Just in time for Halloween, ETSU’s very own planetarium invited students and community members to look beyond the pumpkins and costumes this October with the presentation “The Celestial Origins of Halloween.” The free event was held on October 16 and drew the community together in plentiful amounts, according to Dr. Gary Henson of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Presen“The free show was attended by 40 persons representing both campus students and the broader regional community,” Dr. Henson said on the successful turnout.
The evening began with a display of the fall night sky, showcasing the constellations visible during this time of year. But the event’s focus stretched beyond stargazing as Dr. Henson explained that the holiday has a deeper connection. “It [Halloween] is more than just a night of costumes and candy and has a long history as well as a significant astronomical connection to the seasons,” Dr. Henson said.
The presentation delved into the concept of “cross-quarter” days, which are points in the year that fall halfway between solstices and equinoxes, marking transitions between seasons. Dr. Henson noted that these days were significant to ancient cultures and are still echoed in modern traditions, saying that the “dominant ancient connection is to the Celtic festival of ‘Samhain’…[with] the show present[ing] the historic significance of this festival and how it has led to many of the current practices around our modern Halloween celebrations.”
The planetarium show blended history, culture, and science to illustrate how humanity’s relationship with the stars has shaped seasonal rituals. With autumn offering some of the clearest skies for viewing, Henson encouraged audience members to take advantage of the season. “With fall being the best season of the year to view our East Tennessee skies, Halloween also reminds us of the wonders of the night sky,” he said, urging attendees to try stargazing with their naked eye or with the help of a telescope.
To conclude the evening, visitors were treated to a cosmic twist on Halloween imagery.
“The astronomical connection was enhanced with a final presentation of images of spooky space objects,” Dr. Henson said, highlighting the Witch Head Nebula, Tarantula Nebula, Ghost Nebula, and Skull Nebula, all of which are celestial sights as eerie as they are awe-inspiring.
For more insight into future events like this and more seasonal presentations by the astronomy and physics department, feel free to reach out to Dr. Henson at hensong@etsu.edu. Happy Halloween!
