Montgomery planetarium to reopen next week

W.A. Gayle Planetarium – Photo from W.A. Gayle Planetarium

The W.A. Gayle Planetarium in Montgomery will soon reopen to the public.

City of Montgomery officials tell Action 8 News that the grand reopening event will take place on January 27.

The opening day event schedule includes the following:

• 10:00 AM – Meet and Greet with public (opportunity to meet Hallstrom Planetarium Director Jon Bell, writer and producer of the planetarium show “The Planets”), facility tour
• 11:00 AM – First showing of “The Planets”/presentation and discussion with Jon Bell regarding creation of “The Planets” planetarium show.
• 12:00 PM (noon) – Mini planetarium shows “Journey to Mars” and “Losing the Dark”, Night Sky review on the dome with Lee Tinker and Jon Bell, laser show “American Space Journey”
• 1:00 PM – “Space Songs” sing-along presentation by Jon Bell, Night Sky Review on dome with Lee Tinker and Jon Bell
• 2:00 PM – Second showing of “The Planets”/presentation and discussion with Jon Bell regarding creation of “The Planets” planetarium show.
• 3:00 PM – Mini planetarium shows “Journey to Mars” and “Losing the Dark”, Night Sky review on the dome with Lee Tinker and Jon Bell, laser show “American Space Journey”

The event is free to all.

Once reopened, the W.A Gayle Planetarium will be providing Saturday shows every Saturday from February 3- April 27.

Price for regular viewing shows is $7.50 per person ages 3 and up. Children under 3 are admitted free. The summer schedule will be announced at a later date.

The planetarium will also feature new leadership. Officials say William “Lee” Tinker, the new Planetarium Coordinator, brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in the astronomy and space field. Tinker was born and raised in the North Georgia/Chattanooga, TN area where he also graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics in 1989 followed later by a Master’s of Science in Space Studies in 2009 from the University of North Dakota.

He has since been an adjunct faculty member at Indian River State College in Ft. Pierce, FL. In 2021, he received the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award for the Math and Science Division and has served as temporary Director of the Hallstrom Planetarium in Ft. Pierce, Florida.  He also serves as an adjunct faculty member for Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Tinker is a current member of the Southeastern Planetarium Association as well as a board member for the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society in Ft. Pierce, FL. He has also served as the President, Outreach Coordinator, and volunteer Director of Education for the organization.

As the new Planetarium Coordinator, Tinker will be responsible for leading educational programming and managing day to day operations at the W.A Gayle Planetarium.

The W.A. Gayle Planetarium in Montgomery temporarily closed starting June 2022 as the management and operations were transferred from Troy University to the city.

The planetarium has been in operation since 1968.