The Geoscience Department is home to a planetarium that is nine meters (30 feet) in diameter and houses a 1966 Spitz A3P projector. This outstanding teaching tool is used extensively in undergraduate instruction, both in introductory astronomy courses and in classes for Earth and Space Science teaching majors.
Group visits to the planetarium by schools, scouts, or adult groups are possible as staff time and availability permit. Interested groups are asked to contact Professor Coles at kcoles@iup.edu well in advance to allow time for scheduling.
Several public planetarium shows are scheduled each year—some on weeknights and some on Saturdays—to encourage the campus and community to visit and enjoy the planetarium.
IUP Planetarium Location: Weyandt Hall, Rm. 134
Current Schedule
2012–2013 Planetarium Show Flier (pdf)
- September 22, 2012, 7:00 p.m., Saturday: Discoveries from the Moon
- What are the major new findings from recent lunar missions? What future missions are planned? Come see how the Moon moves in the sky, as well as images from the surface and from lunar orbit. (Lunar farside by Apollo 16)
- November 1, 2012, 7:00 p.m., Thursday: Curiosity on Mars
- After a successful landing in August, the Mars Science Lab (Curiosity) is taking the closest look yet at Mars. What is it finding? Come find out! (Heat shield separating from Curiosity; NASA/JPL-Caltech)
- February 18, 2013 7:00 p.m., Monday: Planets way out there
- Several hundred planets are now known to orbit other stars. How can they be detected? What sort of worlds are they? Learn how rare or common places like Earth may be.
- April 17, 2013 7:00 p.m., Wednesday: The late heavy bombardment
- The Moon and other planets show numerous craters—scars of impacts by large objects. These were thought to date from the beginning of the solar system, but study of Apollo Moon rocks revealed a surprise. Find out what it was, and the strange implications for motions of planets. (Asteroids in a forming planetary system; NASA/JPL)
Check out other events in the Geoscience Department.
Previous Years
