NEWS

‘Haunted planetarium’ to feature extraterrestrial excitement Oct. 28, 30

CHAPEL HILL -- Extraterrestrials and spooky skies can be just as scary as ghosts and goblins, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Morehead Planetarium and Science Center aims to prove that with its "haunted planetarium" Oct. 28 and 30.

"Haunted Planetarium – Monsters Above" is for children ages kindergarten through second grade and their parents and will be held at 6 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. "Haunted Planetarium – Spooky Skies" is for children in third through sixth grade and their parents and will be held at 7:20 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Admission is $7 for the public and $5 for planetarium members. Tickets are on sale 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays by calling the Carolina Union box office at (919) 962-1449; advance ticket purchase is recommended, as space is limited.

The events will begin in the planetarium’s Star Theater. "Monsters Above" will teach children and their parents about wild animal and monster constellations. "Spooky Skies" will teach them about black holes, quasars and dark matter.

Following the presentation, characters representing astronauts, extraterrestrials and silly space cadets will guide participants through a "haunted planetarium" featuring an abandoned moon base and an extraterrestrial space station.

The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s student staff members are organizing the event. "We wanted to plan a fun event at Halloween, that would be a little educational and a little spooky," said Leesie Mappes, a UNC senior and the event’s chief organizer. "A lot of the students who work at the planetarium think it will be a perfect haunted house."

For more information, call (919) 962-1236 or click on www.morehead.unc.edu.

- 30 -

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center contact: Carrie Anne Spinelli, (919) 843-7952