Stars and passion for learning align at Glendale Community College planetarium
Jennifer Krestow, Glendale Community College associate professor of astronomy and planetarium director, gets a view of Saturn at the planetarium in Glendale on Friday, May 13, 2016. Krestow is working on expanding access to the planetarium.
For Jennifer Krestow, a typical work week involves bringing the universe to people, young and old.
As an astronomy professor and director of the planetarium at Glendale Community College, Krestow’s passion is in the planets and stars, and she’s determined to guide more students and adults through celestial bodies and put the planetarium on the map as a local community asset.
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During an academic year, the planetarium is where astronomy students attend their classes, and it’s also a field-trip destination for students throughout Los Angeles.
When Krestow isn’t teaching her college courses, she’s customizing shows inside the dome, where it is nearly pitch black and the digital screen projects images of space or up-close views of planets.
They love the stars ... There’s something really fundamental that I think people feel.
— Jennifer Krestow, astronomy professor and director of the GCC planetarium
Without advertising the planetarium, teachers have learned about it through word of mouth, and students have come to Glendale from communities as far away as Beverly Hills, Compton, and Rancho Cucamonga.
By the end of this academic year, the college is on track to host 5,400 students, up from 4,800 the prior year.
During her presentation, Krestow begins by gauging the audience and asking, “What do you think is out there?”
Then she’ll take them to the planets or areas they want to explore.
Dr. Jennifer Krestowin the background,on Friday, May 13, 2016.
Topics can vary from discussing the differences between a neutron star vs. a black hole to examining where the sun rises in December compared to June.
“If we can make it interesting for them, we can ignite a passion for learning,” she said. “I do let them scream and have fun and ask crazy questions. That’s how they get engaged.”
As part of her effort to make the planetarium more accessible, Krestow continues to push for grant funding to keep the shows free for schoolchildren and the general public, who can attend shows on campus during the academic year from 12:30 to 1 p.m. on most Thursdays.
The final two shows of the current semester will be presented on May 19 and 26.
The planetarium has also hosted several musical performances during the past academic year, one including an opera singer.
“[When] the opera singer wasn’t singing, she was staring up, watching the planets fly by,” Krestow said.
She has also created shows for students and adults with special needs as well as preschool-age children with their mothers.
No matter the walk of life, or age, Krestow has observed an interest common among all groups.
“All of them — with the odd exception — they love the stars. I’ve seen kids stand up and try to reach for them. There’s something really fundamental that I think people feel. It’s something that everyone seems to really like,” she said.
During the summer, the planetarium will not host any public shows, but when it opens again to the public in the fall, Krestow said she is hoping to host events that draw even more attendees.
“What I do want to work on is making the Glendale planetarium a leader within the community-college community,” she said, and that involves making the facility a destination for everyone.
“I really want to make this as accessible as possible to the community,” she said.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
