The Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium hosted its penultimate show, “Origins of Life,” on Friday, April 18 as focus shifts to the new Emera Observatory. The planetarium, which has served as an educational tool for students and the public since 1954, will be turned into office and storage space for other departments, such as Student Records.
“It’s worth noting [the planetarium] is coming to an end after 60 years. It’s the end of [one] era and the beginning of another,” said Alan Davenport, planetarium director and observatory coordinator for the Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium. “[The planetarium] is a shadow of what we’re going to have.”
The age of the planetarium and all of the equipment within it was a major reason for the construction of the Emera Observatory, which will have state of the art technology that will allow for both better observation of the night sky as well as a more visually immersive viewing experience for planetarium shows.
The current planetarium was built in 1954 and houses a telescope that is a century old. The dome used for planetarium shows is also dwarfed by the new facility and relies on a central projection system, dotingly named “Franklin” by the planetarium staff.
“[The planetarium] hasn’t been able to advance with the industry and technology,” Davenport said. “The new facility will have new technology, it’ll be a very valuable tool.”
Located at the intersection of Rangeley Road and Long Road, the $5.2 million Emera Observatory project was partially funded by an anonymous donation of $3 million, with an additional $1 million coming from Emera Corporation as a naming gift. The plans for the planetarium design were laid out by architects WBRC and Kasian, while Nickerson & O’Day Inc. were in charge of construction.
The new observatory will have a number of high-tech features. Some of these include a new 20-inch PlaneWave CDK 20 telescope which will allow students to do astrophotography, a first for the UMaine campus, as well as a 33-foot diameter dome with a high resolution projection system that can mimic the night sky without the need for the central projection system that the Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium uses.
“There’s going to be a steep learning curve with the new technology. I’m glad I’ve got good students that can help figure it all out,” Davenport said.
There will also be a parking lot lighting system that will light up red to help people using the telescope to retain better night vision.
“[The parking lot would be] a great place to have a Halloween party [with the red lights],” Davenport joked.
Construction of the observatory began in the fall of 2013 and is due to be complete by the beginning of next semester. Although he is excited to begin anew at the Emera Observatory, Davenport has fond memories of the planetarium, where he has been presenting shows and educating for over 30 years.
“It’s a blend of different jobs that are interesting. It’s fun, it’s colorful,” Davenport said.
Davenport particularly enjoys the educational aspect of the planetarium shows, and especially likes to teach kids who come in as part of school groups.
“[Young kids] are learning and they’re interested,” Davenport said. “We do a lot for school groups.”
The new Emera Observatory will have the same programs and outreach as the old planetarium and will also offer shows on a larger and more elaborate scale. Davenport also hopes that the capabilities of the dome’s digital visualization system can be used for interdisciplinary purposes rather than being limited to astronomical displays.
“Origins of Life,” a show which examines the history of life on this planet as well as the search for life on other planets, will be shown one more time before the Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium closes. The final show will take place on Friday, April 25. Cost for tickets is $3 per person, with students gaining free admission with a MaineCard.