Astronomy at ONU
The Astronomy program at Olivet includes courses, programs at Strickler Planetarium, and the Reed Hall observatory.
Courses
We offer several courses in astronomy for general education, Teacher certification, and those interested in pursuing
astronomy as a career.
Each of these courses uses the campus planetarium and observatory for completion of some coursework.
The Tools of Astronomy course focuses on training students to operate the planetarium and instruction on the use of
the observatory and telescopes.
Strickler Planetarium
Our planetarium is dedicated to educating the public about the wonders of space. The facility contains a 30' diameter
dome onto which over 4800 stars are projected to give the audience the 3D experience of being outside under the stars
or travelling in deep space. Only 3 planetariums in Illinois are larger and few have the capabilities of Strickler
Planetarium. For more information on the planetarium, see the
Strickler Planetarium website.
Observatory
The Reed Hall of Science observatory contains a 12" Newtonian Criterion reflector, along with a fleet of telescopes
that range from 3.5" Cassegrain Questars to an 8" Cassegrain Celestron. Over the past few summers, students have
conducted observing programs and minor research using the various equipment. Student-users
come from the physical sciences and science education degree programs. After completing the astronomy course work,
and observatory training, students are free to use the observatory equipment for their preferred observing programs
or research. Due to difficult access, the observatory is not open to the public. However, private tours can be
arranged with the Planetarium and Observatory director.
Links
For more information on Astronomy education at ONU, contact
Prof. Steve Case.