The Answers to Life are Found in the Sky.

Allie Kern
Engl 336.001

Every Sunday at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m., Dr. Robert Doyle holds a planetarium show on the second floor of Tawes Hall. Robert Doyle has a P.h.D in Astronomy and is the sole director of the planetarium. A planetarium is a sort of dome-shaped theater that allows its viewers to see the night sky. Instead of looking forward, the audience is sat down in seats that allow them to be almost completely reclined. Being reclined allows the viewer to get lost in the stars. The show lasts for about forty-five minutes.

At the beginning of the show, Doyle explains what is about to happen and how the planetarium works. The projector takes images of the stars and planets and shows them on the dome. "The view is so realistic that the audience feels like they are laying on a crater in the moon. That is how precise this machine is," remarks Doyle.

For the first fifteen minutes or so, Doyle talks about the different stars and planets and what makes them unique. "Not many people know this, but people call Mars the Red Planet and assume that it is hot. However, it is actually extremely frigid. Temperatures can be as low as -153 degrees Celsius which is -225 degrees Fahrenheit," says Doyle. He goes through all the interesting features of each planet and then describes some of the noticeable constellations in the sky. Doyle mentions Orion's Belt, the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, and many others.

After he explains the different planets and constellations, he turns off the lights and turns on the projector. No one can really understand true, natural beauty until they take a deep, up-close look at the night sky. It is safe to say that no one in the room has ever been to the moon, but the planetarium is the second best thing if one does not plan on being an astronaut when they grow up. The most interesting part of the presentation is hearing about the importance of the North Star. "The North Star is directly above the spoon part of the Big Dipper. Everyone should know about the North Star because it has been used for years to help people navigate their way home after being lost," says Doyle. At this point, it is obvious to the audience that being ignorant to the astronomical aspects of the universe can only hurt a person. It is important to know how these things work because they help drive the motion and existence of the world around us.

Many students may find it tedious or boring to go to on-campus, educational events and presentations. However, these presentations are designed by professors and other professionals that are well-qualified and all knowing in their subjects of expertise. Taking advantage of such opportunities can only add to the college experience. Almost every student that went to the planetarium show did not know the facility existed until hearing about it in their science class. The science classes that tell their students about the planetarium are Cosmic Concepts, Physics, and Astronomy. Every student at Frostburg State University should be well aware of places like the planetarium. Being in a certain class is not something that should matter.