Double, double, toil and trouble. Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. Maybe Macbeth
should have consulted the Witch Head Nebula. A frighteningly shaped reflection nebula,
this cosmic crone is approximately 800 light-years away. Its malevolent visage seems
to glare toward nearby bright star Rigel in Orion, just off the right edge of the
photo’s frame. To learn more, the University of Wyoming Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium
will host “Cosmic Horrors: Surviving in Space” Friday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. (NASA Photo)
Things will go bump in the night skies at the University of Wyoming Harry C. Vaughan
Planetarium in October.
During the spooky season, the planetarium will play host to a haunted house and Halloween
craft activities; provide a breakdown and analysis of the sci-fi movie classic “Alien”;
and patrons can listen to “Halloween Hits,” a music-based light show.
“On Oct. 27 at 7 p.m., we’ll be hosting a free haunted house, activities and space
trivia night at the planetarium as a fundraiser for our Society of Physics Students,”
says Max Gilbraith, the planetarium’s coordinator. “A $5 donation is suggested.”
Other highlights of the month include the annual Wyoming Infrared Observatory (WIRO)
tour on Jelm Mountain Friday, Oct. 6, and the annular eclipse passing over North America
Saturday, Oct. 14. Eclipse glasses will be provided for viewing on Prexy’s Pasture.
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 or online tickets, 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 64, 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 October schedule is:
-- Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m.: “WIRO Open House.” There will be no public show at the
planetarium as planetarium staff will support the UW Department of Physics and Astronomy
at WIRO on Jelm Mountain. To receive a free reservation for the observatory tour,
email physics@uwyo.edu.
-- Saturday, Oct. 7: The planetarium will be closed due to the home football game
between UW and Fresno State University.
-- Tuesday, Oct. 10, 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, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.: “Great American Eclipses.” Get ready for the next eclipses
-- the annular eclipse Saturday, Oct. 14, and a total eclipse April 8, 2024 -- and
relive and celebrate the eclipse of 2017 that passed through Wyoming. The planetarium
will share full-dome images of the eclipse captured from the ground and air and explore
the science of eclipses.
-- Saturday, Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-noon: “Annular Eclipse of the Sun.” Enjoy the annular
eclipse passing over North America with eclipse glasses provided on Prexy’s Pasture.
Attendees are encouraged to bring camp chairs and blankets and wear appropriate outdoor
clothing.
-- Saturday, Oct. 14, 2 p.m.: “Forward! To the Moon,” a full-dome movie. Narrator Kari Byron, from “Crash Test World” and “MythBusters,” takes viewers on a
journey beyond Earth toward a sustainable future in space. NASA’s 21st century Artemis
program is the next step in the mission to explore the universe and land the first
woman and person of color on the moon. This film is produced by Fiske Planetarium
in collaboration with Tend Studio.
-- Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m.: “Science of Sci-Fi: Horror in Space.” This program will
analyze and review “Alien,” one of the most memorable, intense and frightening sci-fi
films of all time. This show is not recommended for children.
-- Saturday, Oct. 21, 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, Oct. 21, 7 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: Metal,” 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.
-- Tuesday, Oct. 24, 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, Oct. 27, 7 p.m.: “Cosmic Horrors: Surviving in Space.” Enjoy a haunted
house, Halloween craft activities and a space-themed survival trivia game in the planetarium.
This free show is a fundraiser for the Society of Physics Students. A donation of
$5 is suggested.
-- Saturday, Oct. 28, 2 p.m.: “5,000 Eyes: Mapping the Universe With DESI,” a full-dome
movie. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is creating the most detailed
map of our nearby universe. Installed on the Nicholas U. Mayall Telescope at Kitt
Peak National Observatory in southern Arizona, DESI’s 5,000 independently operated
robots can measure the light from thousands of galaxies at once. Explore the science,
instrument and people behind this global endeavor.
-- Saturday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: Halloween Hits,” a music-based light show.
Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” music 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.
For more detailed descriptions of these programs, go to www.uwyo.edu/physics/planetarium/schedule.html.
