out through our universe—kind of in bigger and bigger steps each time," explains Laurance.

A laser show, Zeppelin Unbound, will be shown at 8:20 p.m. following the star show. Tickets for the laser show are priced the same as the star shows, and the doors will open 20 minutes before the show begins.

Tickets cost $2 for students, $3 for non-students and are free for children. Tickets can be purchased at the Department of Physics main office which is located in Room 204 of the Physical Sciences Building. Tickets may be purchased Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. until noon.

The planetarium is located in the basement of the Physical Sciences Building.

Shows for the rest of March are as follows:

March 13th

- 7 p.m. Pale Blue Dot

How big is our universe and where do we stand in the cosmic expanse? This show will help us wrap our minds around truly how small that “Pale Blue Dot” that we live on is, and how much more there is left to discover.

- 8:20 p.m. Laser Light: Zeppelin Unbound

March 14th  (Saturday)  

- 4 p.m. Introduction to Astronomy (program geared towards children but all ages welcome)

When you look up at our night sky, what do you see?  This show introduces you to these objects and more as we explore the galaxy and universe beyond.

March 20th

- 7 p.m. Little Green Men: Alien Life

The prospect of intelligent life somewhere off of Earth piques the interests of many different types of scientist and the public. The first radio pulsating star discovered was called LGM-1 due to the difficulty in explaining a naturally occurring hyper-regular signal. Tonight we will explore the search for alien life and how it crosses the fields of physics, astronomy, biology, and chemistry.

- 8:20 p.m. Laser Light: Michael Jackson

March 27th

- 7 p.m. Mars: the Mysterious Red Planet

Mars has been the focal point for myths, superstitions, and hoaxes for centuries.  What makes this planet so fascinating?  And what do we really know now about our red neighbor?

- 8:20 p.m. Laser Light: Laser Gaga