KEARNEY – Guests can take an awe-inspiring journey through the cosmos during the upcoming “Astro Friday” series at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
The UNK Planetarium and Department of Physics and Astronomy are hosting a variety of faculty-led presentations that explore the wonders of our universe. Offered the first Friday of each month, these shows feature a topical science talk combined with the use of a star projector that offers realistic views of the night sky.
“Astro Friday” events for the fall semester include:
- 7 p.m. Sept. 6 – “Is Pluto a Planet?” presented by professor Adam Jensen
- 8:15 p.m. Sept. 6 – “How Do We Know What We Know About Stars?” presented by Jensen
- 7 and 8 p.m. Oct. 4 – “Star Stories: A Tour of the Night Sky” presented by associate professor Joel Berrier
- 7 and 8 p.m. Nov. 1 – “The Formation and Evolution of Stars” presented by assistant professor Brandon Marshall
- 7 p.m. Dec. 6 – “Understanding Other Worlds” presented by Jensen
- 8:15 p.m. Dec. 6 – “The James Webb Space Telescope” presented by Jensen
Admission to the shows is free, but attendees are required to reserve a ticket at https://unk-planetarium.ticketleap.com/. Tickets will be available one week before each show. Walk-ins will be allowed if there are unreserved seats or unredeemed tickets.
A new addition this year, the UNK Astronomy Club will offer student-led telescope observing as part of the October, November and December presentations, weather permitting.
Located inside the Bruner Hall of Science on campus, the UNK Planetarium is accessible and can accommodate one or two wheelchairs per show.
For more information, contact Jensen at jensenag@unk.edu.
