Pink Floyd fans rejoice. Dark Side of the Moon planetarium show is returning to Fayetteville for its 50th anniversary. Originally released in 1973, Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” has become a cult classic over the generations, garnering a new set of fans at the turn of every decade. Introduced to the world in a press conference in the London Planetarium, Dark Side of the Moon has a full circle moment at the Fayetteville State University Planetarium with two dates to catch it: Dec. 1st and Dec. 8th. There will be two showings each day, one at 7 p.m. and the other at 8 p.m. Tickets are only $10 for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Fayetteville was one of only 100 cities chosen to host the 50th anniversary show. Planetarium Manager and Astronomy Professor Joseph Kabbes, who has seen the show well over 50 times himself, said the show was “created by NSC Creative in conjunction with the band Pink Floyd to celebrate the release of the album in 1973. The album was on the Billboard charts for 984 weeks. This is the only DSotM show sanctioned by Pink Floyd, and we are one of 9 planetariums in the US licensed to offer the show and the only one in the South East US,” he said.

“The show is a stunning sequence of space-related visuals that are choreographed to the music and tell the story of the album. This experience is heightened as we have ten 4K projectors on a 30-foot dome that display more pixels per square inch than any other dome in the world. A 6500-watt sound system provides the audio punch to create an amazing experience," said Kabbes

The show is more than just an experience; it’s a way for the community to ensure the Fayetteville State Planetarium is around for generations to come with the most up-to-date technology. According to Kabbes,

“The revenue from this show has allowed us to upgrade our servers to provide a richer experience for our visitors. We are looking to acquire other full dome shows, such as the award-winning Asteroids: Mission Extreme. In addition to DSotM on Friday evenings at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., we offer biweekly science shows on Sat evenings, followed by views through a telescope, weather permitting.”

Fayetteville State Planetarium has the rights to the show until March 2024, so be on the lookout for more show dates in the future.

The show doesn’t stop when Dark Side of the Moon leaves. The planetarium has a full schedule of events for kids and adults alike. Their next big event is the Solar Eclipse Party on April 8th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors will be able to safely view the sun through telescopes. Visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase solar glasses as well. They will also be taking part in the 2024 NC Science Festival on April 13th by hosting a Rocket and Robots event from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m..

For more information and to purchase tickets to any of the planetarium events, visit their website https://www.uncfsu.edu/about-fsu/community/planetarium.