Summer Planetarium Sky Opens at Williams
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williams College will put its Zeiss Skymaster Planetarium Projector through its paces, showing audiences the summer sky and the constellations on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 8:30 p.m., through August 12. The summer program began June 22.The latest discoveries about the solar system will be described, as will plans for this summer's scientific expeditions to Santiago, Chile, to study Pluto and to Easter Island to observe the July 11 total solar eclipse. The planetarium shows are free.
The Mehlin Museum of Astronomy and the Milham Planetarium are located in the Old Hopkins Observatory, the oldest extant astronomical observatory in the United States. The facilities are located at 829 Main St. (south side of Route 2), between Spring Street and Water Street in the campus' Berkshire Quad.
The museum and planetarium open on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:10 p.m. For free reservations (which are recommended) call 413-597-2188. Others will be admitted as space permits. Large groups should call for special appointments.
The shows are designed and given by Williams College and visiting astronomy students under the direction of Professor Jay Pasachoff. The summer season is sponsored by the Brandi Fund.
Williams faculty and students also will participate in the astronomy observing being made available in Lenox on August 3 at Tanglewood on Parade in collaboration with Professor Donald Lubowich of Hofstra University.