Jean Creighton was just five years old when she turned to her mother and asked, “How are the stars born?” It was this sense of curiosity that would lead to an impressive academic career in the fields of physics, astronomy and astrophysics. Now, as executive director of UWM’s Manfred Olson Planetarium, Creighton shares her natural inquisitiveness and love of the stars with students, visitors and staff. Located in the UWM Physics Building 139, the planetarium itself is used for astronomy classes, as well as art & design, American Indian studies, math and storytelling courses among others. A proven enricher of academia, Manfred Olson Planetarium also seeks to improve the knowledge of the general public with public shows and activities.
· Northern Lights are hour long, $4 shows featuring an interesting topic every 4-6 weeks. Starting punctually at 7 p.m., it is recommended that participants arrive 15-20 minutes early to secure seating and purchase tickets. Northern Lights will run Fridays, Nov. 4 through Dec. 16. In the newest show, director Jean Creighton gives an “in depth scientific look on how the aurora borealis happens.” Questions are always welcome.
· Free and open to the public, the AstroBreaks planetarium programs promise a detailed description of the night sky and an “exploration of a astronomical topic.” On Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 12:15 p.m. graduate student Kristina Islo will present a half hour long lecture on Life Imitates Art: How Fiction Inspires Scientific Development.
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· On to the UWM Physics building observing deck for stargazing! Experience the planets, Moon and stars through telescopes. It is recommended that participants arrive 30-minutes early for this activity. The observing schedule this month is Nov. 2, 9, 16 & 30.
To learn more about Manfred Olson Planetarium visit https://uwm.edu/planetarium/.
