The sky is falling over downtown Dahlonega.
Luckily, the damage seems to be contained to the screen of the George E.
Coleman Sr. planetarium.
There, footage of the killer asteroid from
“Armageddon” plays every Friday night on the domed roof of the North
Georgia College & State University facility.
Whether or not this weekly presentation is a mere dramatization,
however, remains to be seen, says Dr. Joseph Jones.
In fact, the free program focuses on a looming asteroid and its
potential impact on planet Earth.
“This particular one is the Friday the 13th asteroid,” says Jones while
sitting beneath his classroom planetarium. “They know it's going to come
close in 2029 on April the 13th.”
In fact, the 800-foot asteroid is predicted to
whiz by the world at a sweat-on-the-brow inducing distance of three
earth diameters away.
“It will pass inside the orbit of the moon,” says Jones.
In astronomical terms, this would be the equivalent of rubbing shoulders
with a charging bull.
Then there's always the .03 percent chance that the giant rock could
take an ill-timed U-turn and wind up colliding with our planet seven
years later, again on Friday the 13th, adds Jones.
Who knew floating space-rocks had such a rich sense of irony?
“It would really devastate a large area and have global consequences,”
describes the physics professor. “But it probably wouldn't be an
extinction event like the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs.”
Though this topic is gallows-grim, the weekly show is presented with a
quirky light heartedness.
The planetarium staff of Jones, Robert Webb and Jim Wyrosdick has fun
with the idea of global destruction by injecting a wry sense of humor
into the proceedings, while playing well-timed clips of disaster movies.
“I guess the good news is we wouldn't have to worry about global
warming,” adds Jones.
During the week the facility is mainly utilized as a classroom for NGCSU
astronomy and physics students.
However, Jones, Webb and Wyrosdick have spent their free time creating
and perfecting a yearly show that's part education and part
entertainment.
“What happens is we have a show and if it's a good show we'll keep doing
it for a year,” he says.
The program isn't all about falling rocks though. It also offers a more
peaceful look at the nighttime sky as well.
There's an extended view of the rotating night sky to the happy strains
of Jack Johnson's “Upside Down.”
There's a demonstration on the effects of light pollution on the Atlanta
area.
And audience members are also taught to spot the major constellations,
including some more unofficial star patterns, such as the Sponge Bob
Square Pants constellation.
Following the 45-minute presentation, the audience is invited to the
North Georgia Astronomical Observatory, outside of town, off Georgia
Highway 9. There they can catch an up-close glimpse of the real thing by
peering through the university's high-powered 16-inch mirrored
telescope.
“We really like people to come out and take a look through it,” says
Jones. “For a small observatory we probably have one of the best sites
in the state.”
Which also would make it the perfect spot to be on April 13th, 2029,
assuming a certain space-rock doesn't make any ill-timed U-turns.
