Planetarium showcases wonder of universe

On Thursday, July 31, the Bellevue College planetarium hosted the third presentation in a series of public showings. This time, the focus of the show was on something a little more unsettling: supermassive black holes, gamma ray bursts and colliding galaxies, showcasing the destructive nature of the universe.
Presented by Pat Beatie, a retired federal agent, the show began with a small lecture about the nature of mass and the scales of distance discussed. The first segment of the presentation was called “Black Holes”, which introduced viewers to black holes, how they are made, and theories about what the inside of a black hole might be like. The presentation included an animation of traveling into a black hole, this along with other subject matter made the show not reccomended for those under the age of eight.
The second segment, “The Violent Universe”, covered other dangers which lurk around the universe. The birth of a black hole produces a colossal amount of gamma ray radiation which could strip the ozone layer and irradiate our planet, erasing all life. Particularly interesting was an animation of colliding galaxies, including what the night sky might potentially look like in that situation. Afterwards, the audience was led out to observe the night sky, with Beatie pointing out major stars and constellations.
More information about  upcoming shows can be found on the planetarium website.