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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><font size=2
face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";
font-weight:bold'>For Immediate Release/02-12-08/Mary Lou Hazal<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>PLANETARIUM'S FEB. 29
CELEBRATION TO MARK 50,000 VISITORS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> COMMERCE, <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:State> - Join the Texas
A&M University-Commerce Planetarium for its Celestial Celebration on
Friday, Feb. 29.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> The free event will
mark the Planetarium's two years of operation and 50,000 visitors.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Light refreshments will
be served beginning at 5:30 p.m. followed by the premiere of the new show,
"Seven Wonders," at 6, 7, and 8 p.m. Admission will be on a first-come,
first-serve basis.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Door prizes will also
be given away including two grand prize drawings at 6:55 and 7:55 p.m. for two
pairs of Southwest Airlines tickets. To win the drawings for the Southwest
tickets to anywhere the airline flies, you must be present to win and 18 years
of age.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Located on the first
floor of the new <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Science</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Building</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, the Planetarium
has been "much more successful than anticipated," said
A&M-Commerce President <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Keith McFarland</st1:PersonName>.
"It's among the finest you'll find in the country," McFarland said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> The audiences see the
shows using the planetarium's state-of-the-art Digistar 3, an all digital
projection system. Viewers enjoy immersive theater viewing with tilted seats
and 10-speaker surround sound during the shows, which last about an hour.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Shows begin with brief
remarks by a member of the staff, who displays the Commerce night sky on the
planetarium's 40-foot dome and points out the current visible constellations,
stars, and planets.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> During the week, school
groups attend the shows. In the last two years, over 500 shows have been
presented to school groups from throughout North and <st1:place w:st="on">Northeast
Texas</st1:place>, said planetarium director Dr. <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Kent
Montgomery</st1:PersonName>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> On Friday nights,
public shows are presented.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> "We are excited to
be approaching 50,000 visitors," <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Montgomery</st1:place></st1:City>
said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>"The support from the
community and the area schools has been fantastic and has exceeded our
expectations," <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Montgomery</st1:place></st1:City>
said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> When the planetarium
opened, A&M-Commerce began offering astronomy classes.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Two classes are being
offered. "Astronomy 101" focuses on the solar system and the history
of astronomy while "Astronomy 102" is about stars, galaxies, and the
universe.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> "The interest in
the classes has grown," <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Montgomery</st1:place></st1:City>
said. "Our first classes were small with about 15 students per class while
now we are averaging about 45 per class," <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Montgomery</st1:place></st1:City> said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> "The students
really enjoy meeting in the planetarium for classes because of its unique character
and the wonderful demonstrations that it can be used for," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Students meet in the
planetarium for about half of their lab assignments and a couple of times a
semester they meet outside and look through telescopes.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Work is expected to
begin within the next few weeks on an observatory, located about five miles
south of Commerce and one-half mile off Highway 50.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Target date for opening
of the observatory is early summer. "The facility will house four
telescopes with the largest inside a dome,"<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on"><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>Montgomery</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>
said. "We also hope to open the observatory to the public for regular
viewing."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> For more information on
the Feb. 29 celebration, call 903-468-8650.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Also get information on the
web at <a href="www.tamu-commerce.edu">www.tamu-commerce.edu</a>, click on
Visitors & Community, and then click on planetarium.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> Regular show admission
is $3 for those under 18 and A&M-Commerce students with ID, $3.50 for
university employees and senior citizens, and $4 for all others. A discount of
$1 per person will be offered if tickets are purchased at the same time for two
shows viewed on the same day.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> -30-<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Stephanie J. Peebles '05 <br>
Special Event Coordinator<br>
Alumni Relations<br>
Texas A&M University-Commerce<br>
903-468-3085<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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