Supernovae, colossal explosions of massive stars and one of the most violent phenomena in astronomy, will be explored at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Fiske Planetarium in July.
CU-Boulder Professor Emeritus Richard McCray will present "Supernovae" on Thursday, July 6, and Friday, July 7, at 8 p.m.
During the show McCray will describe what astronomers have learned about supernovae from ancient and modern observations. He also will talk about why all the heavy elements in the universe, including those on Earth, were produced by supernovae explosions.
McCray is the emeritus George Gamow Distinguished Professor of astrophysics at CU-Boulder.
Admission for each show is $6 for adults, $5 for students and $3.50 for children and seniors. The Sommers-Bausch Observatory is open to the public following Friday evening shows, weather permitting. Admission to the observatory is free.
For more information about Fiske Planetarium and other shows and programs it offers call (303) 492-5001 or visit the Web site at fiske.colorado.edu.