Discover the Nights Sky, Old fashion romance still wins hearts

Old fashion romance still wins hearts

After centuries we still look to the stars as symbols of love and romance. More than 95% of Melbournians surveyed consider an evening under the stars to be a romantic way to express their love for the first time, compared to just 5% who regard Twitter as romantic and 15% who regard SMS texting as romantic, according to a recently conducted Newspoll survey.

When asked to rate the romance in various different ways of expressing love, more than 95% of Melbournians surveyed said an evening under the stars was a romantic way to express their for the first time, with 71% considering it a very romantic way. This compares with just 1% who rated SMS texting as a very romantic way, or the less than 1% who rated Twitter as a very romantic way.

"People always have found stars romantic and have looked to the stars as symbols of love for centuries" says Tanya Hill, Museum Victoria Curator, Astronomy. "New technologies are affecting the way we see and understand the sky, and I suppose each other, but there is something about the night sky that still resonates with our deepest emotions, and I think always will".

Melbournians will have the chance to experience the wonders of the night sky at the March season of Discover the Night Sky, a series of special after-dark sessions at the Melbourne Planetarium. Bookings for Discover the Night Sky open on Valentine's Day, 14 February.

"Every night there is a romantic spectacular performed just above our heads, but in our everyday lives we don't pay it much attention. Maybe we're too busy Twittering and texting" says Hill.

"The Melbourne Planetarium provides a modern spin on an evening under the stars, allowing you to discover the depths of the universe - and who knows, maybe bring a distant romance just a little bit closer".

All evenings of Discover the Nights Sky include complimentary wine and cheese and the opportunity to chat to the Planetarium's Astronomer, Dr. Tanya Hill. The evening will finish with stargazing through telescopes (weather permitting).

Each evening will showcase a different aspect of the night sky:

Thursday 4 March:
Backyard Astronomy
It's not just stars you can see in the night sky - planets, comets, shooting stars and satellites are all there if you know when and where to look.

Thursday 11 March:
Travel the Universe
We invite you on a tour of the Universe that will take you from Spotswood to the far reaches of space.

Thursday 18 March:
Deep Sky Wonders
Explore magnificent galaxies, sparkling star clusters, mysterious gas clouds and much more.

Thursday 25 March:
Our Solar System
Journey through planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids and comets. Marvel at the beauty of each unique world and the stories they tell.

Discover the Nights Sky

Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks, 2 Booker St, Spotswood

Session times: Commence 7pm.

Cost: $26 per person, MV members $21, Season pass $89.

Bookings essential: Call 03 9392 4819 Monday to Friday 9.00am - 4.30pm

For more information visit http://museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium/

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Newspoll survey was conducted in January 2010 on the Newspoll Telephone Omnibus amongst a representative sample of 200 Melbourne respondents aged 18 years and over.