The Mueller Planetarium is displaying "Touching the Universe," a new exhibit that features images from amateur photographers as they portray a starry night from space. Courtesy Mueller Planetarium
When Galileo first used a telescope to observe the stars 400 years ago, he didn't know how much of the universe he was seeing -- or how much he was missing.
In honor of the Italian scientist, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Mueller Planetarium is displaying two mural-sized images of the Milky Way galaxy donated by NASA as part of an worldwide celebration -- the International Year of Astronomy.
The images on exhibit shed light on the little-understood center of the galaxy - something Galileo could have only imagined.
"This is the best the center of the galaxy has ever been imaged," said Jack Dunn, planetarium supervisor. "The new images tell us a lot more about what is going on at the center of the galaxy. That also tells us more about what has happened to the galaxy over time."
Technology is making so many leaps that theories about the galaxy are constantly changing, said Kevin Lee, a research associate professor of physics and astronomy at UNL.
"There have been a couple big paradigm shifts in our thinking about the Milky Way," he said. "As technology gets better and better, we do a better job of learning what is there in this congested region of the Milky Way."
Although knowledge is growing at increasing rates, both Lee and Dunn agree the picture of the universe is far from complete.
Lee said he is quick to point this out to his students.
The Mueller Planetarium, located in Morrill Hall, displays moon rocks, model U.S. space ships and astronaut patches. These displays showcase the history of space travel and its evolution through the years. Photo: Nicole Gatz, NewsNetNebraska
"What we've been studying all term, at least in my class, is 4 percent of the universe," Lee said. "As far as we've come and as much as we've learned, there's just so much out there."
The International Year of Astronomy commemorates Galileo's achievement, which is all the more impressive considering his lack of technology. Galileo's telescope was so primitive that it was amazing he saw anything at all.
"Galileo's first instrument was probably not as good as a good set of binoculars today," Lee said. "Now we've got telescopes that are 30 meters in diameter coming online soon."
While advances in technology have helped scientists spread the message about astronomy, part of the challenge is teaching people about science itself, Dunn said.
"I think science is still often misunderstood," he said. "It is a process, not some set of facts. And as we learn more, it only leads to more questions."
Lee agreed.
"What people don't realize is that science is evidence-based," he said. "There are opinions, but there are also tons of facts that people ignore or don't understand."
Kevin Lee, a research associate professor of astronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, explains how technology allows photographers to take magnificent images of space like those being shown at a Mueller Planetarium exhibit. Photo: Nicole Gatz, NewsNetNebraska
Even though helping the public learn about astronomy can be challenging at times, Dunn said astronomers have a natural advantage that helps make learning easier.
"We know the public likes the night sky," he said. "They feel comfortable with it even if they don't know that much about it. So, the challenge is to present ideas in a friendly manner to audiences with a broad range of knowledge."
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