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Harold Shale: The Comet with No Tail

Robert J. Novins Planetarium

By Toms River Macaroni Kid April 12, 2018


Toms River Macaroni Kid was lucky enough to be included in the premier showing of Harold Shale: The Comet with No Tail and it was a fun morning at the Robert J. Novins Planetarium. It started with a craft and then Bob Salvatore, the narrator, author and illustrator of the show, took us on a trip through the solar system where we met Harold Shale. 

Before the show started, children had an opportunity to make their own Harold comet. For the premier showing, I was on hand with a fun game of Outer Space Bingo. It was pretty cool to hear the all the kids share facts about their favorite planets with each other as we played the game.  




The show begins with an introduction by Mr. Bob. Bob Salvatore is a seven-time recipient of the NASA Night Sky Network Award for excellence in Public Outreach and the creator of Harold Shale. His passion for this project, along with his excitement to share it with the audience shined through. Harold Shale: The Comet with No Tail was created as an interactive show, with a storytime format. The audience is encouraged to make their own handmade Harolds fly and spin as the story progresses.  Families participate by helping Harold along on his journey to find his orbit by shouting out instructions, making funny noises and cheering him on. 

Harold Shale: The Comet with No Tail introduces the audience to Ida the Asteroid, Jupiter and its moons, Mars, Venus, Mercury and finally the Sun. The show is full of amazing sound effects, captivating families throughout Harold’s entire journey to find his orbit and his tail.

Tickets are on sale now for the next showing on Saturday, April 28.  The show starts at 11:00 but make sure you get there a little early to make your very own Harold. The craft begins at 10:30 am. This show is recommended for ages 5 and up. Tickets are a general admission price of $10 for all patrons age 3 and up. Advance purchase is recommended, as they do often sell out: tickets.ocean.edu or call 732.255.0343.

Keep an eye out for the next show in the series, Luna Skate: Moon Without a Crater, on the dome at the Robert J. Novins Planetarium this summer.  Until then, see you next orbit.


About the Robert J. Novins Planetarium:

The Robert J. Novins Planetarium Sky Theater features some of the latest projection technology to bring you the universe in innovative and exciting new ways. The planetarium dome is a virtual 3-D video space, no longer restricted to simply an earthbound view of the sky, we can now take you on a journey from the smallest size scales to the edge of the universe. When we do want to see the night sky as viewed from Earth, our new fiber-optic star projector will provide a beautiful, crisp view of the night sky. Check back often for the latest information, special events, and how you can become a part of our universe.