Planetarium show to feature two nebulas

The Planetarium Sky Theatre will host the November show “Celestial Cornucopia” Monday at 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.

“The theme will be ‘Celestial Cornucopia’, more or less in keeping with the harvest season,” said interim planetarium director Howard Knytych.

The show will focus on deep sky objects (DSO), particularly two nebula, the Great Orion Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula, in the Orion constellation and the fact that Jupiter is the closest to Earth in its yearly orbit.

Knytych did his first planetarium show in September, as he took over for Pat Hanrahan, the resident planetarium director, who has been in Namibia in Africa.

“Pat is returning from Namibia, Africa, on the fourth of this month.  He’ll be too wiped out to do the show on the seventh.  He’s been resident astronomer at a four-star resort there since late August,” said Knytych, adding that Hanrahan’s job was “one of those it’s-a-rough-job-but-somebody-has-to-do-it type of gigs.”

“I fully expect to have to put up for some time with his raving about what a great experience he will have had.  Good thing he’s a friend,” said Knytych.

For any curious regulars of the planetarium shows, the “Galaxy Song” will still be played.

Admission will be free for MHCC students with I.D. and $2 for the general public. Parking permits required and can be purchased for $3 at a kiosk by the main entrance to the school.