We're over the moon about this Valentine's Day Show at Morehead Planetarium

Love is in the air at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. Starting on Feb. 8 and running through Feb. 14, the regular Carolina Skies show will feature a special Valentine’s Day twist. 

Carolina Skies features an overhead projection of the stars led by an astronomy educator who highlights the stars, planets and constellations above the audience in North Carolina. Beginning Friday, this informative experience adds romantic astronomical lore to one of the longest running planetarium shows.  

The Valentine’s Day Edition incorporates a storytelling framework to its regular show, said astronomy educator Amy Sayle. 

“I’ve picked out different love stories from around the world that feature patterns and constellations that you can see in the night sky,” Sayle said. 

Audience members will hear compelling stories while learning about the astronomical concepts surrounding them. 

“I think it’s important to help people make emotional connections to the night sky,” Sayle said. “It’s not just about helping people make intellectual connections but emotional connections too, and that inspires people to want to learn more, and it adds meaning. I think everyone should be able to know something about the universe and appreciate its beauty.” 

Sayle said the Valentine’s Day Edition is her favorite Carolina Skies show to lead. She said she enjoys connecting audience members to the sky above them. 

“The night sky — it’s not just our natural heritage, it’s our cultural heritage, so I love to use storytelling in particular to help people understand that,” Sayle said. 

Jessica Hernandez, a junior at UNC who works in the Planetarium gift shop, attended the Valentine’s Day Edition of Carolina Skies in 2017. Hernandez attended the event with her friend, and she remembers listening to the stories with a projection of the corresponding stars directly overhead. 

“It’s fun," Hernandez said. "Even though you’re with 200 other people, it still feels like you’re there with the person you came with.” 

On Feb. 9, the Planetarium will also host an Anti-Valentine’s Day Show for the first time. Sayle said she initially got the idea for the Anti-Valentine’s Day event after noticing that, although most adults attended the show on a date, many often came with friends or by themselves. Sayle noticed they often seemed uncomfortable or embarrassed. So with this new event, she wants these individuals in particular to feel comfortable and welcome. 

"You’re always allowed to come to the Planetarium,” Sayle said.  

First-year Emily Robinson works at the Planetarium as a science educator in the Afterschool Program and as a presenter at the Science Stage. She said she is excited about the Anti-Valentine’s Show because the event is more inclusive for patrons who may not have a partner or a date.

Robinson said she appreciates the live aspect of the show, since the projector will show a view of what the night sky in Chapel Hill looks like that night. 

Sayle said for this night, the event will go further than "the moon and back" as far as the planets being shown. 

“We’re going to go further than that," Sayle said. "Way way further than that.”