By Eman Sadiq
In the basement of the CCNY Marshak building is a space the size of a moderate classroom, sporting rows of plastic folding chairs, a couple of desks and podium-like stands, and an unassuming projector setup. Around once a week, lights dim and celestial bodies become visible overhead. Here sits the CCNY Planetarium, where weekly live space shows are held under an expansive dome measuring thirty feet in diameter. Most shows begin with a view of the CCNY campus before traveling to parts of the universe and Milky Way galaxy, with opportunities to see different astronomical objects like planetary moons, constellations, star clusters, and even black holes close-up.
One of Manhattan’s three planetariums, the CCNY Planetarium’s establishment coincided with that of CCNY’s Marshak building in the early 1970s. For the next couple of decades, the Planetarium served as an invaluable resource for faculty and students, both those in the physics and astronomy disciplines and others on campus who were able to experience the universe from up close. Yet, the lack of technological updates led it to fall into disrepair in the late 1990s, and it was not until 2016 that some students, under the purview of CCNY Physics and Astronomy Lecturer and Planetarium Director Dr. James Hedberg, made concerted efforts to reinvigorate the Planetarium.
A new homebuilt spherical mirror projection system over the original opto-mechanical projection was integral to the Planetarium’s revitalization. With this upgrade, completed in August 2018, it became possible to employ digital tools to watch full-dome movies and explore the currently-known universe in innovative ways unavailable via the former mechanical system. Bringing the Planetarium back to life with the help of this initially temporary AV system was an essential step forward.
“It was enough to start showing that this should be a space that CUNY and CCNY (and even NYC) should care about, rather than let decay even further,” Dr. Hedberg said.
In the years since, the CCNY Planetarium has introduced regular programming open to not just members of the CCNY community but also members of the public. Alongside weekly live shows, it also hosts field trips for local K-12 schools and boasts a substantive online presence that, taken together, spreads awareness of astronomy in general to wider audiences. Above all, the Planetarium is a communal theatre where attendees can bond with friends and peers in a way that VR or isolated space observation do not allow.
“In the planetarium, we can have a shared immersive experience,” Dr. Hedberg said. “You can bring a friend and sit next to them, and then later know you shared the same experience.”
With VR, you can’t laugh together about a cool view of Saturn’s moons, but the setup of the Planetarium lets individuals revel in a common stellar experience.
The Planetarium’s calming ambience certainly adds to its appeal and makes its weekly space shows a respite students can take from their hectic lives.
Karuna Aikawa, a sophomore at City College and a Macaulay Honors student, attended a live space show at the Planetarium on November 19 that journeyed to the center of the Milky Way and back. The event was relaxing, Aikawa shared, and it taught her some space facts that she hadn’t known before. Though Aikawa has always had an interest in astronomy, she’s gotten much busier in recent years and hasn’t been able to keep exploring astronomy-related topics.
“I was really happy to have an opportunity to learn about space again,” Aikawa said.
In light of expected upgrades in the next year, including an improved projection system and better seating, the Planetarium remains on the lookout for novel uses and activities. Possibilities abound: utilizing the 3D technology to visualize scientific data in unconventional ways or even using the Planetarium for concerts, theatrical productions, and video games.
“There are so many possibilities,” Dr. Hedberg said, also noting that ultimately the kinds of content that the Planetarium could present are up to the needs and input of the CCNY community.
