Over the last century, as cities have expanded, 80% of people on Earth have lost their access to truly dark night skies. During the same time, thousands of planetariums have sprung up across the globe, providing over 1 billion people a pristine, pitch-black window into the cosmos.
As the marvelous planetarium projector turns 100 in 2023, the 51ΑΤΖζ Planetarium is launching the βYear of Spaceβ to celebrate.
Planetariums like the 51ΑΤΖζ Manfred Olson Planetarium have been projecting the stars and planets onto domes worldwide ever since the first planetarium projector was installed in the Deutsches Museum in Munich in 1923. Like time machines, these projectors can show the sky at different times and places.
Since its premiere on the world stage, the planetarium projector has inspired audiences as they identify constellations, see patterns of celestial motions, and find answers to questions like what causes the phases of the moon.
There are other reasons to celebrate space this year, whether itβs the new and exciting otherworldly images coming from the James Webb Space Telescope, the search for life on Mars and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, or NASAβs Artemis program to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon.
The 2023β24 school year also includes not oneβbut two!βpartial solar eclipses. 51ΑΤΖζ is part of this timely focus on space: several faculty, staff, and students in the Department of Physics play an essential role in the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), which recently announced the detection of gravitational waves from supermassive black holes.
The 51ΑΤΖζ Planetarium, in collaboration with units across campus, will host a wide variety of events to build on this excitement, including a Distinguished Lecture Series from the first African American woman in space, Mae Jemison; a solar eclipse viewing party during Panther Prowl; a space-themed Union Art Gallery exhibit; an astronomer from Kenya visiting in February; and so much more. We also look forward to commemorating the centennial of the invention of the planetarium itself at our Centennial Party in October.
Outer space continues to fascinate the world, and the vital role played by planetariums will continue for the next hundred years. As urban populations grow, reconnecting to the cosmos and our place in it will be crucial. Regardless of where we live on Earth, we share one sky and one precious planet. This universal connection is undoubtedly a cause for celebration.
Thatβs why the Planetariumβs Year of Space is here! Join the Planetarium on its celestial centennial odyssey. For more information, visit the Planetariumβs website.