Festive holiday stars rise at the planetarium

Staff members at the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium had audiences gazing at the stars Sunday afternoon during the holiday program, "Star of Wonder."

Guests were invited into the 24-foot dome planetarium in the science building at Buffalo State College where they were seated in a dimly lit area filled with the sound of instrumental holiday music from the speaker overhead.

The show "Star of Wonder" intrigued audiences about whether the bright star was a miracle star sent to guide Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to await the birth of their son or just an astronomical coincidence.

The audience was surprised to discover the true time of the birth of Christ. It was scientifically presented that the birth occurred somewhere between five B.C and six B.C and also that his birth occurred sometime during the month of March.

The month of December marks the celebration of Saturnalia, an ancient Roman festival in which people of that time decided to also celebrate the birth of their Savior.

Scientists researched astronomical events in the night sky that told a different story of a celestial event that caused many of stars combine into one large, bright star. This illusion was coincidentally presented during the night of a special birth giving people another side to what could have happened on this sacred evening.

A special slideshow of images was projected on the dome ceiling illustrating the holiday story in Bethlehem, including the three wise men looking out toward the "miracle star" and the birth of a baby in a manger.

Tim Collins, senior presenter at the planetarium, said he always enjoys putting on the holiday show.

"This show is an annual event. We did it for the last four years and love every minute of it," he said. "We want to describe the scientific explanation, while there are religious observations, we try to get people to discover both the scientific and religious side."

Guests were then treated to a mini astronomy lesson where they learned fun facts about zodiac signs, planet alignment and locating stars in a clear night sky.

Stephen Kosinski, a senior engineering major, said he enjoyed the "Star of Wonder" show.

"I thought the show was very interesting. I have never been to a planetarium before so it was definitely a good experience," he said.

The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium was first built in 1964 at Buffalo State College and was destroyed in a fire in November of 1978. The campus rebuilt the scientific structure and it reopened in 2007.

The planetarium is named in honor of Whitworth Ferguson, who made large donations in order to help construct the planetarium after the devastating fire.

Once the planetarium was rebuilt and reopened to the community, the staff was excited to convey their scientific knowledge.            

Kevin Williams, director of the planetarium show, said he believes the planetarium has a positive effect on the campus.

"I guess it's a really important resource that allows us to show space and the night sky in a more hands-on way," he said.

The planetarium, however, is in for even more changes. With the construction of the new science building, the planetarium will once again close for a year and be rebuilt for an even bigger and better astronomical experience.

"The new planetarium will allow us to give not only programs with the stars, but it will allow us to expand on more topics other than just astronomy," Williams said.

The "Star of Wonder" show will be open to the community until Jan. 1 on Fridays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. The event is free for all Buffalo State students with an identification card.

In lieu of the holiday season, laser shows will also begin on Dec. 7 through Jan. 1 in which lasers will move simultaneously with holiday music.

Reservations are strongly recommended before attending a show to ensure a seat under the stars.

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