If you're looking for something local to do this weekend that isn't egg or bunny related, you're in real luck! Today, Friday April 3rd, 2015, is the official first day of the return of the Roger B. Chaffee planetarium's popular Pink Floyd laser light show, called the “Dark Side.” The first showing for 2015 will begin at 9 PM tonight, and if previous years mean anything, it promises to be a great show.
The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium is located on the second floor of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and the address (for those of you using a GPS or mapping device to navigate the city) is 272 Pearl Street NW in Grand Rapids, with a 49504 zip code. Beginning tomorrow (Saturday, April 5th), there will also be a daytime showing every day at 4 PM and evening showings at 8 PM (other than Easter Sunday, when the planetarium is closed).
The planetarium is named for West Michigan native Roger Bruce Chaffee, who was one of three pilots that were killed in a fire during a pre-flight check of the Apollo 1 mission. Chaffee, who was in charge of communications, remained strapped into his seat attempting to perform his duty while the fire destroyed the cabin. Because the Apollo had pure oyxgen being pumped in, the fire was intense, eventually ripping through a wall and producing smoke, which killed the three men aboard. Chaffee was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the Navy Air Medal after his death, and he is considered a local hero by many aspiring pilots and scientists in West Michigan.
“Dark Side: The Light Show” will be the first Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium original show shown at the planetarium since it underwent $1.2 million in renovations in 2013 and 2014. The planetarium now features the latest Digistar 5.0 projection, powerful surround sound, and comfortable reclining seats for while you're enjoying the show. Previous “Dark Side” shows have included the iconic Pink Folyd album set to enjoyable laser-images, and this year's show promises to be a great one, as the show has been completely redone to make the best of the upgrades in the facility.
Tickets to the planetarium shows are $4, and they are free to those who have a museum membership. Those who have a WLAVip card receive a dollar discount if they show the card while purchasing the ticket for the show (as WLAV was a sponsor of this year's “Dark Side” show). The show will run at least through the month of April, providing ample opportunity for people to head downtown and enjoy this classic album and laser light show presented on cutting-edge, modern technology! This is sure to be an instant classic, as the shows in previous years have been. Have a great weekend!