By Gazelle Arga
With over 460 guests and several nights of sold out seats, the 2012 Fact or Fiction show proved to be a big hit at the Manfred Olson Planetarium. Many guests who visited had not heard of the controversial topic while others came because they thought the world was going to end in December. One guest said, “It is a highly controversial topic so it was refreshing to see the logical explanation and debunking of 2012 myths.”
The first thirty minutes of the hour-long program covered the supposed end to the Mayan Calendar as well as other cosmic hoaxes. Although many guests were intrigued by the popular topic, some visitors favored the last half of the show, which included stargazing and identifying fall and winter constellations projected on the dome. A guest commented, “I liked viewing the stars the most, especially the country sky. It was beautiful and showed me what I was missing living in the city… I didn’t enjoy when the lights came back on. I didn’t want the show to end.”
While 2012 Fact or Fiction has passed, you can join us for the new Friday Night Show called, “The Lives of Stars,” where Planetarium Director Dr. Jean Creighton will highlight how different stars evolve throughout their lives. As with every show, a portion of the program will also include stargazing. Make sure to arrive at least 20 minutes early as seats sell out fast. At $2.00 per ticket, you won’t find a better way to start off your weekend.
© Manfred Olson Planetarium - University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Send comments to: Stargaze
Last Updated: May 10, 2011