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The physics building, Smith Hall, opened in 1968 complete with a new planetarium.  The total cost of the planetarium was estimated to be about $35,000 with the planetarium projector costing $25,000.  Public shows began in the Planetarium in late 1968 or early 1969, with Physics Professor Dr. Kenneth Warren estimating that it took him 1000 hours of preparation for a show.

The planetarium is a fixture of core courses offered by the physics department, including Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe and Frontiers in Astronomy, where tens of thousands of ¾ÛÉ«¸ó students had the opportunity to observe the night sky in their classroom.  A series of physics professors have dedicated their time to develop and offer shows to the public over the course of the last 60 years. However, with the onset of COVID in early 2020, the planetarium became dormant.

Under faculty supervision, a small group of dedicated students brought the planetarium back to life in the Fall of 2023.  The students learned how to operate the planetarium and created original programming covering both scientific and mythological topics.  We have created public programs on the total eclipse, the solar system, the mythology of the Zodiac constellations and a Halloween show covering the more macabre mythology in the night sky. For example, did you know some cultures see the Big Dipper as a coffin with mourners following behind?

We offer shows to the public free of cost.

Upcoming Shows:

We will be offering shows during the Fall semester. Please see this site for updates. 

Information:

Please RSVP for the show by calling 330-672-2246 or sending an email to rpolak@kent.edu.  Please arrive 10 minutes early so that everyone can be comfortably seated when the show starts.  If you drive, please park in the R-5 Lot.

We offer local schools the opportunity for field trips on Fridays during the academic year.  We can fashion a presentation based on your curricular needs.  The ideal group size for our planetarium shows is 80, but we're happy to work with larger groups by either splitting into two shows and offering alternative presentations, such as physics demonstrations, to accommodate everyone.  There are no charges for field trips, though donations are appreciated so we can maintain the planetarium.  If you are interested in a field trip, please fill out and we will be in contact with you.

Transportation: We recommend that buses drop off students at the Student Center Parking Lot near the Kiva and walk to Smith Hall (about 150 yards).  The buses can wait in the Campus Center C Lot during the presentation and can move back to pick up the students near the Kiva again after completion of the visit.

We have hosted planetarium shows for campus groups as well as for groups in the community such as Boy and Girl Scouts. We have also hosted private shows such as a birthday party and a wedding.  We offer these private shows at no cost, though we appreciate appropriate donations to help us maintain and upgrade the planetarium.  If you are interested in a show for your group, please fill out and we will be in contact with you.

¾ÛÉ«¸ó also has an observatory on the edge of campus with a 12-inch robotic Meade telescope and an 8-inch Celestron telescope.  A group of dedicated students has taken on the task of bringing the observatory back online.  We have completed the inglorious task of cleaning out the observatory building and evicting the current residents (mice) as well as clearing out overgrowth by the observatory.  We also repaired the dome so it opens and rotates properly.  We are prepared now to begin the practical training on the telescopes and its associated equipment. Our goal is to learn how to use the equipment as a tool for research and enable us to host open houses for the community.

We want to keep the planetarium as a resource to the community available to all that wish to enjoy it without having to charge for admission.  Our students and faculty donate generous amounts of time to provide shows for everyone, However, there are financial needs to maintain and improve the planetarium.

Recent Accomplishments:

We recently hired Ash Enterprises, a company that devoted to maintaining and repairing old planetarium projectors, to maintain and refurbish our planetarium projector.  This will ensure that we are able to offer programing to the community over the next few years. 

Long-Term Needs:

We have had a planetarium at ¾ÛÉ«¸ó for almost 60 years and we wish to lay the groundwork for another 60 years.  To that end, we have a capital campaign to raise money for a significant overhaul of the planetarium, updating the planetarium dome and projection system. 

To donate to this fund, please click .