The University of Colorado at Boulder's Fiske Planetarium will host a live jazz concert on Valentine's Day weekend and later in the month will delve into the paranormal.
The debut of the AstroJazz program will be on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m., while "The Paranormal Universe" show will be on Thursday, Feb. 17, and Friday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Vocalist Cherilynn Morrow, who also is director of education and public outreach at Boulder's Space Science Institute, and local pianist Paul Cotugno will present AstroJazz. The program combines astronomy and music, and includes original and standard jazz tunes in concert with astronomical imagery and visual effects.
The newly remodeled planetarium, with a stage and excellent acoustics provided by its domed ceiling, will make a romantic setting for a jazz concert, according to Doug Duncan, director of Fiske Planetarium and Sommers-Bausch Observatory.
During his show "The Paranormal Universe," CU-Boulder astronomer Nahum Arav will analyze the validity of supernatural claims. He will talk about the roles that human psychology, sociology and the media play in people's understanding of astrology, prophesies, crop circles and UFOs. He also will discuss issues brought up in the 2004 movie "What the Bleep Do We Know!?"
Arav, a research associate in the Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, specializes in the study of galaxies and quasars as well as analyzing the validity of supernatural claims.
Admission for the "AstroJazz" show is $10. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling (303) 492-5002.
Admission for "The Paranormal Universe" is $6 for adults, $5 for students and $3.50 for children and seniors. Sommers-Bausch Observatory, adjacent to the planetarium, is open to the public following Friday shows, weather permitting. Admission to the observatory as well as guided viewing through the 16- and 18-inch telescopes is free.
For more information about Fiske Planetarium and other shows and programs it offers, call (303) 492-5002 or visit the Web site at .