KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney Planetarium is offering another semester of free public shows exploring a variety of astronomical topics.
Led by faculty from the UNK Department of Physics and Astronomy, the shows take guests on a journey through the universe while answering some fascinating cosmic questions.
The fall lineup features:
- 7 and 8 p.m. Sept. 4 – “Star Stories: A Tour of the Night Sky,” presented by associate professor Joel Berrier. Modern astronomers use 88 constellations to systematically name stars and designate regions of the sky. These objects are formed by bright stars in our sky that appear to be close to each other. Many of these constellations held specific cultural importance to different civilizations. We will look at several constellations and discuss the myths and legends they are associated with.
- 7 and 8 p.m. Oct. 2 – “A Tour of the Planets,” presented by associate professor Brandon Marshall. This fall provides the opportunity to see many of the planets in our solar system in the night sky. While some of the planets require perfect timing or a telescope to observe, others only require clear skies. Join us to learn when, where and how to observe them, and to take a closer look at some of our nearest neighbors.
- 7 p.m. Nov. 6 – “A Solar Eclipse Makes It Dark,” presented by professor Adam Jensen. This presentation will explore the different types of astronomical eclipses with an emphasis on the various types of solar eclipses, how you can view upcoming eclipse events and ’80s power ballads that inspire puns in planetarium show titles.
- 8:15 p.m. Nov. 6 – “Understanding Other Worlds,” presented by Jensen. The last three decades have seen an incredible increase in scientists’ knowledge of planets around other stars, also known as exoplanets. Come and learn about the thousands of exoplanets that have been detected in this time, the billions of exoplanets that are thought to exist in just our own Milky Way Galaxy and how scientists can analyze their sizes, atmospheres, composition and more.
- 7 p.m. Dec. 4 – “Examining Exoplanets: Where Is the Red?” presented by Jensen. Definitive evidence of exoplanets only dates to the early 1990s. Since then, astronomers have engaged in the challenging task of studying these difficult-to-see objects from afar. In this presentation, we will explore one specific example of a missing shade of red and what it tells us about hydrogen and planetary evaporation.
- 8:15 p.m. Dec. 4 – “How Do We Know What We Know About Stars,” presented by Jensen. On a clear night you can see thousands of stars with your naked eye, but there are hundreds of billions of stars in our Milky Way Galaxy, which is merely one of hundreds of billions of galaxies in the observable universe. Stars are so far away that nearly all are observed only as unresolved points of light. This talk will explore how we understand stars – their temperatures, sizes and more – despite this limitation.
Admission to the planetarium shows is free, but attendees are required to reserve a ticket at https://events.ticketleap.com/events/unk-planetarium. Tickets will be available one week before each show. Walk-ins will be allowed if seating is available.
Weather permitting, the UNK Astronomy Club will offer telescope observing sessions outside Bruner Hall of Science in conjunction with the planetarium shows.
Located inside Bruner Hall, the UNK Planetarium is accessible and can accommodate one or two wheelchairs per show.
For more information, visit the UNK Planetarium FAQ page or contact Jensen at jensenag@unk.edu.
