Mueller Planetarium audiences to visit 'The Enchanted Reef'

Beginning Dec. 22, Mueller Planetarium at the University of Nebraska State Museum will feature a new fulldome show, "Kaluoka'hina: The Enchanted Reef," a 3D-animated film projected in a 360-degree format.

In "The Enchanted Reef," viewers are transported to a beautiful tropical reef: colorful and foreign, full of adventure and danger. The reef's colorful inhabitants live happily in peace until a volcano erupts and the spell is broken. Now it's up to Jake, a young sawfish, and his pal, Shorty, to restore the magic of Kaluoka'hina. Their only lead: the ancient legend that tells of touching the moon. But how is a fish supposed to touch the moon? This is just one of the intriguing puzzles that Jake and Shorty have to solve on their most exciting adventure ever: the quest to save their beloved reef.

"'The Enchanted Reef' takes us to a new level of Pixar-quality animation in the fulldome setting," said Jack Dunn, planetarium coordinator. "For the first time, audiences will feel like they are in the ocean with the characters in this show for youngsters of all ages."

Running time of "Kaluoka'hina" is 30 minutes, and will be proceeded by a brief introduction to the current night sky of stars and planets. Presentations of "Kaluoka'hina" are made possible by support from the Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum.

The program shows on Saturdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. 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).

For more information about "The Enchanted Reef," visit www.kaluokahina.de/_english, the Web site of Softmachine.de, the show's producer. The link below is to a color JPEG image of the poster for "The Enchanted Reef." Kaluok'H