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Christmas show opens at Rollins Planetarium On selected Friday evenings, the public is invited to celebrate the holidays through the wonder of the Rollins Planetarium's star-filled sky in the annual favorite, "'Tis the Season." The show explores the traditions surrounding the Christmas season and the star that led the Wise Men to Bethlehem. "'Tis the Season" will be presented at 8 p.m. on the following Friday evenings: November 16 and 30, December 7 and 14. The presentation traces the history and development of many of the world's most endearing holiday customs, all of which involve lighting up the winter season - from the burning Yule log, to sparkling Christmas tree lights and candles in windows, to the lighting of luminarias in the American Southwest and the traditional ritual of the Menorah. It's a program about the coldest and darkest of seasons - a time which holds some of the warmest and brightest celebrations of the year. The show recounts the religious and cultural rituals practiced during wintertime, and takes a look at some of our more light-hearted seasonal traditions: from gift-giving and kissing under the mistletoe, to songs about lords a-leaping and ladies dancing, and the custom of decking the halls with greenery and candles. St. Nicholas, Kris Kringle, and Santa Claus are included as well. Naturally, there is also astronomy in "'Tis the Season." Audiences learn a selection of Northern hemisphere winter constellations, and find out why we have seasons, as the Sun's path across the sky throughout the year is demonstrated. Using the planetarium's array of sky effects, the program explores possible astronomical explanations for the "Star of Bethlehem," including comets, meteors, novae, and planetary conjunctions. Planetarium programs start at 8 p.m. Seating begins about 10 minutes before showtime. The planetarium is located in the Maxwell Center building on the campus of Young Harris College. There is no charge. If skies are clear, the Young Harris College Observatory is open immediately after the planetarium show ends, which should be about 8:45 p.m. The observatory features a Schmidt- Cassegrain telescope, and is located about a mile-and-a-half from campus on the grounds of the Brasstown Valley Resort. Maps are available in the planetarium lobby if needed. The observing session will include a guided tour of the constellations. The session will end between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m. For recorded information about planetarium and observatory events, call the planetarium info line at 706-379-5195 or visit the college web site at www.yhc.edu, then click the "Rollins Planetarium" link on the left-hand side of the page.
Founded in 1886, Young Harris College is a private, liberal arts college currently in the transition process of becoming a baccalaureate-granting, fouryear institution. Historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, a primary goal of Young Harris College is to provide a quality education for the whole person: intellectually, socially, culturally, and spiritually. To learn more about Young Harris College, visit us at www.yhc.edu.
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