The Rosette Nebula, which will be featured at the Arne Slettebak Planetarium Friday, is a cloud of dust that resembles a skull. Credits: Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Ariz
Perched upon the fifth floor of Smith Laboratory at Ohio State, the Arne Slettebak Planetarium does much more than delve into space.
“This is a very unique space to tell whatever story you have,” Wayne Schlingman, planetarium director, said.
This Halloween, the planetarium will offer “Cosmic Creeps and Celestial Treats,” a presentation designed to show the spooky parts of space. Guests are encouraged to show up in costume to celebrate the holiday, according to the planetarium’s website.
The presentations are 30 minutes long and will begin at 6 p.m. Friday and run until 8 p.m., with screenings taking place every 30 minutes. Parents who intend to bring their children are advised that the presentation will include jumpscares, the website states.
The event coincides with the “Spooktacular Star Party” happening at the Planetarium the same day — telescopes will be provided for students to look through at the night sky and professionals will be in attendance to answer questions, according to the planetarium’s website.
“I’m creating it, making the animations, noises and presenting it,” Miqaela Weller, a fifth-year in astronomy and student head planetarium presenter, said.
Weller said space might not seem spooky, but then again, there is the Rosette Nebula — a giant cloud of dust, gases and stars that resembles a human skull.
Another constellation that will be shown in the presentation is the Perseus constellation, Weller said.
“There’s a star in Perseus called Algol,” Weller said. “Perseus is carrying the head of Medusa [and] Algol is the eye.”
Weller said she will also point audiences toward the star Betelgeuse, pronounced “Beetlejuice” — which ties into the classic movie starring Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.
This part of the presentation will include a narrator speaking in the style of Keaton’s character in the movie, Beetlejuice.
“Hello stargazers,” a voice actor for Keaton says in the narration. “Betelgeuse isn’t just a pretty star. Next time you chant a name into the void, make sure you want an answer.”
The Planetarium is a creative outlet that isn’t just bound to astronomy — in the past, numerous projects have been displayed in the space, such as a student’s microphotography work and another’s illustrated short film, which was made specifically to fit the planetarium’s dome structure, Schlingman said.
Schlingman said these presentations help set the planetarium apart from others. The shows can be as personal or as theatric as the presenters would like it to be.
“This is a storytelling space,” Schlingman said. “This is just a big digital canvas. If you can think it up, we can do it.”
