SFA-PLANETARIUM OPENS - If you’re curious about the planets and stars and you live in East Texas, you’ll want to pay attention to this next story. Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas opened a brand new planetarium earlier this month. Our reporter Wynter Chauvin visited it recently and files this report.
The new planetarium on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University can project the night sky with digital precision. Located in the Ed and Gwen Cole STEM building, the 114 seat planetarium is one of the most sophisticated in Texas. It has a 50-foot diameter nano-seam dome and a state of the art 4k Digistarr 6 projections system. The first public show was November 3rd. We purchased our tickets and waited for the doors to open. As we entered,the atmosphere was calming and quiet.
As the room darkened, Planetarium director Ed Michaels gave a tour of the current night sky, pointing out planets, stars and constellations. Next was a full dome show using computer-generated graphics, vivid colors, and powerful surround sound. Several times the visual effects created the illusion you were moving.
“So the whole point of these full dome facilities is to immerse yourself into a different environment,” explained Michaels.
Public shows will be offered every Saturday afternoon and evening with group shows available throughout the week by reservation.
“(We) change programs about every 5 to 8 weeks,” explained Michaels. “We’ll have a new one starting in about the middle of December. So people have a reason to keep coming back, it’s just not a one-time experience.”
For a listing of shows and showtimes, visit the website: planetarium.sfasu.edu
-Wynter Chauvin, Red River Radio News -
