Travel to outer space without ever leaving the ground! That’s how you will feel after you experience the museum’s 65 seat Hoover-Price Planetarium. Over 60 projectors show the aurora, meteor shower, an asteroid, panorama of downtown Canton, clouds, snow, phases of the moon and dozens of constellations.
The Planetarium’s primary projector is a Spitz A3P that shows thousands of stars in the correct color and brightness. This Spitz is unique because the standard 3000 stars shown was increased to 5000 stars through detailed modification.
The operation of the Planetarium is entirely manual. Controlled by 283 switches, 60 different projectors allow the presenter to constantly interact with the audience.
Installation was completed in 1964, the same year the current museum building was finished. Since that time tens of thousands of visitors have viewed our solar system and beyond while in the comfort of the Planetarium.
Presentations are offered weekdays by reservation, and public shows are held every Saturday at 1:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM. During the summer months public shows are held at 1:00 PM Monday-Friday. Planetarium shows are included in your admission price. Please note that children must be 5 years of age or older to attend a planetarium show.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click here for instructions on how to make a simple bracket to secure binoculars to an observing chair
OUT OF THIS WORLD GIFT IDEA!!!!
Considering ‘buying a star’ for a friend or loved one? Why not get the whole Constellation?
Since all stars have names or catalog numbers, and anybody can ‘sell’ any star many times over, we thought we would offer a unique opportunity (we’ve never seen it elsewhere!) to Museum members who make a $40 donation to the general fund. We can modify a star chart to reconfigure a Constellation showing just what you would like; your significant other renamed from Orion to ‘William, the Engineer”, or Andromeda to “Laura, the Therapist”, or “Nana”, and name each star in the Constellation after a grandchild. We will produce an 8” x 10” glossy color chart that you can frame. You’ll see an example here on our website. Call David Richards, the Planetarium Director, at 330-455-7043 and get creative! Cick here for an example.
2013 Planetarium Shows
Jan. 1 thru Feb. 24--Solar Max
The Sun’s eleven- year cycle is at its high point. What will the Earth experience- and what problems may loom large for human technology?
Feb. 25 thru April 28--Dave & Dr. Jimmy visit Greenbank
Within a 6 hour drive from Canton is the world’s largest steerable Radio Telescope, in West Virginia. What do Radio Telescopes see and of what use are these big dishes?
April 29 thru July 7--Citizen Science
Astronomy is one of the few sciences where ordinary citizens- sometimes using extraordinary equipment- may make outstanding contributions to the scientific community. We’ll look at how you can take part in this fascinating venture- just using your eyes.
July 8 thru Sept. 8 --Pluto Again?
Since 1931, Pluto has been the problem child of the Solar System. Astronomers continue to find new moons of this little sphere. Should we once again reclassify Pluto?
Sept. 9 thru Nov. 3--Looking Back in Time
Every time you look up into the night sky, you see the stars as they were, not as they are. We’ll discover how you can look two and a half million years into the past.
Nov. 4 thru Dec. 31--Celestial Light
The West’s traditional view of the Heavens has been greatly influenced by Greek mythology and tradition. We will be looking at how other cultures across the planet see the night sky.
*For other planetariums across the country please visit http://www.touristinformationdirectory.com/
*Admission to the Planetarium is included with admission to the Museum.
*No cameras, cell phones or food permitted in the Planetarium.
*Public presentations are approximately 30- 40 minutes in length.
*School group presentations are 55 minutes long, and incorporate the Ohio State Science Academic Content Standards.
