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Media Contact: David Perry (415) 864-6397
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Special holiday season planetarium show,
"The Christmas Sky," runs December 1 - 31

Show will feature performances by 
Piedmont Children's Choir on December 8 & 9 
New wide format film "SOLARMAX" continues
NOTE TO EDITORS: new Chabot info phone number: (510) 336-7300

15 November 2000: Oakland, CA: The new Chabot Space & Science Center presents two new shows for its world-class Ask Jeeves Planetarium: "The Sky Tonight," taking place every Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; and "The Christmas Sky," from December 1 - 31. Both shows have been created and will be led by Chabot Director of Astronomy, Jose Olivarez. Following the Friday and Saturday evening shows of "The Sky Tonight," attendees will be able to view the heavens through Chabot's two historic dome-housed telescopes (nicknamed "Leah" and "Rachel"). From December 1 - 31, Chabot will present a special holiday planetarium show, "The Christmas Sky," showing the night-time sky as it would have looked over the Holy Land 2000 years ago. Adding to this special holiday presentation will be four performances by Oakland's internationally-acclaimed Piedmont Children's Choir (December 8th & 9th at 7:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.). Following its recent West Coast premiere at the Center, the new wide-format film, "SOLARMAX," continues its run in the Tien MegaDome theater in rotation with "Amazing Journeys" and "To Be An Astronaut." (A full schedule of film and planetarium events accompanies this release and is available with downloadable images at www.chabotspace.org.

" 'The Sky Tonight' is a wonderful and wondrous introduction to Jupiter, Saturn, the Andromeda Galaxy, familiar constellations and the Milky Way," said Olivarez. "Attendees are encouraged to bring binoculars to observe the more-than-9,000 stars in the planetarium and the endless array in the sky outdoors."

The new wide format film, "SOLARMAX," is about humankind's struggle to understand the sun and the sun-earth relationship -- from earliest times to the present day. The film traces the ascent of humans as expressed by our developing understanding of the sun, and through it, our universe. The underlying theme of the film is the triumph of knowledge over ignorance -- of light over darkness. The title refers to the 11-year cycle of maximum solar activity that scientists call "SOLARMAX." The run reaches one of these peaks in 2000 and 2001, in which sunspots, solar flares, and other phenomena are more frequent and more intense. The effects of "SOLARMAX" on earth include increased activity of the Auroras (the Northern and Southern Lights), and interruptions of electronic communications. The film crew has traveled around the world to visit historical sites of sun worship, see scientists studying the sun, and capture the majesty of a total solar eclipse. "SOLARMAX" was directed, produced and written by John Weiley for Heliograph Pty. Ltd. and is distributed by the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. The score was composed by Nigel Westlake, co-producer was Robert Eather, and the executive producer was John Wickstrom. "SOLARMAX" received its world premiere on June 27, 2000 before Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of the new Imax cinema at the Science Museum of London. 

Chabot Space & Science Center
December calendar

Location: 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, CA 94619
(in Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland Hills)

Film Schedule for the Tien MegaDome Theater:
Mondays: CLOSED
Tuesdays - Thursdays: "To Be An Astronaut" 10am, 1pm; "SOLARMAX" 11:30am, 3pm
Fridays: "To Be An Astronaut" 10am, 1pm; "SOLARMAX" 11:30am, 3pm; "Amazing Journeys" 7:30pm, 8:30pm
Saturdays "SOLARMAX" 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 4:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm
Sundays "Amazing Journeys" 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 4:30pm

Schedule for the Ask Jeeves Planetarium:
Mondays - CLOSED
Tuesdays - Fridays: "The Christmas Sky" -- 2pm, 4pm
Saturdays - daytime: "The Christmas Sky" -- 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm
Sundays - daytime: "The Christmas Sky" -- 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm
Friday & Saturday evenings: ""The Sky Tonight"" -- 7:30pm, "The Christmas Sky" -- 8:30pm

Center Hours: Open Tuesday - Sunday
(closed Mondays, Christmas Day & New Year's Day)

Full complex: Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm; Sunday, 12pm - 5pm
Additional planetarium & theater evening hours:
Friday & Saturday, 7pm - 9pm

Free Telescope Observatory Access:
Friday & Saturday, 7pm - 9:45pm

Info Phone: (510) 336-7300
Website: www.chabotspace.org

Tickets: Tickets may be purchased at the door. Advance tickets are available on-line at www.ticketweb.com or by phone at (510) 601-TWEB.

Admission: $8.00/$5.50 seniors and children. Additional charge for Ask Jeeves Planetarium and Tien MegaDome Theater

Overview of Offerings at Chabot Space & Science Center:
"The Soul of Night" is currently playing on a daily basis in the Ask Jeeves Planetarium, with "The Sky Tonight" featured on Friday and Saturday evenings. A special holiday planetarium show, "The Christmas Sky", will run from December 1 through 31. Showing in the Tien MegaDome Theater are the wide-format films "SOLARMAX", "To Be An Astronaut" and "Amazing Journeys". Permanent exhibits include the interactive "Planetary Landscapes," "Our Place in the Universe," and "History of California Astronomy 1850-1950: Observatories, Telescope Makers, and their Instruments." The International Space Station HAB-LAB module, on loan from Boeing, will be in the Exhibit Hall through December. 

The new Chabot Space & Science Center is an innovative teaching and learning center focusing on astronomy and the inter-relationships of all the sciences. Its telescope and observatory complex, domed-screen wide-format film theater, planetarium, exhibits and natural park setting are a place where students, teachers and the public can imagine, understand and learn to shape their future.

For information and tickets, please call (510) 336-7300.
www.chabotspace.org.

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