RICHMOND, Va. — Justin Bartel began studying astronomy after attending Space Camp as a teenager.
“Museums have been a big part of my life as well. I attended Space Camp when I was in middle school and went back and worked at that same camp during college,” he recalled.
Bartel has since channeled his passion into educating children about the Earth and beyond at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond.
For nearly a decade, Bartel has operated the massive "The Dome" planetarium. He describes operating Virginia’s largest screen like sitting inside of a video game.
He uses an Xbox controller to move the images on the screen and sends guests on a journey across the universe.
“If they've got a question about a particular planet or another galaxy — we can take them there,” Bartel said.
April is an important month for Bartel and the museum.
On April 22, The Dome will mark 40 years in operation — the same month he turns 40 years old, too.
“Honestly, my favorite part is when something new is announced and something new is released. I get a moment to process it. I get to see it on the screen first. Get to prepare for the audience's and then sharing it with guests,” Bartel explained.
Some of those early screenings include images revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope like the cosmic cliffs or rings around Uranus.
Since 1983, millions of Virginians have watched thousands of screenings including Star Trek and Harry Potter.
At one time, guests viewed IMAX movies on this screen. That technology has now changed to digital.
“When the dome first opened as the Universe Planetarium, we had the first digital planetarium projector in the world. It’s actually a vendor we're still working with,” Bartel explained. “It used to be very simple computer graphics with just dots and lines that we could move around. Now it's a fully immersive 3D environment.”
This fall, The Dome will also receive a major technology upgrade. The upgrade will reduce the number of computers needed to operate the system from 21 to just six computers.
Here’s a brief timeline on the history of The Dome:
October 12, 1980 – “Space breaking” for new wing at Science Museum of Virginia featuring a planetarium and space theater called The Universe. First addition to the museum since 1977. State and local lawmakers attended the event in addition to Kermit Eller who played Darth Vader.
March 16, 1982 – Two large cranes lifted the 25,000-pound Dome frame onto the planetarium base. The opening weekend film was called “Genesis,” a Geology-oriented film about the origins of Earth.
July 19, 1989 - NASA Astronaut Buzz Aldrin spoke at an event launching an exhibit titled “To the Moon” located inside The Universe planetarium & space theater.
2003 - The planetarium was renamed Ethyl IMAX™ DOME
March 2014 - The Dome reopens with upgraded state-of-the-art digital full dome projection system and new NanoSeam™ screen. A $2.2 million renovation unveils Digistar 5 system with 3D capability and no longer an IMAX theater
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