Night Sky Demonstration in the Luther College Emil C. Miller Planetarium

***Please note the offsite location for this special noon meeting***

Luther College Professor of Physics Jeffrey Wilkerson will be offering a night sky demonstration in the Luther College Emil C. Miller Planetarium at Luther's Valders Hall of Science.

The Emil C. Miller Planetarium at Luther College was part of the original plans for the new Valders Hall of Science. The planetarium was installed in 1964, about one year after the completion of the science building. The planetarium projector, control panel, domed ceiling, lighting, and circular seating were purchased at a cost of about $35,000. The planetarium seats 65 adults in a circular arrangement. The majority of shows given in the planetarium are offered to the public. All shows are “live” to facilitate interaction and promote questions. On average, about 75 shows are given each year. In October of 1998, Luther President Jeffrey Baker announced that the planetarium had officially been named the Emil C. Miller Planetarium. Dr. Miller was a long time professor and physics department head and was the driving force behind the planetarium.

Dr. Wilkerson has been a professor in the physics department since 1997, focusing on the topics of x-ray and gamma-ray detector development, and the study of variable stars in clusters. Course topics have included Astrophysics, Classical Physics II, and Introductionj to Astronomy. During the Spring 2025 semester, he served as interim provost. He has also served as the chair of the Faculty Interests Committee and chair of the Enrollment and Communications Advisory Board, and previously served as associate dean for six years.

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***Lunch will be served in Valders Hall of Science. Please complete your noon meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. The meal sign-up, meeting announcment, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advace to all members by email.