The planetarium is celebrating its 40th year of showing students the stars at ETSU.
Dr. Gary Henson, assistant professor of physics, said the planetarium was installed in the fall of 1962 through a National Science Foundation grant. The department of geology and geography pushed for the installation as part of the desire to explore space that was fueling the country in the 1960s.
One of the main functions of the planetarium was to enable students to view the local sky of East Tennessee. The sky can be shown at different time frames and different locations. Henson said that there is computer software available that will do the same thing.
He thinks that the planetarium gives students an opportunity to view the night sky and be under the stars. However, it doesn’t replace actually being under the sky.
“It’s still artificial to some degree,” Henson said.
The room in which the planetarium was built was originally a classroom. However, it was modified in order to house the planetarium.
With some planetarium constructions, a room must be built with a dome and other specifications. ETSU already had the room available at Hutchinson Hall.
It was manufactured by the Spitz Company, which is located in Pennsylvania.
Henson said Spitz does not carry parts that date back to the planetariums of the 1960s, but, they have schematic that can be used instead. Spitz is still a manufacturer of planetariums today.
The planetarium was heavily used up until the 1980s. Then in scouts, church groups and field trip students. In addition, the astronomy classes use the planetarium throughout the semester.
There are no plans to have a celebration commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the planetarium. According to Henson, there have been conflicts and technical difficulties. He said that the fiftieth anniversary will be the one that is truly celebrated.
The planetarium has seen some renovations over the years. There have been accessories such as a comet projector and a meteor shower projector. Most recently, new audiovisual equipment was installed. DVD/CD equipment was installed that will change the way students view the sky at the planetarium.
“Instead of just showing the stars, we can show videos and presentations,” said Henson.
Instructional Development Community Grants help fund the new technology.
Up until 1992, the planetarium had been operated without air conditioning and the reclining seats had no headrests.
“We designed and installed our own headrests,” Henson said.
The department then had air conditioning put in the planetarium and it was finally spread to the rest of the building.
“We made it more comfortable,” said Henson.
The planetarium still carries the original projection capabilities and controls that it had when first installed 40 years ago.
According to Henson, replacing and modernizing that unit would cost anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000. After the observatory was installed four years ago, the department is not ready for another large spending project.
Henson will be sponsoring a showing at the planetarium on October 17 from 7-8 p.m. entitled “When Worlds Collide.”
It will focus on the chances of the Earth’s chances of a collision with an asteroid.
For more information on the planetarium or showings there, check out the department website at www.etsu.edu/physics.

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