A PLANETARIUM has opened to complement the stargazing experience in the Northumberland Dark Skies Park.
The purpose-built Planetarium has opened on the site of The Twice Brewed Inn at Hadrian's Wall, to complement and enhance the overall stargazing experience in the heart of the Northumberland Dark Skies Park.
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Stargazing packages are proving popular, with people taking the chance to spend an evening at The Twice Brewed, enjoying dinner, bed and breakfast as well as the stunning sights in the sky - and now inside the Planetarium too.
Visitors are also enjoying browsing the newly-fitted out Tap Room Shop, where all the beers, ales and lagers from The Twice Brewed Brewing Company can be picked up, alongside Twice Brewed Gin and merchandise.
From now until Saturday, January 7, children can eat for free at The Twice Brewed.
For every paying adult, one child can order a free eight inch pizza from the Romana pizza menu, for children aged 12 and under.
A series of immersive experiences are available to enjoy inside the Planetarium, offering visitors the chance to journey around the Aurora; take a tour of the Universe; learn about the science behind the Sun; travel through Nebulas; get among Saturn's rings, and more.
Wil Cheung, The Twice Brewed's resident stargazer, will lead the Planetarium experiences.
A series of successful preview evenings took place at the end of December and the first official Planetarium session was held on Monday, January 2, with at least one five star review having already been posted on Tripadvisor.
The review said: "The whole experience we enjoyed was a one-night stay at the hotel enjoying marvellous food and great scenery then the evening stargazing with Michael whose knowledge was first-class, informative and entertaining, culminating in the Planetarium experience showing us an informative film in a marvellous setting. I would recommend 100 per cent the whole package."
All stargazing experiences will include a visit to the Planetarium and if the skies are cloudy, stargazers will be still be able to explore the night skies inside the dome.
In future, more events will be added to the Planetarium timetable, including daytime sessions. The Planetarium is also available for private hire events - direct enquiries are being welcomed. It is also envisaged that school parties will make use of the facility.
Bookings can be made now at https://www.twicebrewedinn.co.uk/stargazing.
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