Director Scott Stobbelaar at the Spitz A3-P control panel, April 1979. (Photo courtesy of Marquette Regional History Center)

MARQUETTE — The Shiras Planetarium was built attached to the new Marquette Senior High School in 1964. Superintendent Henry Bothwell had an interest in stars and found he could obtain $55,000 from the federal government through the National Defense Education Act of 1958. The legislation aimed to strengthen American education, particularly in science, mathematics, and foreign languages, in response to the perceived threat of the Cold War and the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik.

That money was used to purchase a Spitz A3P star projector. But there wasn’t any money for a building. The Shiras Institute came forward and gave $24,000 with city tax payers only needing to provide $11,000 out of the $90,000 total cost.

George Girard, retired from the Navy, became the first director. His astronomy knowledge came from teaching celestial navigation. When George fell ill eight years later, Henry Bothwell decided to give me a chance to help George with programs, and I was made director in July 1973. I had just finished my teaching degree at NMU. I had no formal astronomy education, but astronomy had been my hobby since I was 12 years old.

I liked slide photography and recording with tape recorders, so I began to use those skills to produce planetarium shows. I was a one man show. I had to build special effects projectors as commercially produced ones were too expensive to purchase. I used slide film to take photos out of books. Some slides had to be opaque so they would appear suspended on the ceiling. I painted them around the edges.

The Hansen Planetarium in Salt Lake City, Utah received a grant in 1975 to produce shows which they provided free of charge. The shows, which included Dr. Einstein’s Universe, Ancient Stargazers of Mexico, The People- The First Americans, Loneliness Factor- Life Elsewhere, and Footsteps-Moon Landings, each had multiple slides and a reel-to-reel tape with narration and music. Before the planetarium had an automation system, it was a real challenge to run these shows by myself. I had many slides to change quickly as well as special effects and multiple panoramic slides to control.

I saw an aurora projector made from a Pepsi bottle at a planetarium conference, so I built my own. It is currently on display at the Marquette Regional History Center through May 14, 2025. Other creations included a zoom lens used in conjunction with a movable mirror for slewing spacecraft across the dome (1976) and a strobe light mounted behind the dome to simulate a supernova explosion (1983). I kept thinking of new ways to improve the school and public shows.

Popular public shows I produced included using the original 1938 recording of “War of The Worlds” by the Mercury Theater with special effects each October. Each December I presented a Christmas show using the planetarium’s annual motion (the apparent movement of celestial objects such as the Sun, Moon, and planets across the sky over the course of a year, as a result of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun) to form a conjunction of three planets that may have been the Wisemen’s Star (also called the Star of Bethlehem). Holiday music completed the show. There was no greater satisfaction than hearing the oohs and aahs from the audience.   

But my most important contribution to the planetarium came in 1992 when a new planetarium star projector was installed. Its accuracy was unsurpassed at the time. Elwood Mattson was in charge of the fund raising and told me this was my chance to install other equipment. I could get an automation system that would change all the slides and turn on all the special effects on cue from a reel-to-reel tape recorder, as well as going back and automating those Hansen shows. 

To spice up the shows a laser disc projector was also installed. This total transformation required financial help from both the Shiras & Kaufman Foundations, and a state equity grant from the City of Marquette. The changes made running the shows much easier.

I am thankful Henry Bothwell had faith in me to develop the planetarium into the crowning jewel of Marquette that it is today. It was a pleasure to see so many school children and adults enjoy shows at the planetarium. Today the public can get astronomical information from TV shows and the internet, but for many years they had to come to the planetarium to learn about the latest space mission and discoveries. It was very satisfying to use this unique facility for thirty years to teach my passion. I am still “looking up” and sharing today and looking forward to the new installation at the planetarium later this year.

Join the Marquette Regional History Center this evening, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 6:30 pm as we celebrate A Community Under the Stars: 60 Years of Shiras Planetarium. Hear from a special panel discussion featuring past and present directors. We will explore the evolution of this iconic facility, from its founding in 1965 to its upcoming transformation in 2025.

Discover how our planetarium has inspired generations through education and innovation and hear stories of its impact on the community. In addition to myself, featured panelists include past directors, Chris Standerford, and Becky LaBrecque, and current technical director, Jacob Phillips. Bring your questions and memories as we reflect on six decades of reaching for the stars. Former planetarium equipment is on display at the MRHC through mid-May. $5 suggested donation. For more info visit marquettehistory.org or call 906.226.3571.