SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Dr. Frank Revetta will lead free planetarium shows at SUNY Potsdam on Thursdays at 4 p.m. once again this semester.
Geology Professor Emeritus Dr. Frank Revetta will lead free planetarium shows once again this semester at SUNY Potsdam. All are welcome to join to learn more about the stars and the universe, so mark your calendars now!
This is the 54th year that Dr. Revetta has led planetarium shows at the College. He said teaching people about astronomy has never lost its luster.
“Astronomy is the oldest science, and it’s really something that most people have an interest in. You know, I often wonder about what’s out there. That’s just normal. When people come to a planetarium show, I think they already have an interest and I just make it more so. I consider it to be the best instrument up here for teaching,” he said.
Planetarium shows are held every Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m., in the College’s planetarium, located in the basement of Stowell Hall. To reach the planetarium, enter Stowell from the west entrance, near Minerva Plaza. Each show lasts about 45 minutes, and guests of all ages are welcome.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, because once the show begins, the door is locked and it will be impossible to attend. Please note that no food or drink are allowed in the planetarium and, as darkness is required, cell phones cannot be used during the show. Free parking is available in Lot 6, near Kellas Hall.
The Spring 2018 planetarium show schedule is as follows:
- Feb. 8: “Circumpolar Constellations”
- Feb. 15: “North Star or Polaris”
- Feb. 22: “Spring-Summer Constellations”
- March 1: “Winter Constellations”
- March 8: “Brightest Stars”
- March 15: “Worldwide Constellations”
- March 22: “How Astronomers Locate Stars”
- March 29: “Solstices and Equinoxes”
- April 12: “The Sun’s Path”
- April 19: “The Seasons”
- April 26: “Constellations of the Zodiac”
- May 3: “Using the Big Dipper to Locate Constellations”
- May 10: “The Sky This Week”
- May 17: “Stories of Constellations”
In addition to the scheduled sessions, Revetta also offers planetarium shows for groups of five people or more at your convenience.
For more information about the planetarium shows at SUNY Potsdam, please contact Frank Revetta at (315) 267-3441 or revettfa@potsdam.edu, or Roberta Greene at (315) 267-2286 or greenera@potsdam.edu.
To learn more about SUNY Potsdam’s Department of Geology, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/AAS/Geology.
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.