From Deseret News archives:
BYU unveils rebuilt planetarium
Stargazers can see sky as it was centuries ago
Brigham Young University opened a planetarium that can accurately project the beauty of nighttime sky as it was centuries ago.
BYU physics and astronomy professors unveiled the newly remodeled and rebuilt Summerhays Planetarium Monday.
"This will give students an outstanding experience," says J. Ward Moody, professor of physics and astronomy.
While dome-like structures usually have echoes, this one was engineered to eliminate voice bounce, according to the professors.
"Any time you have a domed structure, you get focusing of sound and a whispering-gallery effect," said Timothy Leishman, BYU assistant professor of physics.
"Sound creeps along the dome and ends up on the other side, concentrating the sound in the middle," Leishman said. "We used a new type of treatment on the dome. It looks like plaster, but it has very fine pores. A good portion of the sound works itself into pores and gets absorbed by insulation."
The planetarium is the only one Leishman is aware of with this type of acoustic treatment.
Not many universities have new, state-of-the-art planetariums, Moody said.
A specialized projector broadcasts the nighttime sky with a lot of detail, Moody said. Binoculars are required to pick up some of the detail. The projector can reproduce the positions of stars and planets as seen from any location on Earth at any epoch in time, Moody said.
"We can demonstrate what the night sky would have looked like from the Holy Land on the night Christ was born," he said.
The planetarium, in addition to being used for college classes, will be used for public demonstrations. Seating was expanded from 40 to 119.
"It was a major investment in teaching (and was) funded by donations," Moody said. The private university declined to release the amount.
Tom Balonek, a professor of physics and astronomy at Colgate University toured the facility.
"It is attractively, beautifully designed, but not at the expense of functionality," he said.
Moody foresees a time when the theater can be used in other disciplines, such as projecting the inside of an atom. "It can impact a variety of fields," he said.
The BYU Astronomical Society will begin giving public shows each Friday night beginning April 1. The cost will be $2 a person. This week, Astronomy Week, free public shows will be available.
For a complete schedule, visit: planetarium.byu.edu.
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com
Comments
- NFL suspends Eagles CB Hanson 4:02 p.m.
- BSU selling share in Bronco sports 4:00 p.m.
- Wednesday's sports transactions 4:00 p.m.
- 4 players sign with Utes 3:59 p.m.
- Television guide to college football 3:58 p.m.
- Parrish Creek Trail - Davis County 3:55 p.m.
- Utah canyon up for designation 3:55 p.m.
- Pride Center honors LGBT service 3:35 p.m.
- Pfizer drug study reports fudged 3:25 p.m.
- Netanyahu, Sarkozy meet 3:24 p.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- Civilians help S.L. officer make arrest
- Cougars' defensive hoops clinic
- House passes health care bill
271 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
195 - TCU showdown has big implications
189 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
108 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
108 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
96
This week, I'm compiling my annual list of restaurants serving...
Reid Monson basketball camp in the summer months were great times. Reid even...
I'm so sick of this. The bottom line is that gay marriage is immoral,...
He is so great. I don't know why they just don't give him the Heisman right...
What rights do gay's lack? Their options for marriage are the same as...
Surprise! The business lobby wants to increase taxes on food & tobacco -...
Obviously the goals change as the season wears on. The goal of EVERY team is...
I agree Catappy, I don't think that they would have been able to find an flds...
I watched the game on BYU TV and saw that there was some questionable play...
I’m not sure which carving “out based on our beliefs” Gayle...
Gays are the real haters! They hate children, they hate familes they hate...



You can be the first to comment on this story.