‘The trip of a lifetime’: Dr. Phil Plait’s Space Talk presentation to take audiences on a journey to Saturn
What would it feel like to sail above Saturn’s rings? While it may be tricky to physically pull that off, we’ve got the next best thing here at Liberty Science Center!
On Oct. 19, 2023, at LSC After Dark, you’re invited to join us for a Space Talk led by renowned author and science communicator Dr. Phil Plait – aka “the Bad Astronomer” – in LSC’s Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, the biggest planetarium in America. The presentation is FREE with the purchase of LSC After Dark general admission.
Utilizing the planetarium’s stunning 89-foot dome, Dr. Plait will take audiences on a tour of Saturn as if they were “on a luxury cruise” of the Ringed Planet. This presentation, titled “Sightseeing in Space,” is based on his book Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer's Guide to the Universe.
“Of course, the most amazing thing about Saturn is its magnificent rings, and I'll have plenty of things to show people they've probably never seen before,” says Dr. Plait. “I have some cool facts they probably don't know, either!”
In the days leading up to his Space Talk, we caught up with Dr. Plait to learn more about his presentation and what audiences can look forward to:
Liberty Science Center: How does it feel to be presenting your work in the biggest planetarium in the country?
Dr. Phil Plait: I'm pretty pleased to be at Liberty Science Center; I've been a planetarian for a long time! I've written planetarium shows in the past and presented talks at some of the best in the country, so seeing this one will be another great experience for me.
LSC: If you could (safely) pick just one place in the universe to visit, where would it be and why?
PP: Saturn. Easy. It's incredibly beautiful, for one, and it has also just an astonishing system of rings and moons. They're all so weird and lovely and mind boggling that seeing them up close would be the trip of a lifetime.
LSC: What inspired you to write your new book, Under Alien Skies?
PP: I give a lot of talks, and show people the sky through my own telescope, and one of the most common questions I get is, "Would these objects look the same if you were actually there?" It's a good question, and I wanted to use the most current and best ideas we have about astronomy to show people what these places really are like.
What do you hope audiences take away from your Space Talk presentation?
PP: I'll be showing some incredible images and talking about literally alien experiences visiting Saturn. But what I want people to understand is that it's a real place, an actual world we can and have seen up close, and it's by understanding this planet and others in our solar system that we come to know Earth better.
Join us for Dr. Phil Plait’s Space Talk, “Sightseeing in Space,” on Oct. 19, 2023 at 7:00 pm, held at LSC After Dark! The presentation is FREE with LSC After Dark general admission. 21+ only. Click here to learn more and reserve your spot now.
