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Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: (307) 766-2929
Email: cbaldwin@uwyo.edu


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UW Planetarium Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing During July

poster with astronauts
“Dawn of the Space Age,” a full-dome movie that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, will be shown four times during July at the UW Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium. (UW Planetarium Photo)

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

These words from American astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to ever set foot on the moon, held a nation breathless and swelled national pride.

To remember the historic moon landing of Apollo 11, the University of Wyoming Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium will celebrate the event with a full-dome movie called “Dawn of the Space Age.” The program will be shown twice on the anniversary date of the moon landing -- at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20 -- and at 7 p.m. both July 23 and July 30.

“This summer, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. So, we are teaming up with the Albany County Public Library to offer a really great show on the history of the space race and a chance for guests to shoot off their own rockets,” says Jordan Turner, the planetarium’s interim coordinator. “We also are excited to offer a brand-new laser show featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In addition to these special shows, we will still offer our normal Tuesday, Friday and Saturday shows covering everything from the Big Bang to the constellations as viewed across cultures.”

Friday night shows start at 8 p.m., and STAR Observatory star parties run from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Kid-themed planetarium shows are Saturdays at 11 a.m. The month also includes five Tuesday night shows; they begin at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $3 for students and $4 for nonstudents. Tickets can be purchased at the Department of Physics and Astronomy main office, located in Room 204 of the Physical Sciences Building, Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Friday from 8 a.m.-noon. Tickets also can be purchased by going online at http://wyomingspacegrant.org/planetarium/shows/ and clicking on “Purchase tickets online with a credit card.” Doors open 20 minutes before the show, where tickets will be sold if available. The planetarium, which seats 58, is located in the basement of the Physical Sciences Building.

The July planetarium schedule is as follows:

-- “This Month’s Sky,” Tuesday, July 2, 7 p.m. Summer is in full swing, and that means beautiful weather to get outside and do some stargazing. Summer constellations, Saturn at its brightest and the Andromeda galaxy are a few of the highlights for July.

-- “The Red Planet,” Friday, July 5, 8 p.m. Astronomers have ascertained that we have a sibling to our own planet. Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, has been the target of centuries of observation and, in recent years, we only have begun to get a complete picture of how it might have been like, is and will be. The STAR Observatory on the rooftop of the Physical Sciences Building will be open to the public for a “star party” from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Weather permitting, telescopes will be set up to peer into the evening sky. 

-- Full-dome movie: “Phantom of the Universe,” Tuesday, July 9, 7 p.m. This program follows the efforts of scientists around the world as they try to unlock the mystery of dark matter.

-- “The Cosmic Cooking Show,” Friday, July 12, 8 p.m. If our universe is a stew, there are 118 ingredients, or elements. Some of these elements form the “meat and potatoes” of the world we see, and some are exotic spices, forged and found in unlikely places. This program is a grand cooking show, where some of the most important recipes, or chemical reactions, in our universe will be discovered.

-- “Heroes, Villains and Emus,” Saturday, July 13, 11 a.m. This program will explore some of the most famous myths belying constellations across various cultures today.

-- Laser show, Saturday, July 13, 8 p.m. Visitors can rock out with music by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, while images and graphics are projected on the planetarium dome.

-- Full-dome movie: “Phantom of the Universe,” Tuesday, July 16, 7 p.m. This program follows the efforts of scientists around the world as they try to unlock the mystery of dark matter.

-- “The Power of Zero,” Friday, July 19, 8 p.m. Orders of magnitude, the lens through which astrophysicists see the world, are hinged upon zero. This program will explore our universe one order of magnitude at a time, from the smallest of the small, to the entire universe as a whole. The STAR Observatory on the rooftop of the Physical Sciences Building will be open to the public for a “star party” from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Weather permitting, telescopes will be set up to peer into the evening sky.

-- Full-dome movie: “Dawn of the Space Age,” Saturday, July 20, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Fifty years ago on this date, humans stepped on the moon and made the first giant leap for mankind. In these free shows, presented by the Albany County Public Library, visitors can relive the journey to space. From the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, to the magnificent lunar landings and privately operated space flights, visitors will be immersed in this historic reconstruction of man’s first steps into space. After the shows, visitors will have a chance to fire off their own rockets.

Although these shows are free, seating is limited. Guests should reserve their seats by going online at http://wyomingspacegrant.org/planetarium/shows/ and clicking on “Purchase tickets online with a credit card.” Guests need only to submit their contact information; no payment information is needed. For more information, email planetarium@uwyo.edu.

-- Full-dome movie: “Dawn of the Space Age,” Tuesday, July 23, 7 p.m. From the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, to the magnificent lunar landings and privately operated space flights, visitors will be immersed in this historic reconstruction of man’s first steps into space.

-- “Constellations Across Cultures,” Friday, July 26, 8 p.m. This program will offer a detailed look at the constellations that are known and loved, and how they are depicted differently across different cultures.

-- “Heroes, Villains and Emus,” Saturday, July 27, 11 a.m. This program will explore some of the most famous myths belying constellations across various cultures today. 

-- Laser show, Saturday, July 27, 8 p.m. Visitors can rock out with music by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, while images and graphics are projected on the planetarium dome.

-- Full-dome movie: “Dawn of the Space Age,” Tuesday, July 30, 7 p.m. From the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, to the magnificent lunar landings and privately operated space flights, visitors will be immersed in this historic reconstruction of man’s first steps into space.

For more detailed descriptions of these programs, go to www.wyomingspacegrant.org/planetarium/shows/.

 

 

Contact Us

Institutional Communications
Bureau of Mines Building, Room 137
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: (307) 766-2929
Email: cbaldwin@uwyo.edu


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