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Sept. 18, 2003
CONTACT:
Gordon Ovenshine (724) 738-4854;
e-mail: gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu
ADVANCING
EARTH/SPACE SCIENCE EDUCATION --
SLIPPERY ROCK
UNIVERSITY UPGRADES ITS PLANETARIUM
SLIPPERY
ROCK, Pa. – With Mars at its closest point to earth in
thousands of years and more people taking up astronomy as a hobby,
Slippery Rock University is completing a major upgrade to its
planetarium to provide enhanced earth/space science education and
better seating for students and the public.
Long-term,
the Butler County university of 7,800 hopes to launch a minor in
astronomy and offer a planetarium visit as part of on-campus
recruiting, Dr. Ben Shaevitz, professor of chemistry and physics,
said.
The
36-year-old planetarium has received new control electronics and a
modern audio system including wireless microphones. A third phase
– scheduled for completion this month – includes
specially designed chairs, new flooring and painting. The
planetarium is in Vincent Science Hall.
“These
upgrades will help us better prepare elementary education majors
who will teach science, and itwill advance our earth and
space secondary science education program,” Shaevitz
said.
Creature
comforts
Students
will view the changing sky with ease and comfort, as a projector
presents the relative position and brightness of thousands of stars
and planets. The university purchased 49 hi-back chairs, mounted in
reclining positions. They replace original fiberglass chairs,
Shaevitz said.
SRU
rearranged the room to an oval-shaped configuration for better
viewing.
More
stargazers
More
Americans stargaze as a hobby. During the recent Mars observations,
crowds in the thousands were not uncommon at telescope-viewing
sessions, Kelly Beatty, executive editor of Sky & Telescope
magazine, said.
“I
would at least be inclined to agree that interest in "backyard
astronomy" is higher now than at any time since the launch of the
Hubble Space Telescope (1990),” she said.
Planetariums
provide several advantages, though, because city lights, cloud
cover and inclement weather are not obstacles to viewing stars,
Shaevitz said.
#PR, PN,
PgN
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