Last weekend, I got the chance to land on Mars, check out volcanoes the size of the U.S. that erupt on the sun and caught an outsider’s view of the Milky Way Galaxy, and this was all before the documentary I went to see.
Eastern’s Julia Fowler Planetarium is currently showing “We Are Astronomers,” the internationally renowned film that demonstrates how progress is made in astronomy daily (or, technically, nightly).
“Astronomers are not looking through telescopes anymore,” said Steve Sanders, Observatory Coordinator in Eastern’s Astronomy & Physics Department.
Sanders’ hope for students is that after experiencing “We Are Astronomers,” students will leave with a more “in-depth understanding of what is currently happening in astronomy,” especially regarding the new advancements in outer space telescopes that use “very specific detectors to study the electromagnetic spectrum.”
Sound a little over your head? That is, in fact, correct. The planetarium is an overhead full-dome screen with a state-of-the-art digital projector, allowing you to view the heavens just as if you were outside on a clear night.
“We Are Astronomers,” produced by National Science Centre Creative, will have its final showings on Friday, Oct. 1 and Saturday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. The cost is $5. To reserve seats, simply e-mail Sanders at planet@eastern.edu.
Also starting this October, Sanders invites students to look for news of a free planetarium show every third Thursday of the month. It will be an entertaining opportunity to ask questions and explore the universe using Starry Night, a software program that can send you light years away to galaxies you never knew existed.
Come and be astounded by the immeasurably vast, breathtakingly beautiful universe our God has created. And happy star-gazing!