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Thursday, August 11, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian
Eye Street
CALIFORNIAN FILE
The stunning night sky comes to life indoors at Bakersfield College’s William M. Thomas Planetarium.
Planetarium sets calendar for fall Shows take viewers on out-of-this-world journeys Bakersfield College’s William M. Thomas Planetarium has announced the show schedule for the fall semester. Each show will begin with a short tour of the evening sky using the planetarium’s Goto Chronos star projector. The schedule: Ice Worlds (7:30 p.m. Sept. 22; $6.50; seniors/children $4.50). A 24-minute fulldome show using the planetarium’s Spitz SciDome to travel to the Arctic and Antarctic to examine the ecosystems that live and thrive there, and see how their survival is connected with our own. Beyond Earth, we’ll see how the existence of ice shapes the landscapes and the natural systems on other planets and moons in our solar system, including Mars, Titan and Enceladus. Dawn of the Space Age (7:30 p.m. Oct. 20; $5.50; seniors/children $3.50). A 41minute full-dome show from Mirage3d, which immerses the viewer in the first 50 years of space exploration, from the launch of the first artificial satellite Sputnik, to the magnificent lunar landings and privately operated space flights (much of which is being pioneered just east of us in the Mojave area). Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity (7:30 p.m. Nov. 17; $5.50; seniors/children $3.50). Brings the current science of black
holes to the dome screen. Supported by grants from NASA’s high-energy GLAST telescope project and the National Science Foundation, this cutting-edge fulldome projection features high-resolution, animated visualizations of cosmic phenomena, working with real data generated by computer simulations. Visualization (as opposed to a Hollywood-type movie) uses only real data and computer simulations of real processes, not some artist’s imagination. Season of Light (7:30 p.m. Dec. 1; $6.50; seniors/children $4.50). A 37minute all-dome presentation from Loch Ness Productions using the Spitz SciDome projector. This presentation traces the history and development of many of the world’s most endearing holiday customs, all of which involve lighting up the winter season, from the burning Yule log, sparkling Christmas tree lights and candles in windows, to the lighting of luminarias in the American Southwest and the traditional ritual of the Hanukkah Menorah. More information on the shows is available at the planetarium s website, bakersfieldcollege.edu/planetarium. All shows last approximately one hour. To purchase tickets, call the Bakersfield College ticket office at 395-4326. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Dates and shows are subject to change. Shows sell out regularly, so purchase tickets early. — Bakersfield College
Bakersfield • 4625 Ming Ave • (661) 831-1699
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