Public 'Star Shows' return to Eastern's planetarium on Dec. 7
Willimantic, CT (12/01/2022) — The Robert K. Wickware Planetarium at Eastern Connecticut State University will host its first public star show since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic on Dec. 7 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Led by physics Professor Jessica Cook, the show will focus on humankinds' place in the universe and the constellations.
"We'll start with visualizing our place in the universe and talk briefly about the solar system, planets, asteroids and comets," said Cook. "Then we'll zoom out to show our position in the galaxy, our local group of galaxies, and talk about the size of the observable universe. The second part of the show will focus on constellations."
Following the Eastern tradition set by now-retired astronomy Professor Russel Sampson, Cook plans to host three public star shows each semester. Shows will explore such topics as the planets, dark matter/dark energy, star formation, star death, neutron stars and black holes.
Shows are free to the public. Those interested in attending are encouraged to reserve seats by emailing Cook at cookje@easternct.edu .
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving more than 4,300 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 160 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 31 states and eight countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 20 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 13 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.