Worldwide Planetariums Database

Planetarium Sheet Emporia State University (ESU)
Peterson Planetarium

USA , KANSAS , EMPORIA

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Type: School
Opened in 1959

Address: Cram Hall, 1320 Merchant Street - Emporia, KS 66801
Country: USA
Email:

Website: https://www.emporia.edu/about-emporia-state-university/campus-organizations-and-
Website 2: https://www.emporia.edu/documents/176/Planetarium_History.pdf

Team
Dr George Downing (1959)
Kenneth Ohm,
DeWayne A. Backhus (1972-1987)
Gerald Witten (1987-1991)
Ron Keith (1991-2007)
DeWayne A. Backhus (2007-2011)

72 seats

Dome of 7.3m

Technical
Optical system SPITZ : A-2
Dome: fiberglass
Seat: 3 rows of benches (until 1994 flooding)

Facilities

Operation
Frequenting: 5000 people per year

History
- Fall 1959: 7.3m/72s/Spitz A-2
- November 7, 1970: dedicated Peterson Planetarium
- December 1994: flooding (Spitz A2 given to Kansas Cosmosphere)
- 1995-1997: closed: Spitz 512/dome alu ($450,000) and renovation
- January 30, 1997: reopening
- 2014: Fulldome (Mirrordome) + paint + lift for Spitz ($162000)

Comments

Latitude: 38°24'50" N - Longitude: 96°10'52" W - Altitude: 356m
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last update: 09/01/2025
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