UTA Planetarium gets ready for Roman’s big launch
The University of Texas at Arlington’s Planetarium invites the community to a special event on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the upcoming launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
“We’ve put together a great show for people to learn about the mission, explore the science behind it and get ready for a new generation of astronomical discoveries,” said McKenna Dowd, UTA Planetarium coordinator. “The launch of Roman represents an exciting step forward in our exploration of the universe.”
The Planetarium’s show is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, offering a preview of the telescope before its scheduled launch Sunday morning. Tickets are $10 with reduced rates available for children, seniors, and UTA faculty, staff and students.
The Roman Space Telescope will have a field view at least 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope, Dowd said, allowing it to survey vast regions of space up to 1,000 times faster while maintaining similar sensitivity and infrared resolution.
The initiative is expected to help scientists investigate how planets, stars and galaxies form and evolve over time.
UTA’s Planetarium features a 60-foot dome projection surface, a fully digital projection system, advanced digital software and seating for 150 people. It’s established itself as one of the most family-friendly entertainment venues in North Texas.
Related: UTA Planetarium celebrates 20 years with a free show
The Planetarium hosted well-attended watch parties last spring during the Artemis II mission. The venue also has multiple shows available each Saturday for audiences of all ages and is a popular destination for field trips, with 30,000 K-12 students visiting each year.
“We always enjoy opening our doors and inviting people in to learn more about space,” Dowd said. “The Roman launch is an exciting time, and we hope people come out and learn more about this groundbreaking mission.”
To learn more about upcoming events at UTA’s Planetarium, please visit www.uta.edu/planetarium.
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 300,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.