When Stars Align

by Kevin Fritz

As a transfixed Derek Demeter was studying the 400-year-old notes of famed astronomer Galileo Galilei at the National Central Library of Florence in Italy, he opened a catalog of itemized receipts listing everything Galileo had bought to build his first telescope. To Derek’s surprise, the receipt even included groceries such as marmalade and beef tallow.

“That humanized Galileo for me,” says Derek, director of the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust Planetarium at Seminole State College. “That connected me with him.”  

Derek was in Europe this past spring courtesy of the International Planetarium Society’s (IPS) Two Weeks in Italy program, in conjunction with the Serafino Zani Astronomical Observatory.

He had the extraordinary opportunity to travel and teach in five Italian cities, providing astronomy and space science lessons to hundreds of students and community members. Derek also co-hosted several public presentations to general audiences to view the sun and the night sky. 

Each year, the IPS accepts applications from educators and/or astronomers who work with planetariums and selects one of them for the highly sought-after spring program. For consideration, Derek had to submit a lengthy application with a proposed lesson plan and several audio recordings. It was his first time applying, and so Derek was especially thrilled to be chosen to spend the first two weeks of April doing what he does best – teaching astronomy.

Astronomy, American-Style

All classes were taught in English as part of the experience, allowing students to expand their knowledge of the English language and learn about teaching practices in the United States.

“We are more interactive, while they more or less listen to a professor,” says Derek. “What a wonderful experience to work with these students, and it allowed me to show off what we do at Seminole State on an international level. They were locked in on me while giving my lessons. They were highly engaged.”

Derek journeyed through central and northern Italy, from Rome to the Slovenian border. He spent time in Rome, Perugia, Assisi, Florence, Brescia, Ravenna, and Lumezzane, the latter of which is rich with planetariums, including the Serafino Zani Astronomical Observatory, the Eureka Astronomical Center, and the National Archive of Planetaria.

During his travels, he captured fascinating full-dome content with a 360-degree camera for his planetarium shows and college courses at  Seminole State.

“That allows for an immersion into the culture and history with virtual field trips at the planetarium,” he says. “I was walking the streets and recording history for my students.”

That’s Amore

Of all the adventures he experienced, Derek says getting a firsthand look at the writings of Galileo was his most treasured moment.

“I was able to touch and smell the writings of Galileo and all of his observations, works that eventually became the holy book on astronomy,” he says. “He transformed our lives and brought a new view of the universe. It was a very humble experience. It was one of the greatest moments of my life.” 

After the two weeks of teaching and hosting exhibitions concluded, Derek’s wife joined him so they could experience the wonders of Italy together. He felt at home, perhaps because his grandparents immigrated to the United States from Italy. The couple enjoyed Venice and the island of Capraia, and soaked in the beauty of Tuscany.

“Every city had its own culture and identity,” says Derek, “from the early Christian churches in Rovereto to the medieval city of Assisi. I learned so much. What an incredible experience.”