by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Since the new Bryan-Gooding Planetarium at the Museum of Science & History opened Nov. 11, more than 25,000 people have viewed educational and entertainment programs in the domed auditorium. That’s an increase of 160 percent over the same period in 2009-10.
Part of that is due to the complete renovation from the floor to the ceiling, an almost $1 million investment.
Part of it’s due to the installation of a state-of-the-art Konica Minolta Super Media Globe II digital projector.
And part of it’s due to the rethinking of the programming, including Cosmic Concerts, laser shows and presentations designed for the pre-K set, some even starring Sesame Street characters.
Planetarium Program Director Thomas Webber is also part of what’s new at MOSH. He came to the museum from the Heritage Planetarium in Maryville, Ky., near Knoxville.
Webber said being a planetarium program director wasn’t exactly his lifelong dream. He majored in physics in college, where he also took a class in astronomy.
“Astronomy is part of physics like botany is part of biology,” he said.
While in school at Butler University, Webber had a part-time job, “for pizza money,” at the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium.
“I discovered I had a knack for it. Deep down, I’m a showman,” he said.
Instead of a career in the lab, Webber decided to pursue the combination of education and entertainment that a planetarium offers. He said it’s a way to teach, often without audience members realizing they’re learning.
“I believe planetarium shows should be interactive and a fun experience. People want to know about astronomy, but we can’t rattle off numbers and equations. We don’t lecture and there’s no test at the end,” said Webber.
One of the most popular shows, he said, is “Skies Over Jacksonville.” It’s presented daily and gives the audience a tour of the stars and constellations they’ll see that night if they look up to the sky.
Webber has been named a “NASA Solar System Ambassador,” which gives MOSH direct access to the latest discoveries related to space exploration.
“Now is the most exciting time in astronomy and space exploration. I tell youngsters who come to our planetarium shows that they will see men walk on Mars in their lifetime. They will be alive when another Earth is discovered,” said Webber.
For details on the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium and other MOSH events and exhibits, visit www.themosh.org.
356-2466
Bryan-Gooding Planetarium schedule:
• “The Little Star That Could”
Join Little Star as he learns about other types of stars in the galaxy and his own system of planets.
1 p.m. Monday-Saturday
• “Skies Over Jacksonville”
Planetarium technology has changed a lot over the past 10 years, with programs becoming more
sophisticated and immersive. While the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium has the latest in digital audio-
visual capabilities, the fundamental purpose of a planetarium is depicting a realistic night sky.
2 p.m. daily.
• “Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity”
No longer the stuff of science fiction, the discovery of the black hole is a triumph of modern science.
This show explores the world of black holes, narrated by Academy Award-nominated actor
Liam Neeson.
3 p.m. daily.
• “Oasis in Space”
Water is the planet’s most precious resource. Without it, life could not exist on our planet.
Is the reverse also true?
4 p.m. daily.
• “Earth, Moon & Sun”
Follow Coyote on an adventure in space as he teaches about Earth and its relationship with
the moon and sun.
11 a.m. Saturdays
• “Sesame Street’s One World, One Sky”
Elmo and Big Bird meet a new friend, Hu Hu Zhu, who lives in China. The friends soon discover
that despite the distance, they still see the same stars in the night sky.
Noon Saturdays, 1:15 p.m. Sundays
Cosmic Concert schedule:
Experience total sensory entertainment as laser lights, high-definition images and digital surround sound combine to create a Cosmic Concert. Each concert costs $5 per person; $1 for laser glasses.
Tickets are available at the door or at www.moshplanetarium.org.
• Friday: Laser Magic, 5 p.m.; Laser Retro, 6 p.m.; Laser X Alternative, 7 p.m.; Metallica 8 p.m.
• Feb. 18: Laser Magic, 5 p.m.; Laser Vinyl, 6 p.m.; Laser Retro, 7 p.m.; Laser Hypnotica, 8 p.m.
• Feb. 25: Laser Magic, 5 p.m.; The Beatles, 6 p.m.; Led Zeppelin, 7 p.m.; U2, 8 p.m.