June 7, 2021
Shawnee State University’s Clark Planetarium has recently reopened its facility for campus and public use. Closing down at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility and staff are excited to return to hosting shows twice a week that are free to the public to attend. Using a state-of-the-art digital projection system that utilizes a single fisheye lens for a complete 360x180 degree immersion, the facility can project a realistic view of the nighttime sky to viewers.
The Clark Planetarium rotates through a set of short shows each month that vary in running times, including shows exploring the history of star gazing, an up-to-date look at the Hubble Space Telescope, the history of the universe, and many other topics. The planetarium also hosts a monthly Kid’s Night in addition to monthly live views and explorations of the solar system and night sky. In the future, the facility is planning to host special talks on the new Mars rover and other recent astronomy news topics.
Outside of its prescheduled shows, the Clark Planetarium is also available for reservation for private parties or events. For more details on how to reserve or to find rental rates, visit shawnee.edu/campus-life/clark-planetarium.
The Clark Planetarium is located on the first floor of the Advanced Technology Center on Shawnee State University’s campus. The facility follows current campus COVID-19 health and safety guidelines for each of its shows. To view a monthly schedule or read show descriptions, visit shawnee.edu/campus-life/clark-planetarium.