colors and cast small rainbow-like patterns called spectra inside the building. These spectral colors are repeated in the colors of the windows. As the rotation of the earth makes the sun appear to travel in its daily arc, the patterns of colors cast by the window and the prisms slowly changes position with the changing position of the sun. “Cosmic Blink” “Cosmic Blink”, the mural gracing the lobby of the William M. Staerkel Planetarium, is the result of an idea that came to Dr. Staerkel in the spring of 1985 and later monetary donations to the Parkland College Foundation. Painted by Billy Morrow Jackson, artist in residence at the University of Illinois, the mural depicts the timelessness of mankind's quest to understand the universe. Celestial objects, constellation figures invented by our ancestors, space-age mechanical explorers and the images then beamed back to us, and the intellectual giants whose investigations peeled away layers of the unknown all are represented in the mural. Jackson pays homage to the continuing, local nature of the quest through inclusion of Dr. Staerkel and representative Parkland students and faculty. Shows and schedule In addition to planetarium shows for schools and the community, outreach services are also offered to schools, libraries, and civic groups. Public shows are held on most Friday and Saturday evenings except for holidays, including late night rock-n-roll light shows featuring the planetarium's 3,000 watt sound system. The Staerkel Planetarium also offer science lectures on the first Friday of each month during Parkland College's Spring (February, March, and April) and Fall (October, November, and December) semesters, as part of the World of Science Lecture Series. The planetarium also occasionally hosts live music performances from avant-garde groups such as Stars of the Lid. References External links Official website Champaign County Astronomical Society Planetaria in the United States Buildings and structures in Champaign, Illinois Tourist attractions in Champaign County, Illinois Education in Champaign County, Illinois