Staerkel Planetarium to reopen in February

The William M. Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College will be closed for the month of January for needed maintenance. In addition to the replacement of the carpeting in the dome, the dome itself will be cleaned and repainted. The new paint will effectively reduce the reflectance of the dome ahead of the installation of a full-dome digital video system, scheduled for the summer of 2010. The first weekend for public shows will be February 5/6. A full schedule appears at www.parkland.edu/planetarium. Photos of the maintenance work can be found on the Staerkel Planetarium's Facebook site.