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

Media representatives are invited to experience the virtual night sky in North Carolina's first fulldome digital video portable planetarium, part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, when it visits Halifax County 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.

Halifax Academy
1400 Three Bridges Road, Roanoke Rapids

"Surveying the Solar System"
Tuesday (Oct. 19), 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday (Oct. 20), 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Thursday (Oct. 21), 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
In this live planetarium show, students in grades four, five and six travel through the solar system, visiting Earth's planetary neighbors and learning about planet composition and orbit.

"Magic Tree House: Space Mission"
Tuesday (Oct. 19), 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday (Oct. 20), 12:30 p.m.
In this multimedia planetarium show, first- and second-grade students follow Jack and Annie, the lead characters from the "Magic Tree House" series of children's books, on a quest to solve a mysterious riddle about space. During their journey, they meet an astronomer, an astronaut and an author who help them find a solution.

"Moving All Around"
Wednesday (Oct. 20), 10 a.m.
In this live planetarium show, kindergarten students use their observational skills to explore the stars with a Morehead educator. They learn to identify major constellations and some of the major Greek and Roman myths associated with those constellations.

"Earth, Moon and Sun"
Thursday (Oct. 21), noon
In this multimedia planetarium show, third-grade students explore the relationship between the planet they live on, the moon that orbits it and the star that provides it with light and heat. With reference to Native American stories and legends, "Earth, Moon and Sun" helps students understand the movement and impact of Earth’s orbit.

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 Web site: www.moreheadplanetarium.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&filename=PLANETS_overview.html
PLANETS media contact: Karen Kornegay, (919) 843-7952, kck@unc.edu
News Services contact: Susan Houston, (919) 962-8415, susan_houston@unc.edu

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