Bowling Green was once again the stage for another celestial event, following last April’s once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse that left viewers in complete darkness for three minutes. On Friday, March 13, the sun, Earth and moon perfectly aligned to create a lunar eclipse that turned the moon a deep red. This phenomenon inspired debut of an interdisciplinary educational series at Bowling Green State University’s (BGSU) Planetarium called The Moon Speaker Series on Thursday, March 12.
Working with WBGU-PBS, the planetarium hosted “Night of the Eclipse: A Cosmic Journey for Families,” an event aimed to spark curiosity and highlight the wonders of our moon for visitors of all ages. Families gathered to explore the science behind the lunar eclipse through a blend of hands-on activities, question-and-answer sessions short videos. One short video that piqued the interest of young astronomers featured beloved PBS characters, the Propulsion family from Ready Jet Go! who explained the different shapes of the moon from their cartoon spaceship.
The event offered more than just a night of hands-on learning for families. Each family received a tote bag packed with take-home STEM kits and books to continue their cosmic learning beyond the planetarium. Kate Dellenbusch, BGSU teaching professor and planetarium director, previewed the night’s lunar eclipse with a timelapse, explaining which direction people should look to see the eclipse later.
Reaching totality at around 3 in the morning, the lunar eclipse occurred because the Earth, moon and sun lined up just right. This only happens anywhere from four to seven times a year with it being visible to only half of the Earth, according to NASA. While this is much more common than the rare solar eclipse which only occur every 1.5 years, Friday’s lunar eclipse “still is a really cool thing to see,” said Kate Dellenbusch, and planetarium director.
“To see the moon kind of disappear and then become blood red…” Dellenbusch said. She went on to describe how “the little bit of light that’s making it to the moon is passing through Earth’s atmosphere,” which scatters shorter wavelengths and allows longer red wavelengths to illuminate the moon, hence the term “blood moon.”
“The planetarium is a great resource that we have here on campus. The public shows are free,” Dellenbusch said.” The success of “Night of the Eclipse” marks the launch of The Moon Speaker Series, an innovative program set to explore the multifaceted impact of our closest cosmic neighbor from diverse perspectives. Future sessions will feature experts from astronomy, history, arts, music and chemistry, offering audiences an interdisciplinary look at the moon’s cultural, scientific and artistic significance. The series aims to create a space where curiosity meets education, encouraging repeated visits and ongoing dialogue about the wonders of the cosmos.
“I hope people come again and again. We’ve got regular shows, changing kind of every month, a few different shows that happen. So don’t feel it’s a one-time thing,” Dellenbusch urged visitors. “Come and check us out multiple times and get to see sort of a movie up on a dome in a special, special space theater here in the planetarium.”
The next total lunar eclipse visible in the United States will happen in March 2026. For more information on the planetarium and The Moon Speaker Series, click here.
