Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Astronaut
2026-07-24 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-07-29 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-07-31 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)

Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis
2026-07-24 13:30 - 14:30, 2026-07-29 13:30 - 14:30, 2026-07-31 13:30 - 14:30

Mars: The Ultimate Voyage
2026-07-24 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-07-29 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-07-31 15:00 - 16:00

Magic Tree House Space Mission
2026-07-25 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-07-29 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-07-31 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-08-01 10:30 - 11:30

The Sun: Our Living Star
2026-07-25 12:00 - 13:00

Saturday Science Sparks: Coastal Frequencies
2026-07-25 13:00 - 16:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Coastal Frequencies: Explore the underwater sonic ecology of North Carolina’s coast!

What does it sound like under the ocean? On Saturday, July 25, join artist Madeleine Popkin in a special Saturday Sparks exploration of underwater sounds recorded off the coast of Beaufort, North Carolina! Madeleine will pair her paintings with visitor listening stations featuring recordings by marine bioacoustics researcher Dr. Shannon Brown. An ambient soundscape, composed of underwater recordings from North Carolina’s coast, will immerse you in a watery world.

You can meet Madeleine in the Gateway Gallery from 1 to 4 p.m. as she presents her project and the power of combining art and science.

All ages welcome. This special program is included in admission.

About the Artist

Madeleine Popkin is an interdisciplinary artist from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, working with painting and sound-based installation. Her practice engages bioacoustic research through the translation of scientific data and field recordings into immersive experiences. She collaborates with bioacoustic researchers to develop works that make human impact on the environment viscerally perceptible. She received a BFA from Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning.

A screenshot of audio in the software Audacity

A past spectrogram painting by Madeleine Popkin

Artist Statement

My work uses painting and sound to translate environmental research into embodied experience. I collaborate with underwater bioacoustic researchers and coastal labs, working directly with recordings produced through site-specific field research. These recordings are not neutral documents; they carry the structure of marine life: communication for navigation, reproduction, socialization, and survival. I examine how human and nonhuman systems overlap and persist over time by working with recordings of coastal environments and anthropogenic noise pollution. I treat this sound data as material that shapes composition, rhythm, and density in painting and corresponding soundscapes, inviting the audience to experience the same coastal environments through sound and image.

Learn more about Madeleine

This program is supported by the Orange County Arts Commission

MORE is happening at Morehead this year

New for 2026, Saturday Science Sparks offers Morehead guests a closer encounter with current science. Covering topics like astronomy, the physics of juggling, and computer science, this program collaborates with community partners and academic clubs, bringing you up-close experiences in the exciting world of STEAM. Saturday Science Sparks is open to the public and included in admission.

Phantom of the Universe
2026-07-25 13:30 - 14:30

Supermassive Black Holes
2026-07-25 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-07-28 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-07-30 15:00 - 16:00

Carolina Skies
2026-07-25 16:30 - 17:30

We Are Stars
2026-07-26 13:30 - 14:30

From Earth to the Universe
2026-07-26 15:00 - 16:00

One Sky, Many Eyes
2026-07-26 16:30 - 17:30

Earth, Moon and Sun
2026-07-28 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-07-30 10:30 - 11:30

Solar System Odyssey
2026-07-28 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-07-30 12:00 - 13:00

Mysteries of Your Brain
2026-07-28 13:30 - 14:30, 2026-07-30 13:30 - 14:30

Messengers of Time & Space
2026-08-01 12:00 - 13:00
