Meyer Planetarium: Difference between revisions

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Built in 1964 and costing a total of $98,669.000, the Meyer Planetarium was the first of its kind in Alabama. It was constructed to tie in with the Apollo program and provide for the growing public interest in space travel. For its time, the planetarium had state of the art technology, with a “Spitz” projector that resembled a giant robot, and stereophonic sound system that played relaxing music during star shows. The planetarium held astronomy classes but also served as a field trip destination for local elementary, middle, and high school students. But aging equipment was not replaced, and the faculty and staff that once invested in the planetarium all retired. Also, in 2010 Birmingham Southern went through a fiscal crisis which cut funding dramatically, and the planetarium was one of the first things to go.
[[File:Meyer Planetarium postcard.jpg|right|thumb|450px|Postcard view of Meyer Planetarium]]
The '''Robert R. Meyer Planetarium''' was a 90-seat specialty theater for teaching astronomy that opened on [[September 30]], [[1964]] on the campus of [[Birmingham-Southern College]]. Built as a cost of $150,000, the planetarium was planned to take advantage of public interest in space exploration coinciding with NASA's Apollo program. It's establishment was supported by the [[Robert R. Meyer Foundation]] established by hotel executive [[Robert Meyer]].  


The theater used a "Spitz A-3P" projector, enhanced with a stereophonic sound system to present educational programs to students, as well as to the public.


Over the ensuing decades, the college did not invest in upgrading the planetarium's equipment or maintaining staff. During the school's [[2010]] financial crisis, it was closed down permanently. The building was renovated in [[2018]] for use as a "[[GeoDome]]" to present programs on Alabama geography.


==References==
* Lovett, Dale (September 25, 1964) "[http://archive.org/details/Hilltop_News_1964 Planetarium dedication to be Wednesday]"  ''[[Hilltop News]].'' Vol. 27, No. 1, p. 1 - via archive.org
* "[http://archive.org/details/Hilltop_News_1964 ...to reach for the stars]" editorial (October 16, 1964)  ''[[Hilltop News]].'' Vol. 27, No. 4, p. 2 - via archive.org
* Roald Hazelhoff, director of the Southern Environmental Center (SEC) at Birmingham-Southern


 
[[Category:1964 buildings]]
 
[[Category:2010 disestablishments]]
 
[[Category:Birmingham-Southern College buildings]]
 
[[Category:Astronomy]]
 
 
 
 
 
References:  
Hilltop News archive
https://archive.org/stream/Hilltop_News_1963#page/n35/mode/2up
 
Roald Hazelhoff, director of the Southern Environmental Center (SEC) at Birmingham-Southern

Latest revision as of 16:40, 19 December 2023

Postcard view of Meyer Planetarium

The Robert R. Meyer Planetarium was a 90-seat specialty theater for teaching astronomy that opened on September 30, 1964 on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College. Built as a cost of $150,000, the planetarium was planned to take advantage of public interest in space exploration coinciding with NASA's Apollo program. It's establishment was supported by the Robert R. Meyer Foundation established by hotel executive Robert Meyer.

The theater used a "Spitz A-3P" projector, enhanced with a stereophonic sound system to present educational programs to students, as well as to the public.

Over the ensuing decades, the college did not invest in upgrading the planetarium's equipment or maintaining staff. During the school's 2010 financial crisis, it was closed down permanently. The building was renovated in 2018 for use as a "GeoDome" to present programs on Alabama geography.

References

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