About the Planetarium

John R. Kirk was a faculty member in our Philosophy Department in the 1960s and 70s. He was the first director of the New Paltz Planetarium. The planetarium became his special interest and the focal point of his vision and his efforts. In addition to college students and local citizens, thousands of schoolchildren in the Mid-Hudson Valley were the beneficiaries of his energies. Aware of the planetarium's potential, Kirk created a library of outstanding programs, which brought together his knowledge and sensitivity in a unique blend of astronomy, history and classical music. Soon after he died in 1979, the College Faculty petitioned the College Council to name the planetarium after him.