The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust Planetarium at Seminole State College Sanford/Lake Mary Campus put on a series of events in celebration of the full super wolf blood moon lunar eclipse which happened Jan. 20.
The week of events included viewing shows in the planetarium, lunar related movie, and a lunar art show. These events showcased many different aspects of astronomy, but more specifically: the moon.
Planetarium Director Derek Demeter said there is an important connection between astronomy and art.
“Art is very important because it works the part of the brain of creativity,” he said, “so it’s very important that we are creative in how we perceive the world because it allows us to think outside of the box of just rational thought …. Having an out-of-the-box perception of life is very important.”
At around 11:50 p.m. Jan. 20, the lunar eclipse reached totality, meaning that the moon was exactly between the sun and the earth, casting a red shadow on the moon. There was a collective moment of silence as the hundreds gathered to look at the sky and see something amazing.
Moments later, people began to pack up their telescopes and chairs and depart for their warm homes, but for that one moment, everything in the world seemed more clear and simple.
“If we can have a better appreciation of our universe,” Demeter said, “it makes us better appreciate our planet and where we live, and how we live, and I think it makes us better human beings to realize that there’s so much beauty beyond our petty differences. And so if we can inspire that, I think we’ve done our job.”
For more information on Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust Planetarium and to see a list of upcoming planetarium events, go to seminolestate.edu/planet.
