By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The Moon is our celestial neighbor. We’ve sent astronauts there. We sing songs about it. Every night we can see it’s changing face.
And yet, there is so much still to learn.
Dr. Kate Dellenbusch, teaching professor in the Bowling Green State University physics and astronomy department and director of the BGSU Planetarium, is helping fill that crater. She has organized the Moon Speaker Series in March and April at the planetarium.
The speaker series highlights the significance of the moon in art, science, culture and music. The first event on March 13 was a family-focused evening and a precursor to the total lunar eclipse in the early hours of March 14.
The lunar eclipse came nearly a year after the total solar eclipse that was visible in a wide swath through Ohio including Bowling Green.
Because the peak of the lunar eclipse was at about 3 a.m. on March 14, the planetarium did not host a watch party. Dellenbusch decided instead to host a speaker series to give people an opportunity to learn more about the moon. Additionally, she hoped a speaker series focused on the moon might continue the interest in astronomy and encourage the public to visit the planetarium.
“Coming off the excitement of the solar eclipse and the eclipse speaker series that went well, I think people are interested in the moon and the lunar eclipse,” Dellenbusch said.
“The moon is a present object in our sky that has been a mysterious thing throughout human history,” Dellenbusch said. “It’s interesting to look at, and it has been at the heart of continued exploration since before the Apollo program.”
An art professor and history professor presented talks during the solar eclipse series and agreed to present interdisciplinary topics about the moon. Additional moon talks will be presented by faculty from chemistry, physics and astronomy, and music.
Moon Speaker Series topics
Tonight’s (March 20) speaker is Dr. Andrew Hershberger, art history professor in the BGSU School of Art. His topic, As Near an Approach as Possible: Encountering the Moon’s Surface in Early Photographs, explores a book published in 1874 by James Nasmyth and James Carpenter.
Inside the book, “The Moon: Considered as a Planet, a World and a Satellite,” are illustrations that include original Woodburytype prints created from the authors’ original photographic negatives. In the book’s preface, the authors explain they created their photographs “in order to present these illustrations with as near an approach as possible to present the absolute integrity of the original objects” and “faithfully reproduce the lunar effects of light and shadow” and “the details of the lunar surface.”
Dr. Peter Blass, teaching professor in chemistry, will present “Moonshots” on March 27 at 7:30 p.m. He will review recent and current missions to the moon, what they are teaching us about the moon and how they are going to help make travel to Mars possible.
On April 3 at 7:30 p.m., Dr Eftychia Papanikolaou, associate professor of music, will present “Between Selene and Luna: Operatic Incantations to the Moon.” Her multimedia presentation will share how the moon has been depicted by composers, librettists, singers and stage directors. Music from Western art tradition has often relied on moon imagery to express and enhance its auditory potential, such as Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata or Debussy’s Clair de Lune. In opera, the moon has often been a symbol of moonstruck lovers, the source and reference of women’s “lunacy,” and inspired prayers, songs and incantations for guidance, support, solace and reconciliation.
Dr. Andrew McNeill, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, will speak at 7:30 p.m. on April 10. His talk is titled, “Lunar Scars: The Impact of Impacts on the Moon.” The moon’s history is one of dramatic collisions from the large single event thought to have created it to the many small impacts that scar its surface today. McNeill will explore the collisions that shaped the moon, how some of the ejected material ended up on Earth, and what past events reveal about the threat of asteroids today.
The final Moon Speaker Series presenter is Dr. Amilcar Challu, chair and associate professor of history. He spoke about the sun in Mexican culture as part of the eclipse series. This time, he provides a similar talk focused on the moon. “The Moon in Natie and Colonial Mexican Culture” will be April 17 at 7:30 p.m.
The Moon Speaker Series talks are held at 7:30 p.m. in the planetarium after the regular Thursday night planetarium shows that start at 6:30 p.m. The talks also are available via a livestream at https://bgsu-edu.zoom.us/j/4287586258.
Special musical presentation Saturday
The BGSU Percussion Ensemble will present a free concert on Saturday, March 22 at 3 p.m. in the planetarium. The performance, “Hearts in Space,” will include space images in the dome, Dellenbusch said.
“I like the idea of the planetarium being a space that can be used for multiple things to keep awareness and to bring different audiences into the planetarium,” she said. “We are known for a lot of youth programming, but we also want others to feel welcome with additional programs, such as concerts and the astronomy talks.”
Regular season programs continue
The traditional programs continue at the planetarium for the rest of the semester. A $2 donation is suggested for all planetarium shows. The remaining regular season shows this spring include:
- Tales of the Maya Skies: Tonight (March 20) at 6:30 p.m. and March 23 at 7:30 p.m.
- Space Aliens: Looking for Life in the Universe: March 27 and April 10 at 6:30 p.m. and March 30, April 6 and April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
- Forward! To the Moon: April 3, April 17, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. April 6 at 4:30 p.m. and April 20 at 7:30 p.m.
- Star Spangled Banners: April 27 and May 4 at 7:30 p.m. and May 1 at 6:30 p.m.
- Secret of the Cardboard Rocket: April 13, April 20, April 27 and May 4 at 4:30 p.m.
For more information, visit the planetarium website or its Facebook, Instagram or Twitter accounts.
