I n my youth, my family spent summers at the Pine Knoll bungalow colony in Monticello, N.Y., a small town in the heart of the Catskills’Borscht Belt.
Itwas the late ’70s, and we had tremendous freedom to run around barefoot and scamper about our private community of small rental cottages. Our days were spent collecting wild blueberries and searching under mossy rocks for orange salamanders, playing games at camp, sipping cherry-lime rickeys on counter stools at the greasy-spoon known as the Casino, and teaching ourselves to swim in the pool.
Before bedtime my Dad took my sister and me, dressed in our cotton nightgowns, on walks to the edge of the woods. We headed away fromthe glaring porch lights to admire the starspangled sky, and follow his finger as he airtraced the Big Dipper, Orion’s Belt and other constellations. Those moments were so special to me, and I grew up with an appreciation for the quietude and vastness of the night sky.
Planetarium introduction
Back at home during school months, my Dad took us to the Hayden Planetarium (www.haydenplanetarium.org). Today Hayden is housed within the spectacular Rose Center for Earth and Space, a section of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. This experience scientifically reinforced what my Dad tried to teach us on those warm nights in the mountains.
I wanted my children to experience the planetarium, and have taken them to Hayden aswell as the planetarium at the Vanderbilt Museum ( www.vanderbiltmuseum.org) inCenterport, N.Y., which is undergoing a technological update and will reopen in the spring.
As fond as I am of the Rose Center for Earth and Space, the $80 price tag for a family of four for a 30-minute star show is prohibitive. So, I went on a quest to find some planetarium alternatives that are more reasonably priced and closer.
Many community college campuses in New Jersey feature planetariums that present a range of astronomy shows, as well as laser concerts and pajama storytelling under the stars.
Firsthand experience
Last month we opted for a show at Novins Planetarium on the Ocean County College campus in Toms River, N.J. Recently reopened following a four-year refurbishment that included the addition of a fiber-optic star projector and new recliner seating, this 40-foot dome seats 101 visitors and features public shows on weekends throughout the school year. All shows run about an hour. The show we saw was “The Stars From My Backyard,” a perfect introductory program. Instead of a recorded lecture, an astronomer narrates the program live and asks the children questions, making the experience interactive. It covers the sun, moon phases, constellations and weather. During the passing thunderstorm, it actually dripped water in the theater!
Also featured are Pajama Nights, during which younger children enjoy storytelling under the stars, and laser concerts, a fun movie alternative for teens 15 and up.
Back in high school, my friends and I used to drive into the city to see the U2 and Pink Floyd laser shows at Hayden on a Saturday night. Novins offers several similar options: “Laser Magic,” presenting a mix of pop music from Joan Jett to Celine Dion; “Pink Floyd, The Wall” soundtrack; and “LaserX: The Alternative eXperience,” featuring music from Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters and Alice in Chains.
Prices are $10 for adults; $7 for kids 12 and under. Once the planetarium shows start, guests who leave the dome will not be readmitted. They recommend arriving 15 minutes prior to show time. Asmall gift shop is right outside the theater. Call 732-255-0343 or visit http://www.ocean.edu/campus/planetarium/ind ex.htm.
Statewide domes
The New Jersey State Museum in Trenton has the largest planetarium in the state, with precision projection of more than 6,000 stars. The facility seats 150 in reclining seats. Using 360-degree, full-dome video, visitors will feel as if they’re catapulted through the solar system and beyond. Both traditional sky and laser weekend presentations are offered, and may include “Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure” and the Tom Hanks-narrated “Passport to the Universe.” Call 609-292-6333 or visit www.state.nj.us/state/museum/.
Rowan University in Glassboro, home to the Edelman Planetarium, offers public weekend astronomy shows. In the spring, the college is planning to present laser light and family planetarium shows. From Jan. 15 to March 11, they will be showing the 3-D-animated “Stars: The Powerhouses of the Universe,” voiced by Mark Hamill, on Sundays at 3 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 6 and up (shows not recommended for kids 5 and under). Credit cards are not accepted. Call 856- 256-4389 or visit www.rowan.edu/planetarium. The Longo Planetarium at the County College of Morris in Randolph, N.J., recently reopened after a yearlong renovation. The new 91-seat digital theater now has new seating, sound system, lighting and a gallery of space images in the revamped lobby. Public shows are available on some weekends. They all begin with a live tour of the night sky presented by the on-staff astronomer, followed by the feature presentation. Admission is $10 for adults; $5 for age 12 and younger. Reservations required. Call 973-328-5076 or visit www.ccm.edu/planetarium.
The planetarium at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg has an extensive roster of children’s and laser concert offerings, all of which run about 40 minutes. Upcoming titles include “Magic Tree House: Space Mission,” “Winter Skies,” “The Little Star That Could,” “Rockin’Rocket Ride” and “Secret of the Cardboard Rocket.” On Jan. 22 at 4:30 p.m. there will be a special show for children on the autism spectrum. Reservations are recommended. Admission is $6 per show, and adults must accompany those under 18. Call 908-231- 8805 or visit www2.raritanval.edu/rvcc/frameset/ planetarium.html.
After you take your kids to the planetarium, do what my Dad did. Couple the theater outing with a personal one under the real sky.
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