UW Planetarium to Highlight Two Eclipses During September

The upcoming total lunar eclipse over Asia and the partial solar eclipse over Antarctica occurring in September will be highlighted during “Wyoming Skies” programs at the University of Wyoming Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium next month.

 

“Our ‘Wyoming Skies’ shows will be highlighting not only the fall constellations and astronomical objects, but we also will virtually travel in the planetarium to enjoy the two eclipses happening on the far side of Earth this month,” says Max Gilbraith, the planetarium’s coordinator. “This September, we have a few Saturday closures to accommodate UW home football games.”  

 

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. Bulk tickets/gift cards are available at $2 each when 10 or more tickets are purchased.

 

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 September schedule is:

 

-- Tuesday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.: “Wyoming Skies: Total Lunar Eclipse Over Asia.” In addition to exploring the early fall sky as seen from Wyoming, this program will use the planetarium to travel and see the upcoming eclipse and constellations of the equator as well as the science of eclipses.

 

-- Thursday, Sept. 4, 4-7 p.m.: “Dome Club.” Attendees will learn about immersive technologies for augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality and full-dome development. Participants are welcome to bring their own projects and technologies to test and demonstrate. The event takes place at the SciDIY Makerspace in the basement of the Physical Sciences Building. For more information, email Jane Crayton at jcrayton@uwyo.edu.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m.: “Black Holes.” Are black holes nature’s mistake or portals to the unknown? Physics can let us speculate about the nature of these bizarre structures, but astronomers are turning an improving eye toward these mysterious and fascinating objects.  

 

-- Friday, Sept. 5, 8:30 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: EDM,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” electronic dance music from artists 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.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 6: The planetarium will be closed due to the UW home football game against Northern Iowa.

 

-- Thursday, Sept. 11, 4-7 p.m.: “Dome Club.” Attendees will learn about immersive technologies for augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality and full-dome development. Participants are welcome to bring their own projects and technologies to test and demonstrate. The event takes place at the SciDIY Makerspace in the basement of the Physical Sciences Building. For more information, email Crayton at jcrayton@uwyo.edu.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.: “Meet the Planets.” This program provides a tour of the sun’s planets and moons. Learn the discoveries, exploration and feats of technology that have probed the solar system.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 12, 8:30 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: Metal,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” metal music in 5.1 surround sound. The 4K-resolution planetarium sky melts and becomes a canvas of color, patterns and movement with cutting-edge music visualization software and live VJ talent.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 13: The planetarium will be closed due to the UW home football game against the University of Utah.

 

-- Tuesday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m.: “Wyoming Skies: Autumnal Equinox and Partial Solar Eclipse Over Antarctica.” In addition to exploring the early fall sky as seen from Wyoming, this program will use the planetarium to travel and see the upcoming partial solar eclipse and the constellations of the southern hemisphere as well as the science of eclipses.

 

-- Thursday, Sept. 18, 4-7 p.m.: “Dome Club.” Attendees will learn about immersive technologies for augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality and full-dome development. Participants are welcome to bring their own projects and technologies to test and demonstrate. The event takes place at the SciDIY Makerspace in the basement of the Physical Sciences Building. For more information, email Crayton at jcrayton@uwyo.edu.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.: “The Great American Eclipse.” Relive and celebrate the eclipse of 2017 that passed through Wyoming. The program will share full-dome images of the eclipse captured from the ground and air and explore the science of eclipses.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: The Beatles,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” music from the legendary British band 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.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 20, 2 p.m.: “We Are Stars” and “Always Above,” two full-dome movies. “We Are Stars” connects life on Earth to the evolution of the universe by following the formation of hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of carbon and the molecules for life. This film is narrated by Andy Serkis.

 

“Always Above” looks at how much our modern way of life depends on the thousands of satellites that fly around our planet. Orbiting the Earth are satellites that allow us to communicate with one another, monitor the weather, help us get to where we’re going and keep our country safe.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.: “One Sky,” a full-dome series of short films. Each short film represents the perspective of a different culture or Indigenous society from around the globe. Each film stands alone as a short story, or in combination, as a longer narrative organized around themes of “finding patterns” and developing tools. Short films are “The Forge of Artemis,” “Thunderbird,” “Jai Singh’s Dream,” “Celestial Canoe,” “The Samurai and Stars” and “Wayfinders.”

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 20, 8:30 p.m. “Liquid Sky: Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon,’” a music-based light show. Enjoy the classic album in 5.1 surround sound. The 4K-resolution planetarium sky melts and becomes a canvas of color, patterns and movement with cutting-edge music visualization software and live VJ talent.

 

-- Thursday, Sept. 25, 4-7 p.m.: “Dome Club.” Attendees will learn about immersive technologies for augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality and full-dome development. Participants are welcome to bring their own projects and technologies to test and demonstrate. The event takes place at the SciDIY Makerspace in the basement of the Physical Sciences Building. For more information, email Crayton at jcrayton@uwyo.edu.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m.: “All About Apollo.” In 1962, JFK challenged the nation to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. In July 1969, his challenge was met. But the U.S. didn't stop there. From 1969-1972, NASA launched 17 missions to the moon. From “one small step” to the last footprint on the moon, this program goes in-depth about each mission to Earth’s nearest celestial neighbor.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 26, 8:30 p.m. “Liquid Sky: ABBA,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” music from the Swedish pop band in 5.1 surround sound. The 4K-resolution planetarium sky melts and becomes a canvas of color, patterns and movement with cutting-edge music visualization software and live VJ talent.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 27, 2 p.m.: “The Great Solar System Adventure” and “Always Above,” both full-dome movies. During “The Great Solar System Adventure,” join showman extraordinaire “The Great Schiaparelli” as he takes the audience on a death-defying space-time adventure within his wondrous observatorium. From the sun-scorched surface of Mercury to the icy expanses of Pluto and beyond, the audience will be subjected to the myriad dangers and wonders of our solar system.

 

“Always Above” looks at how much our modern way of life depends on the thousands of satellites that fly around our planet. Orbiting the Earth are satellites that allow us to communicate with one another, monitor the weather, help us get to where we’re going and keep our country safe.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 27, 7 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, Sept. 27, 8:30 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: Taylor Swift,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” Taylor Swift music in 5.1 surround sound. The 4K-resolution planetarium sky melts and becomes a canvas of color, patterns and movement with cutting-edge music visualization software and live VJ talent.

 

-- Tuesday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.: “Wyoming Skies: Saturn in Opposition.” The program provides an exploration of the stars, constellations, planets, meteor showers and other celestial phenomena visible from Wyoming for the season. This week’s event will be the opposition of Saturn, when Earth and Saturn are closest in our orbit and Saturn will be up right at sunset and shine brighter than normal. After the planetarium show, informal telescope observing on the rooftop of the Physical Sciences Building at the STAR Observatory will be available, weather permitting.

 

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