Planetarium Rendering

The Planetarium is part of the new Science Community Center coming Fall 2011. More information about this exciting project.

Dr. Richard Serros

Professor Serros will be drawing the twelve constallation star charts that will go around the outside of the planetarium as well as well as the mythological figures.  The mythological figures will be seen during the daylight hours and the star charts will light up at night.

What is the difference between a planetarium and observatory?

Planetarium

A planetarium is a theater-in-the-round, whose ceiling is hemispherical and presents a simulation of the night sky.  The sky displays (for tonight or for any place in the world and at any time in the past or future) stars, planets, the Moon and its phases and meteor showers.  It can also be used as a horizon-to-horizon screen for projecting computer graphics that can show us the northern lights, constellation figures, or movies.  Our planetarium will have a 40-foot diameter dome and a state-of-the-art star projector and a high-resolution digital imaging system.

Observatory

An observatory is a covered instrument shelter, usually hemispherical, protecting a telescope.  Our new observatory dome will shelter a top-line college-level Cassegrain telescope with a 16-inch mirror and a complete set of instruments for real-time viewing, digital imaging and electronic signal processing.  It will be used by college astronomy lab classes and members of the public on special occasions.

 

 Astronomy Courses:

Astronomy Club

Astronomy Events