Ward Beecher Planetarium reopening at Youngstown State University after fire repairs
When the Ward Beecher Planetarium opened in 1967, it was the first dual classroom for Youngstown State University students and the public to learn from and enjoy the starry oasis.
In 2023, a fire damaged the inside of the dome and the equipment used to create the magic of the night sky.
Seventeen months later, Curt Spivey, planetarium engineer at YSU, said he is excited to bring back public shows starting Friday.
“I’ve been in planetariums for 30 years, so not being able to do a star talk is like someone chopped off my leg,” he said. “I am really looking forward to being able to bring the nighttime sky and astronomy back to the Mahoning Valley. We had a great time in April at the total eclipse, but it’s not the same as bringing people into the room and getting them excited about space and astronomy.”
The planetarium had to undergo a complete renovation, except the seats.
“The seats were able to be saved after the fire,” said Spivey.
He said some renovations have been completed on the seats and video system in the past, but now it’s an all-new, updated show.
CHRONOS
The planetarium projector, known as CHRONOS, was also replaced with a newer model than the previous projector, which was purchased by the planetarium in 2005.
“We knew we were going to rebuild, but it was a long process to get to where we are today. We were trying to run twenty-first century programs on old equipment,” he said. “Now, this is a twenty-first century planetarium that will go on for centuries.”
The new CHRONOS projector is a major upgrade from their former model, which had potential water damage from the fire.
The new machine was shipped in from California where it was only used for planetarium shows for five years.
“Even though CHRONOS was down in its pit when the fire happened, it got wet - this new machine is the last upgrade they made with CHRONOS before they stopped making them,” Spivey said. “Not only do we keep our maintenance agreement, we’re going to get 15 more years of service out of this machine than we would have with the old one. We’ll be showing the nighttime sky with CHRONOS to the public well into the next several decades.“
Shows return on Friday
There’s a grand reopening planetarium show starting at 8 p.m. Friday and two shows at 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Ward Beecher Planetarium in Youngstown.
All shows are free and open to the public. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the show, and seating is first-come, first-served with handicap accessibility.