ORONO – The Emera Astronomy Center, located off the Rangeley Road at UMaine, will host the following star shows in the month of January.

Out There: The Quest for Extrasolar Worlds – January 5, 12, 19, 26, 7-8 p.m.: For thousands of years, mankind thought that the Earth was the center of the Universe. Thanks to our curiosity, imagination and urge to explore, we now know that planets like our Earth are nothing special in the cosmos. The Sun is just one ordinary star among hundreds of billions in our galaxy, the Milky Way. With the world’s most powerful telescopes, we are able to explore more and more of the Universe. What we have found so far has surpassed even the wildest expectations of scientists as well as authors of science fiction. Most stars have planets — it turns out they are more common than we thought. A huge diversity of different worlds is out there, just waiting to be discovered. Join as we explore these new worlds!

The Little Star That Could – January 7, 14, 21, 28, 2-3 p.m.

It’s hard to be a little star in a big universe! Join a medium sized, yellow star as he makes his way through space. In his travels, he meets many different types of stars and learns about some of the other things that make our universe so interesting. After meeting stars, nebulas, and galaxies, the little star takes a good look at himself and finds that he, too, is special. He has nine planets that depend on him for warmth and light. Along with the little star, audiences learn the ways each planet is special.

Legends of the Night Sky – Orion – January 9, 10-11 a.m.: Take a fun and lighthearted look at the myths and stories associated with the constellation Orion, the great hunter of the winter sky. Orion comes to life in a fun-filled, animated accompanied by narrators Aesop the owl and Socrates the mouse as we follow Orion’s adventures as he grows to manhood, battles mythical beasts, foils the plot of an evil king and wins the heart of Artemis, the beautiful moon-goddess. We learn how the constellation Orion was placed in the sky, forever turning overhead throughout the seasons. The program includes a live sky lecture showing where Orion and his companions are located in the Winter Skies.

Tickets for planetarium programs are $6 for Adults, $5 for UMaine Students/Veterans/Senior Citizens, and $4 for children under 12. Tickets may be purchased online, at astro.umaine.edu, by phone at 207-581-1341, or at the ticket box office prior to the show.

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