LOUISVILLE, Ky. 鈥 The Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium at the University of Louisville will reopen June 29 after a month long closure to upgrade its projection system.
The upgrade means audiences will get a 360-degree visual experience when watching shows under the planetarium鈥檚 55-foot dome. The previous projection system used only part of the dome for some of its shows.
Gheens Science Hall and Planetarium Director Thomas Tretter said the $215,000 projection system renovation has been on a university 鈥渨ish list鈥 for years and, now that it is installed, administrators can purchase newer, digitally produced shows.
鈥淲e鈥檙e pretty pumped up about this new system,鈥 Tretter said. 鈥淚t really enhances the overall show experience because audiences are so fully immersed in the visual they can 鈥榝eel鈥 what it might be like to fly through space or travel through the human heart. It鈥檚 pretty mind-boggling.鈥
Shows offered at the reopening event will be 鈥淧erfect Little Planet,鈥 which is targeted to children 8 and younger, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and 鈥淏lack Holes: The Other Side of Infinity,鈥 targeted to all ages, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Costs per show are $8 for adults; $6 for children, seniors and UofL affiliates; and free for planetarium members. Discounts apply for the purchase of multiple show tickets. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
For general information call 502-852-6664 or see
For more information about the new projection system, contact Tretter at 502-852-0595 or tom.tretter@louisville.edu