Holiday Seasonal Offerings Highlight UW Planetarium Schedule During December

The holiday-themed program “Star of the Magi” and “Holiday Hits,” a music-based light show, will be the focus of festivities at the University of Wyoming Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium during December.

“To close out the year, we’ll be hosting a set of special seasonal shows,” says Max Gilbraith, the planetarium’s coordinator. “On Dec. 1 and 8, we’ll be hosting Dr. (Chip) Kobulnicky’s ‘Star of the Magi’ at 6 p.m. Our music shows will be a ‘Holiday Hits’ playlist of classic winter favorites on Dec. 2 and 9 at 7 p.m.”

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 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 December schedule is:

-- Friday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m.: “Star of the Magi.” Learn about the heavens, wonder and speculate with Chip Kobulnicky, an astronomer and a UW professor of physics and astronomy, as he presents some of the celestial possibilities that may underlie the storied “star that rose in the East” that led the magi to the birthplace of Jesus. 

-- Saturday, Dec. 2, 2 p.m.: “The Sun: Our Living Star,” a full-dome movie. The sun consumes 600 million tons of hydrogen each second and is 500 times as massive as all of the planets combined. Viewers will discover the secrets of the sun and experience never-before-seen images of its violent surface.

-- Saturday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: Holiday Hits,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” music from top artists celebrating the winter season 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, Dec. 8, 6 p.m.: “Star of the Magi.” Learn about the heavens, wonder and speculate with Chip Kobulnicky, an astronomer and a UW professor of physics and astronomy, as he presents some of the celestial possibilities that may underlie the storied “star that rose in the East” that led the magi to the birthplace of Jesus.

-- Saturday, Dec. 9, 2 p.m.: “From Earth to the Universe,” a full-dome movie. This film takes the audience out to the colorful birthplaces and burial grounds of stars and still farther out beyond the Milky Way to the unimaginable immensity of myriad galaxies.

-- Saturday, Dec. 9, 7 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: Holiday Hits,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” music from top artists celebrating the winter season 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, Dec. 12, 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, Dec. 15, 7 p.m.: “Saturn.” Explore the creation of one of the grandest giants in the solar system. This program will cover the formation of Saturn, its moons, its rings and how they work together to keep its shape.

-- Friday, Dec. 22-Tuesday, Jan. 2: The planetarium will be closed for winter break.

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