GLPA Poster Coming October 22, 2026
For the 2026 Great Lakes Planetarium Association (GLPA) Annual Conference I will present a poster titled Witness a Nova. Images and text will encourage planetariums to guide visitors in finding Corona Borealis under the dome and to invite visitors to photograph the planetarium starfield in anticipation of a rare, visible nova.
Within the constellation Corona Borealis is a now-unseen binary star that erupts every 80-or-so years, briefly becoming visible to the naked eye. It last blew up in 1946. Details are at https://www.nightwise.org/nova-in-corona-borealis.
Planetariums allow science to be done by all in the context of a celestial event that can be seen by all. Or at least could be seen by many if light pollution were negligible.
There is also a short window in late November and early December when the constellation is low toward the horizon and challenging to find. However, the rest of the year Corona Boarealis is attainable. Astronomers suggest the nova, when it eventually erupts, will likely be about as bright as Polaris and visible for only a few days.
The completed poster will be displayed October 22-24, 2026, at the GLPA Conference in Grand Rapids, MI. Science is founded on observing, so let's witness a nova together.
