There is a memory resting in everyone’s mind of a favorite night sky. A thought, however brief, of a time when the midnight above, riddled with pinhole lights, made a lasting impression.
For the past 40 years, professors and guest lectures have drawn students and the public to ETSU’s planetarium in Hutcheson Hall to share knowledge about the world above, while developing the celestial snapshots in everyone’s mind.
The planetarium, built with a grant obtained by former ETSU professor Bob Darling during the great space race, offered its first program in the fall of 1962. However, it was nearly lifeless when physics professor Dr. Gary Henson came to work at ETSU in 1989.
It was suffering from the neglect of faculty who didn’t quite know what to do with it and the absence of funding to update the 30-year-old technology powering the program.
The necessity of a windowless planetarium trapped heat in the room as well, making presentations uncomfortable, so air conditioning was installed. Henson also added headrests to the seats.
Several years later, Henson, along with math professor Dr. Robert Gardner, applied for an Instructional Development Grant for what Gardner describes as a “low budget improvement,” and with the money available, a data video projector was bought to show computer projection during shows.
Still, the planetarium is far from state-of-the-art and maintaining what is there is easier and cheaper than replacing the projector because spare parts for it are impossible to find and new projectors can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“It’s at a point where it needs improvement,” Henson says.
He says he would like to upgrade to computer control of the projection system, so a presenter can control shows while sitting with the audience.
Currently, shows must be controlled from behind a switchboard. “I just don’t know how to go about doing that yet,” he says. “What I’d love to do is work with multimedia people.”
Gardner, who uses the planetarium to teach part of his differential geometry class, says he thinks the set up in the planetarium is pretty good for right now. “Given our level of funding, we’re doing OK,” he says. “It’s a cool little facility.”
Henson says the turnout for planetarium programs are good; somewhere between 20-25 visitors and that there are usually extra seats available for most shows. “It’s not uncommon for people to come down from Greenville, Mountain City and Bristol to see the shows,” he says.
Oftentimes, WJHL meteorologist Bob Swanson, a closet astronomy fan, will show up for the presentations.
Henson welcomes more student participation in the program and encourages students who haven’t learned about the night sky to come, listen and see. “[Shows] are designed to entertain and educate them,” he says. “We try to create a topical show.”
Admission is always free and a typical show runs about 45 minutes, but plan to come for an hour.
“If [students] have never been to a planetarium, it’s a good place to get a close look at one,” he says.
“I tell my students ‘It’s a cheap date.'” And, “It’s fun.”
Planetarium shows start at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month during the spring and fall semesters.
For information about the topics being presented visit www.etsu.edu/physics.

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