February  13, 2008

Planetarium and observatory open to the public for lunar eclipse Wednesday, February 20

Rock Island, Ill. – Augustana College’s John Deere Planetarium will present a free public program on Wednesday, February 20, in conjunction with the total eclipse of the moon. The planetarium, located at 820 38th Street, will be open from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m., with indoor and outdoor programs in the planetarium, the Carl Gamble Observatory, and the building’s grounds.

According to Dr. Lee Carkner, director of the John Deere Planetarium and associate professor of physics at Augustana, a lunar eclipse occurs when the alignment of the Earth, Sun and Moon is such that the Earth blocks the sunlight that normally makes the Moon shine. “During the eclipse, the Moon is slowly covered and then uncovered by the Earth’s shadow. The totally eclipsed Moon is an eerie and awe-inspiring faint red disk,” says Carkner. With a telescope, or even with the naked eye, the shadow’s progress can be observed across the Moon’s craters, highlands, and the Maria, or dark portions of the Moon.

Dr. Carkner will be joined by other Augustana faculty, staff and students in leading the programs. In addition to the 14-inch reflector in the Gamble Observatory and a 5-inch telescope on the grounds, a planetarium show on the wonders of the night sky will be offered. The Fryxell Geology Museum, which features one of the best collections of minerals and fossils in the Midwest, will also be open to the public.

Available for viewing are a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, a wall of glowing, fluorescent rocks and a complete 22-foot long skeleton of Cryolophosaurus, a large crested carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Antarctica by Augustana’s Dr. William Hammer, Fritiof Fryxell Professor of Geology. The observatory is unheated; guests are advised to dress accordingly. In the event of cloudy sky conditions, the planetarium presentation will continue as scheduled.

-end-

Kirby Winn
Director of Public Relations
Office: (309) 794-7473 Mobile: (309) 912-1532 Fax: (309) 794-3461
publicrelations@augustana.edu