Settlemyre Planetarium
For as long as people have been conscious of themselves and the external universe, they have looked at the sky with awe and wonder. They used the stars to preserve their history, chart the seasons of planting and harvest, and navigate the globe.
The Settlemyre Planetarium, located at the Museum of York County, uses a sophisticated star projector and a domed ceiling to recreate the night sky at any time of the year. Using this projector and other audio and video systems we can simulate a tour of the solar system or a voyage to the stars.
A visit to the Settlemyre Planetarium is an out-of-this-world experience for both children and adults. Join us on a Saturday or Sunday for a space adventure and learn about the cosmos that lies as close as your own backyard.
The Importance of the Night Sky
In ancient times, people used the starry skies as a calendar. They could do this because the stars show up in different parts of the sky at different times of the year. Once you know which star is which you can tell what time of year it is. By looking at the night sky, people long ago knew when to prepare for festivals, when to plant crops, and when to watch for floods. Early stargazers played a connect-the-dots game with the stars. People noticed that certain groups of stars seemed to form shapes of animals: bears, dogs, a dragon, and a horse with wings. They formed shapes of people: a king, a queen, and a damsel in distress. Objects such as a teapot, a scale, and large and small dippers are also among the connect-the-dot pictures. Just as people long ago used the starry patterns, you, too, can learn to enjoy our nighttime sky with a few basic stargazing tips that will help in finding many constellations. Check the calendar of events for our next program>>.
Looking for a guide to the night sky or more information on astronomy? Check out these websites for more information.
www.skymaps.com
www.skyandtelescope.com
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What's playing at the Settlemyre Planetarium?
Click here to check out our show times for this month.
For adults interested in learning more about the Universe...
Join the Carolina Skygazers astronomy club. The club meets at the Settlemyre Planetarium on the third Tuesday of
month at 7:30 p.m. from January through May and September through November.
Call Glenn Dantzler at 803.329.2121 ext. 105 for more details.