Find out what you will discover at the Planetarium this Half Term

We talk to founder and principal presenter of Starlight STEM, Dr Mark Gallaway, who is bringing the Planetarium to Chantry Place as part of Norwich Science Festival this October…

Mark, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I have a PhD in astrophysics and have been presenting Planetarium shows and workshops for over 10 years. I have appeared on The Sky at Night, Channel 4, BBC News and ITV, as well as numerous radio stations.

What can people expect to see when they step inside the Planetarium?

We have a 360 degree projector and people will take a seat to watch the sky above them. It is all live narrative, which means that no two shows are the same and it is a different experience each time people visit.

We have two shows – the autumn night sky around Norwich and Norfolk for the Monday toThursday shows and a different one on the Friday and Saturday, which will be based more on the solar system.

For the autumn night sky people will see stars, galaxies, the moon, Saturn and we will point things out and give tips about what and how people can see them.

The solar system show will feature the sun, aurora, planets, stars and more.

Why should families visit during Half Term?

Kids mainly love two things – dinosaurs and space, so we cover the space part which kids love and really engage with. The show is suitable for ages 3+ and we would love to see a range of ages coming along. There will be lots of wow moments! It is also really interactive and I think people will learn a lot too. We will provide lots of tips too, such as how to use binoculars to explore the Universe.

Is it COVID secure?

We are allowing 35/40 people into the Planetarium for each show and we clean it down between shows. It is optional if people want to wear a mask.

The Planetarium is at Chantry Place between 25th and 30th October 2021. Advance booking is required. Visit norwichsciencefestival.co.uk to book.