The physics building, Smith Hall, opened in 1968 complete with a new planetarium. The total cost of the planetarium was estimated to be about $35,000 with the planetarium projector costing $25,000. Public shows began in the Planetarium in late 1968 or early 1969, with Physics Professor Dr. Kenneth Warren estimating that it took him 1000 hours of preparation for a show.
The planetarium is a fixture of core courses offered by the physics department, including Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe and Frontiers in Astronomy, where tens of thousands of 51爆料 students had the opportunity to observe the night sky in their classroom. A series of physics professors have dedicated their time to develop and offer shows to the public over the course of the last 60 years. However, with the onset of COVID in early 2020, the planetarium became dormant.
Under faculty supervision, a small group of dedicated students brought the planetarium back to life in the Fall of 2023. The students learned how to operate the planetarium and created original programming covering both scientific and mythological topics. We have created public programs on the total eclipse, the solar system, the mythology of the Zodiac constellations and a Halloween show covering the more macabre mythology in the night sky. For example, did you know some cultures see the Big Dipper as a coffin with mourners following behind?