Legends of the Night Sky

July 17th 2008

Thursday, 7:00 PM

Drake Planetarium brings to Cincinnati a unique fulldome laser production titled "Legends of the Night Sky". The production takes a lighthearted and imaginative look at the myths and stories associated with the constellations Orion, Perseus and Andromeda.

We will be offering weekend matinees of "Legends of the Night Sky", the first traditionally animated full dome laser show ever made. The show brings the mythological stories to life in a fun-filled, animated adventure that is unlike any traditional planetarium program.

Thousands of hand-drawn images were created to give the audience the sensation of being in the middle of an animated cartoon.

Scenes from this show have won first place awards from the International Laser Display Association, in 1999 and again in 2000. This humorous show appeals to kids and parents alike.

Accompanied by narrators Aesop the owl and Socrates the mouse, we follow Orion's adventures as he grows to manhood, battles mythical beasts, foils the plot of an evil king and wins the heart of Artemis, the beautiful moon-goddess. By the end of the story, we learn how the constellation Orion was placed in the sky, forever turning overhead throughout the seasons.

We also meet brave Perseus, who is tiptoeing through hydra-haired Medusa's castle. After taking care of Medusa, Perseus flies on his winged sandals to save Andromeda who is about to be sacrificed to Cetus, the sea monster. All the characters of the story -- Orion, King Cepheus, Queen Cassiopeia, Princess Andromeda, valiant Perseus and his steed Pegasus -- are immortalized in the constellations, where they remain: Legends of the Night Sky.