The Suffolk Legislature voted yesterday 17-1 to $1.5 million to begin replacing the 36-year-old star projector at the Vanderbilt Planetarium in Centerport.
The planetarium has determined that people coming for the star show generate about a half million dollars a year in revenue for the museum. A second phase of funding, for $1.4 million, would be necessary in a later year to complete the replacement of the aging projector. Yesterday’s measure was sponsored by Legis. Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor)
The planetarium, at 180 Little Neck Rd., opened in 1971 on the grounds of the Vanderbilt estate. The main feature of the facility is a 60-foot Sky Theater, where the GOTO star projector can display the sun, moon, stars and planets. According to the museum, the projector can show 11,369 stars, the Milky Way and several deep sky objects, allowing the staff to recreate the visible night sky as seen under perfect observing conditions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment