MHCC PLANETARIUM SENDS VISITORS TO SPACE

Quiet chatter fills the planetarium as visitors wait for the show to begin. The lights dim, a quick spiel is given, and the audience is transported through space, from beyond our galaxy to an up-close encounter with the Sun on the large dome screen above them.

After the journey, Planetarium Director William Blackmore takes the audience on another exploration, using photos and videos projected onto the dome to introduce the month’s featured topic.

Each month, the topic of the planetarium’s show changes. In October, the planetarium presented One Light Day: Legacy of the Voyager Probe, honoring NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft and its anticipated milestone of traveling one light-day from Earth on Nov. 18.

November’s presentation, The End of the Universe: An Exploration of Cosmology, has one remaining showing on Nov. 19. December will feature a single evening of presentations on Dec. 3 with A Fleet of Telescopes: Exciting Images and Discoveries from New Ground and Space-based Instruments. 

Blackmore selects show topics primarily based on major astronomical events and his personal interests, though ideas and requests for future presentations are highly encouraged and can be emailed to him at william.blackmore@mhcc.edu. 

“Getting to see the faces of the audience that are truly engaged and have that look of wonder really makes it special for me.” — William Blackmore, planetarium director

When reflecting on his time as the Planetarium Director, Blackmore explained, “I appreciate it as a way of continuing to learn about a topic that I get such joy from while trying to share that joy.”

Blackmore uses WorldWide Telescope, an open-source program originally developed by Microsoft, to create the experience of traveling through space. By setting the locations, time and timing of the audience’s view, he makes it appear as though viewers are flying through space. 

Director Blackmore has taught in the planetarium and run shows occasionally since 2013, and has been the planetarium director since 2023. He said he treasures “sharing something that I love with others. Getting to see the faces of the audience that are truly engaged and have that look of wonder really makes it special for me.”