'Dawn of Space Age' opens Nov. 11 at Mueller Planetarium
Released on 11/05/2007, at 2:00 AM
Office of University Communications
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 5, 2007, through Jan. 27, 2008
WHERE: Mueller Planetarium, University of Nebraska State Museum (Morrill Hall), 14th and U Streets
A new fulldome planetarium show, "Dawn of the Space Age," opening Nov. 11 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Ralph Mueller Planetarium will provide viewers with an immersive trip to the Moon and the history of humanity's first trips into space.
Produced by Mirage 3d of the Netherlands, "Dawn" begins with the launch of Sputnik and covers important Soviet space history as well as the American Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs. Along the way are glimpses of the Viking mission to Mars and the Voyager mission to the outer planets. The program leads viewers to the International Space Station, the X-prize winning private space ship and on to future Mars exploration.
Planetarium Coordinator Jack Dunn said, "For the first time, I feel I know what it was like to walk on the Moon." NASA flight controller and engineer Rob Landis has said that this program features "the best computer animation of the Apollo program I have seen to date." Soviet Cosmonaut Alexi Leonov (the first man to walk in space) said, "I saw my life in this program."
The program shows on Saturdays at 2 and 3 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Running time is 41 minutes. Mueller Planetarium is in the University of Nebraska State Museum (Morrill Hall), 14th and U streets on the UNL City Campus. Tickets to planetarium shows are $8 for adults and $5.50 for children age 5-18, $2.50 for children 4 and under. For members of the Friends of NU State Museum with membership cards, tickets are $2.50 for adults and $2 for children. Tickets for UNL faculty staff and students are $3 (with valid UNL ID). All prices include admission to the museum. Tickets are sold at the museum front desk the day of the show.
The NU State Museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays. Museum admission only (no planetarium show) is $5 for adults (19 and over), $3 for children (5-18 years, 4 and under are free), and $10 for families (up to two adults and children). Admission is free for UNL faculty, staff and students with valid UNL ID. Parking is free. For more information, visit the museum's Web site (www.museum.unl.edu) or the planetarium's Web site (www.spacelaser.com).
The link below is to a color JPEG image of the poster for "Dawn of the Space Age."
CONTACT: Jack Dunn, Supervisor, Mueller Planetarium, (402) 472-2641 (jdunn1@unl.edu)