The Mayborn Science Theater, located on the Central Texas College campus, recently announced its April show lineup. Saturday matinees, weekday matinees and Laser Friday and star tour are on tap during the month.
On Saturday, the schedule opens at 11 a.m. with “In My Backyard.” Children’s entertainer, Fred Penner, leads a lighthearted exploration of things large and small from the colors of the rainbow to the counting of ladybugs on a rose. Youngsters can investigate the night sky, learn the names of the planets, explore the reasons for the seasons and why there are shooting stars, all from the safety and comfort of the backyard.
At 12 p.m. is “The Cowboy Astronomer” featuring Cowboy poet and humorist Baxter Black who narrates a variety of mythological stories and “starlore.” Black engages the audience with information about the life cycle of stars, super novae, various constellations and several Native American star tales gathered over many years of watching the night sky.
“Dinosaur Passage to Pangaea” is at 1 p.m. The show explains one of the greatest geological events in the history of the Earth: the separation of the supercontinent Pangaea. When two children embark on a geology field trip back in time, they are thrown into a fantastic voyage where they witness incredible wonders and learn the mysterious process that created our present-day continents.
At 2:30 p.m. is “Earthquake: Evidence of a Restless Planet.” Take a tour through space and time to visit the sites of historical earthquakes from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Fly along the San Andreas Fault before diving into the planet's interior. Then travel back in time to witness the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the breakup of Pangaea 200 million years ago.
“Super Volcanoes” explores rare types of volcanic eruptions that conduct the energy beneath the surface of the Earth. It is a tale of havoc and mayhem: mass extinctions, climate collapses and violence beyond anything humans have ever witnessed. The show also highlights the impact of volcanoes on Earth and other worlds in our solar system. Show time is Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
At 4:30 p.m., enjoy the beauty of the aurora borealis in “Kiuguyat: The Northern Lights.” The audience will not only witness the magical display of vibrant colors and movements that fill the entire sky above the Arctic Circle, but will also be introduced to the indigenous residents of Alaska’s Far North as they share traditional stories, songs and generational knowledge related to the Northern Lights. Show time is Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
The Saturday lineup concludes with the laser light show “Ready Player One” which features many themes and songs from some of today’s bestknown video games.
Weekday matinees are scheduled every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. On April 6 is “Jillian’s Travels: Safari So Good.” On April 13 is “Pandas: The Journey Home.” On April 20 is “Natural Selection: Darwin’s Mystery of Mysteries,” and on April 27 is “Tales of the Maya Skies.” Matinee tickets are $5 for all ages.
Laser Friday is April 29 starting at 6 p.m. with “Ready Player One.” At 7 p.m. is “Laser Green Day,” which highlights some of the greatest hits by the American rock band Green Day, followed at 8 p.m. by “Eelctrolaze” which offers a mix of dubstep, drum and bass, trance and Dutch house music with artists such as Skrillex, Daft Punk, Tiesto, Aviici, Pendulum and more. This show and “Laser Green Day” contain parental warnings due to profanity.
Resident astronomer Warren Hart leads a star tour/talk of the constellations and stars of the current night sky on Saturday, April 30 which pre-empts the regular scheduled show.
For complete show descriptions, directions, membership information and more, visit <starsatnight.org>.