UM Announces Fall Public Planetarium Shows

MISSOULA – The University of Montana’s Department of Physics and Astronomy invites the public to its fall semester planetarium shows in the Payne Family Native American Center Star Gazing Room this month through December.

The 50-minute shows will be offered at 6 and 7:30 p.m. on the following Fridays: Sept. 14 and 28; Oct. 12; Nov. 2, 16 and 30; and Dec. 14.

Tickets cost $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 12 and under, and are available for purchase at http://hs.umt.edu/physics/Outreach/default.php. The maximum capacity for public shows is 28 people, so tickets are limited. Shows often sell out far in advance, and tickets cannot be purchased at the door.

Each program will take attendees on a tour of the current night skies of Missoula, pointing out noteworthy objects, constellations, planets or upcoming events visible in the night sky. The show then will shift to engaging topics chosen by that evening’s presenter.

Attendees should plan to arrive 10 minutes before the beginning of the show to check in. The planetarium entrance will be locked after the show begins. As part of the Elouise Cobell Land and Culture Institute, UM’s planetarium is housed in the Star Gazing Room in the basement of the Native American center.

For more information on the shows, visit http://hs.umt.edu/physics/Outreach/default.php.