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Media representatives are invited to experience the virtual night sky in an immersive fulldome digital video portable planetarium, part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, when it visits local students next week.

Note: Because it is necessary to maintain a “night sky” level of darkness within the planetarium dome, flash photographs may be taken only before or after the planetarium program.

Wilkes County
C. B. Eller Elementary School
1288 C. B. Eller School Road, Elkin
Tuesday (April 3), 9:30 a.m. and noon
Wednesday (April 4), 9:30 a.m. and noon
Thursday (April 5), 9:30 a.m. and noon
In the live facilitated planetarium show “Surveying the Solar System,” Morehead’s PLANETS educator leads fourth- and fifth-grade students on a journey from our home planet Earth to its planetary neighbors that orbit our Sun.

The PLANETS (Portable Learning for All North Carolina’s Elementary Teachers and Students) Portable Planetarium Program is a science education outreach effort of Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at UNC-Chapel Hill.

PLANETS delivers a traditional planetarium experience directly to elementary schools across North Carolina. PLANETS planetarium shows and classroom activities are standards-based and interdisciplinary so teachers can take full advantage of this unique science experience. The PLANETS dome stretches 20 feet in diameter and uses cutting-edge digital technology to reach students who may not otherwise encounter Morehead’s informal science education.

The PLANETS program was created in 2009 and receives support from N.C. Space Grant, with additional funding from the Chatham Foundation and the University of North Carolina Provost Office.

PLANETS website: www.moreheadplanetarium.org/go/PLANETS
Morehead media contact: Karen Kornegay, (919) 843-7952, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it