UW Planetarium to Host First-Ever Live Musical Performance During March

The University of Wyoming Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium will host its first-ever live musical event to highlight its March lineup.

“We are excited to announce our first live musical performance from ambient electronic artist Evan Kallas, an opening musical performance from Trucking to Tokyo, and visual artist dr. t0m in an epic, immersive audio-visual performance with doors opening at 7:30 p.m.,” Max Gilbraith, the planetarium’s coordinator, says of the March 4 event.

To get tickets or receive more information about programs, email planetarium@uwyo.edu or leave a voicemail and a call-back phone number at (307) 766-6506. Tickets are $5 for the public and $3 for students, senior citizens, veterans, first responders and those under 18. Seating is free for children under 5.

Reservations or pre-purchase is not required, and walk-ins are welcome. Tickets can be purchased online with a credit card, reserved by email or voicemail, or purchased at the start of the show. Cash or check is accepted at the door. The planetarium, which seats 58, is in the basement of the Physical Sciences Building. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis outside of designated ADA/wheelchair seating.

To pay for tickets with a credit card, go to https://www.uwyo.edu/uwplanetarium/ticket.aspx. For a group larger than six, email the planetarium for a private show at https://uwyo.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKuqIynOn7gFK2F. Tickets for private shows are the same as the public programs.

A film and special live talk for audiences will be featured each week. All programs are approximately an hour in length. As time allows, a portion of the show also may focus on a live sky tour or supporting information related to the film’s topic.

The March schedule is:

-- Friday, March 3: The planetarium will be closed for a private event.

-- Saturday, March 4, 2 p.m.: “Dark Matter Mystery,” a full-dome movie. Dark matter is a theoretical form of invisible mass, which is believed to be present in galaxies, but it has never been seen or detected. This film takes the audience on the biggest quest of contemporary astrophysics: solving the dark matter mystery.

-- Saturday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.: The Green House Collective presents “Expanse,” an album release show. Evan Kallas, an ambient electronic artist, releases his new album “Expanse” in a live audio-visual performance. Special guest Trucking to Tokyo will provide an opening musical performance with visuals provided by artist dr. t0m. 

-- Tuesday, March 7, 7 p.m.: “Wyoming Skies.” The program provides an exploration of the stars, constellations, planets, meteor showers and other celestial phenomena visible from Wyoming for the season.

-- Friday, March 10, 7 p.m.: “Aurorae: Dancing Lights.” This program will discuss what causes the aurora borealis in the sky, where it occurs and if other planets have aurorae. 

-- March 11-19: The planetarium will be closed for spring break.

-- Tuesday, March 21, 7 p.m.: “Wyoming Skies.” The program provides an exploration of the stars, constellations, planets, meteor showers and other celestial phenomena visible from Wyoming for the season.

-- Friday, March 24, 7 p.m.: “Yellowstone to Enceladus.” This program explores and compares the volcanic power of the geysers under Yellowstone National Park to ice plumes beneath the surface of a Saturn moon.

-- Saturday, March 25, 2 p.m.: “Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope,” a full-dome movie. Learn the history of the telescope, from Galileo’s modifications to a child’s spyglass -- using two small pieces of glass -- to the launch of the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy.

-- Saturday, March 25, 7 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: EDM,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” music from top artists in genres of rock, indie, pop, electronic and more in 5.1 surround sound. The 4K-resolution planetarium sky will become a canvas of color, patterns and movement with cutting-edge music visualization software and live VJ talent.

-- Friday, March 31, 7 p.m.: “You Are a Star.” This program tracks energy and matter throughout all of time and space to trace it right to you. Discover how and why you are a star.

For more detailed descriptions of these programs, go to www.uwyo.edu/physics/planetarium/schedule.html.