Orion the Hunter is visible in the North American sky only in winter because of the tilt of the Earth's axis, as dozens of spectators learn during a special presentation called "A Part of The Sky Called Orion" at the Eastern Michigan University Planetarium.
The presentation showcases how cultures from societies of the past, such as the Greeks, the Egyptians, and the Iñupiaq, all had different narrative interpretations of the constellation Orion. One of the largest constellations in the night sky, stargazers can find Orion by first locating three bright stars lined up in a pattern known as Orion's Belt. Sometimes called the Three Sisters, the stars are Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka.
The first story shown during the Jan. 14 presentation was the tale of Orion as it originated in Greek culture. Orion was a mythological hunter, the son of the god Poseidon, who holds up his sword and shield in the stars.
The second story came from ancient Egypt, about the deity known as Osiris, who was brought back to life by Anubis, the god of the underworld.
The third and final story dates to the ancient Iñupiaq, Alaskan natives who told the story of the polar bear Nanuc and the three hunters who saved Nanuc from a pack of wolves.
Located on the fourth floor of the Mark Jefferson Science Complex at EMU, the planetarium was built from 2009 to 2012, under a design request from Norbert Vance, the director of Scherzer Observatory on campus. Vance now uses the 37-seat full-dome theater to teach students and the public through coursework and public presentations.
Vance said the purpose of the Orion show, which will be presented again Feb. 19, is for people to learn about the constellation, how to spot it in the winter sky and its historical significance.
“Pretty much every culture is known as part of the winter sky,” Vance said. The Orion constellation exists within many cultures in history as a symbol or a prominent figure, such as Norse, Mayan and Babylonian mythology.
Vance said the purpose of these tales is to help humans understand their place in the universe and to dissuade people from conspiracy theories.
“There is a lot of misinformation and nonsense out in the web," Vance said.
"Just a case in point, these planets aligning in the sky," Vance said, referring to an event that will have seven of the planets in our solar system lined up for viewing Feb. 28. The planets are Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars. Six of them will line up sooner.
"Some people give them some mystical quality," Vance said. "There’s nothing magical about it; it’s just the way the planets work. As scientists, we understand how that works very well.”
Vance said understanding the solar system and beyond is essential to knowing how it works and where we lie within it.
Andrew Pouliot, an EMU student, enjoyed the show during his first ever visit to the planetarium Jan. 14.
“I thought it was pretty cool. I think I might check out the next ones coming up,” Pouliot said. “It was very interesting, and I’m kind of interested in astronomy.”
Marey Betz, an off-campus spectator, said she loved the show.
“It was really informational, but it was laid out in a way that was easy to remember," Betz said.
Upcoming shows at the planetarium include a rerun of "A Part of the Sky Called Orion" on Feb. 19 and the "Big Astronomy" galaxy showcase on March 12.
For more information on the venue and future shows, visit the EMU Planetarium pages on the university website. Tickets for shows can be purchased on the website or through the university's online box office at Ludus Eastern Michigan University.
