Three new programs are wowing visitors of all ages at Eastern Kentucky University’s Hummel Planetarium.
“Earth, Moon and Sun,” “The Accidental Astronauts: An Earth Sun Moon Adventure” and “Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope” are available to the general public and to school and other groups.
“Earth, Moon and Sun,” recommended for grades 2-5, features a sharp-witted character, Coyote, who’s confused about what he sees in the sky. The amusing character, adapted from American Indian oral traditions, explores lunar phases, eclipses and other puzzles in a fast-paced and fun full-dome show.
“The Accidental Astronauts,” suitable for families and children ages 3-8, follows the adventures of Cy and Annie and their dog, Armstrong, as they embark on an unexpected journey into space. Viewers will explore the skies with a wise-cracking starship computer, bounce along with them on the surface of the Moon, get up close and personal with a solar storm, and gain a new appreciation of Earth.
“Two Small Pieces of Glass,” recommended for eighth grade and up, follows two students as they interact with a female astronomer at a local star party. Along the way, the students 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/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy. The show explores the wonder and discovery made by astronomers throughout the last four centuries.
The three new shows join nine other rotating programs at Hummel, and all shows are followed by a “star talk,” depicting how that night’s sky will appear. To see a list of all the public programs and show times, visit planetarium.eku.edu. Admission for public programs is $5 per child, seniors, and EKU students/staff; and $6 for other adults. Groups of 10 or more are charged $4.50 per person.
All the shows are also available for school field trips.
To view trailers for the programs, visit planetarium.eku.edu/show-information-trailers and look for the “preview” links.
For more information about the planetarium, visit www.planetarium.eku.edu or www.facebook.com/hummelplanetarium, or call 859-622-1547.