Science Programs at Roberson Museum and Science Center

The E. A. Link Planetarium is a 55 seat planetarium built in 1965 as a part of Roberson Museum and Science Center. Link Planetarium serves thousands of school children and general public every year.

The main instrument in all planetaria is the star projector. The E. A. Link Planetarium is equipped with a Spitz Model A3P. The star projector provides a realistic view of the night sky as seen by the naked eye. It projects stars, planets, Sun, and Moon in their correct positions as well as an astronomical grid to illustrate the coordinates used by astronomical charts.

Public programs are educational and entertaining and are presented every weekend on Saturday and Sunday. The public programs change periodically and all programs include a star talk about our night sky.

The Link planetarium can be reserved for groups as part of meetings or a special treat for your organization.

A variety of educational programs are offered to school groups and can be scheduled for other organizations.

Projection capabilities include: video from laser disk, video tape, computer, cable TV, and NASA downlink; slide projection from computer animated projectors, manual projectors and special effects.

June

Friday, June 18 at 8 pm;
Saturday, June 19 at 1 pm;
Sunday, June 20 at 1 pm
Explore the cause and effects of our Northern Hemisphere’s longest day of the year.

Friday, June 25 at 8 pm;
Saturday, June 26 at 1 pm;
Sunday, June 27 at 1 pm
The planet Venus will be visible in the early evening western sky during the summer of 2010. In October Venus disappears from view as it passes in front of the Sun. Then as the new year approaches, our nearest and brightest planetary neighbor will once again be visible, positioned at this time of year in the pre-dawn eastern sky.

July

Saturday, July 17 at 1 and 3 pm
The existence of life on Earth, and presumably in the universe at large, depends on the solar energy produced by a nearby star. This show examines the various stages in the life cycle of these celestial sources of nuclear power.

Saturday, July 31 at 1 and 3 pm
Nearly forty years after the Mariner 10 mission, the Mercury Messenger spacecraft sheds new light on the first planet from the Sun. Explore new vistas and learn some fascinating facts about this forgotten world.

August

Friday, August 20 at 8 pm;
Saturday, August 21 at 1 pm;
Sunday, August 22 at 1 pm
This program features a view of the stars from the perspective of a Southern Hemisphere observer.

Friday, August 27 at 8 pm;
Saturday, August 28 at 1 pm;
Sunday, August 29 at 1 pm
The shadows of the Earth and the Moon occasionally produce the phenomenon known as an eclipse. These celestial events have sparked our curiosity for millennia and continue to be a source of visual fascination and the subject of scientific investigations.

This is a live show using the stars as seen in the evening skies over the southern tier. The planetarium operator discusses the various stars and constellations and visitors can take home a current month's star map to use at home.

This show was developed by former Roberson Planetarium manager Robert Seigers. The show utilizes imagery and materials from NASA's extensive files.

Planetarium programs can be booked separately for $115/class, ($4.60/student for groups larger than 25 with a maximum of 50).

This program provides an entertaining introduction for very young students to explore the night sky and discover how a planetarium works. Time permitting, an additional animated program may be included.

View seasonal stars and constellations as well as a program based on a current space topic (such as the Hubble Space Telescope, Moons of Saturn, etc). Content varies dependent on age level.

Travel the Solar System from the Sun to beyond Pluto. Content varies dependent on age level.

This new program offers an excellent option for students who already have a general knowledge of our solar system. The red planet is now hosting a variety of missions and our planetarium is the perfect venue to share the latest findings.

Navigate the night sky with Native American lore, comparing indigenous constellation stories with those of Classical mythology.

Entire program is devoted to viewing stars and constellations throughout each season of the year. Students will learn how to read a sky map and learn some classic constellation stories. Star distance and color will also be investigated.

This program explains celestial coordinates, Sun and moon positions in the sky, Moon phases, etc. Content can be catered to students’ needs (call ext. 236 for requests).

All shows include a look at the night sky and may include newly discovered information. Updates from NASA are added monthly. Teachers can request a copy of the current sky map.

*With advanced notice, the Link Planetarium can accommodate signers for the hearing impaired.

Contact the Planetarium at Roberson Museum and Science Center (607) 772-0660 ext.236

June

July

August

Contact the Planetarium at
Roberson Museum and Science Center
(607) 772-0660 ext.236