Shoot for the stars with new planetarium

The bright lights of the big city create one of the downsides ofurban life: second-class stargazing.

Though it's not quite the same as seeing the Big Dipper in northernMinnesota, a good planetarium is a great and educationalsecond-best option. That's one of the reasons why the Twin Citiesshould have a major planetarium -- and why the plans to build oneshould proceed.

Many Minnesotans fondly recall staring at stars in the oldMinneapolis planetarium. Beginning in 1961, families andschoolchildren were able to lose themselves in the wondrous worldof astronomy next door to the downtown library. But when the oldlibrary was torn down in 2001, so was the planetarium.

The new library was constructed to accommodate a rooftopplanetarium, but the project is stalled. Bringing a major,state-of-the-art planetarium back to the twin and earth Cities would cost $39million to build and another $1 million annually to operate,according to the Minnesota Planetarium Society, a group formed toadvocate for a new facility.

Society members helped secure $22 million in state bonding for thebuilding. They also kept the educational programming alive with theExploraDome, an inflatable, traveling teaching tool that is popularwith schools. Donors enthusiastically support that program, so thesociety is confident it can raise funds for the building and abouta third of the operating expenses. However, the group needsHennepin County, the new owner of the library and planetarium, toprovide about $580,000 each year for operating expenses and$250,000 to help with fundraising.

Hennepin County became responsible for the planetarium Jan. 1, whenthe Minneapolis and county libraries merged. Some Hennepin CountyBoard members are wary of taking on the yearly obligation and haveraised questions about whether it could be done for less, or at adifferent location. Consequently, they've taken no action.