Are you one of those people that love to go out at night and stargaze? Or have you always wanted to see the constellations up close and personal? From big fans of astronomy to even the most casually interested, the HFCC Hammond Planetarium is offering something everyone will enjoy in their winter star talk: “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
“Snowy Evening” is a follow-up to the fall star talk “The Road Not Taken”. Both shows are cleverly named after well-known poems by Robert Frost.
The narrator of the show, Robert Clubb, starts off with a slide show presentation, projecting images of nature during the winter season. As you look at the pictures, the poem for which the show is named after is recited.
Next, “Snowy Evening” dives right into its planetarium portion of the show. As soon as the lights go out, the room seems to disappear as you are transported to your backyard, or outer space, even! As the stars are illuminated around you, a short movie is played about the types of stars and constellations you will be able to see in the winter.
Some constellations that were mentioned were Orion the Hunter, dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor, and probably the most recognizable to everyone – Taurus the Bull and the Gemini Twins. Though I really could not make out any of the constellations’ figures, it was fascinating to learn about these “pictures of the sky” that I haven’t heard about since high school.
After the constellations, the show jumps to planets by showing a movie about Jupiter. Though a little tedious than the previous movie, it’s still very informative and offers various facts about the planet. It also explains the history of the Juno Spacecraft, and the discoveries it has made on Jupiter.
I highly recommend the presentation to those who are studying astronomy or any category of science, since they will probably benefit the most of the show. But I would also suggest it to people who have always wanted to learn about astronomy. “Snowy Evening” is educational, and you will definitely learn at least one new thing after you leave the room.
The Planetarium will be presenting “Snowy Evening” every Tuesday in Room S-126 of the Science Building until April 5. Doors open at 7:15 pm and will close shortly after at 7:30. The show is free and open to the public.