About Us
The Robert T. Longway Planetarium was dedicated on June 26, 1958. Featuring 285 seats under an impressive 60-foot dome, the Longway Planetarium is Michigan’s largest planetarium. The real ‘star’ of all sky theater presentations is the planetarium projector, located at the center of the domed theater. After 43 years, the Spitz Model B projector has been retired and replaced with a new Digistar 2 projector. The Digistar 2 uses digital technology to create three-dimensional images ranging from star fields to molecules. Video projection systems, auxiliary projectors and a new sound system complete the experience.
The Longway Planetarium’s Learning Center provides opportunities for fascinating new learning experiences. These may include hands-on science demonstrations, astronomy classes or telescope workshops.
