CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE PLANETARIUM TO OFFER SPRING BREAK ENTERTAINMENT

Programming will prepare participants for the total solar eclipse on April 8

KILLEEN, TX — The Mayborn Science Theater at Central Texas College will offer Spring Break entertainment options while many schools are out next week.

Special programming will be March 12-15, including Planetarium shows and a movie and popcorn night on Friday.

Planetarium shows will start at 12:30 p.m. and run on the hour until the final program at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday. The Science Theater will be open while Central Texas College is closed for Spring Break March 11-15.

Shows will start with a shorter version of  “Totality Over Texas,” a 10-minute video about the total solar eclipse. The 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. shows will be followed by an add-on activity including chalk art or paper model construction. A telescope viewing activity will follow the 3:30 p.m. show. 

Show topics include: “Totality: Explore the Wonder of Eclipses;” “Birth of Planet Earth;” “Flying Monsters;” and “Exoplanets.” More information including other titles and Saturday shows is available at www.starsatnight.org. 

Cost is $5 for each show or $12 for a show with activity.

The Science Theater also will host a movie and popcorn night featuring, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” at 6 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $7 or $3.50 for members. Net Impact, a college student organization, will sell popcorn and drinks.

The programs will help students get ready for the total solar eclipse set to sweep over Bell County on April 8, said Kathryn Winston, Planetarium director of program and outreach. Killeen is expected to double in population as many flock to Central Texas to experience one of the longest durations of complete darkness at 4 minutes, 16 seconds, starting at 1:36 p.m. 

“We want kids to be prepared, so whether they don’t know anything at all about the solar eclipse or if they already know a lot, they will be looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Winston said.

Central Texas College will host Eclipse Over Central Texas on April 5-8 including Planetarium shows, entertainment and vendors. More food trucks are still needed.

For more information, go to https://www.ctcd.edu/solar-eclipse/.

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