The BGSU Planetarium is hosting a captivating nine-part series, 'America 250 in the Planetarium', from July 13 to 31, offering a unique blend of astronomy, history, art, and music. This initiative aims to celebrate American discovery, innovation, and values, providing a fascinating journey through time and space. Each program is a free, public event, inviting the community to explore and learn. The series kicks off with 'America's Missions to the Moon: A History of Adventure', presented by Andrew Layden, who traces the development of America's lunar exploration and the spacecraft that made it possible. What makes this particularly fascinating is the interplay between politics and technology in the space race, offering a deeper understanding of the era. The second program, 'Pamphlets Before the Revolution: Voices from a Growing Crisis', delves into the 18th-century 'pamphlet wars' between British and American thinkers, providing a unique perspective on the social and political climate of the time. Michelle Sweetser, head librarian, offers a glimpse into the early forms of public debate, which is both intriguing and relevant to today's digital age. The third talk, 'These are the Voyages of the Starship(s) Voyager', presented by Kate Dellenbusch, explores the twin NASA Voyager spacecraft, which have ventured into interstellar space. What makes this talk especially interesting is the discussion on how these robotic emissaries continue to teach us about the environment where the solar wind interacts with interstellar material, even as their power dwindles. Daria Filippova, teaching professor, presents 'From Rivalry to Cooperation: The Story of American and Russian Space Exploration', offering a personal perspective on the transition from intense competition to productive collaboration between the two nations. The fifth talk, 'Navigating with the Stars in the Vast Early Americas', by Amilcar Challú, explores native and European astronomical knowledge around the American Revolution, providing a unique cultural insight. The sixth talk, 'Revere's Moon', also by Dellenbusch, examines the role of the moon in Paul Revere's famous midnight ride, offering a fresh perspective on a well-known historical event. Ryan Ebright, associate professor, presents 'Glass Astronomers: Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler in American Opera', exploring how space and astronomy are dramatized in Philip Glass's operas. The eighth talk, 'The Universe as Model: Alexander Calder’s Mobile Sculptures in American Art History', by Andrew Hershberger, connects Calder's innovative sculptures to the discipline of astronomy. Finally, the ninth program, 'Founding Voices Under the Stars', features the reading of seminal American documents under the night sky, accompanied by live fife and drum music. This series is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring fascination with space and discovery, offering a unique and engaging experience for all.
