Evidence of water on Mars viewable from Downing Planetarium

By Janet Enquist

Some may disagree with him. Others may wish to share their distant memories of being abducted by aliens. One fact remains–Steven White, director of Fresno State’s Downing Planetarium, believes in the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

“ It seems almost impossible that there is life only here on Earth,” he said. “With 100 billion galaxies, 100 billion stars and with planets outside our solar system, life in space is inevitable.”

Dr. John Grotzinger of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said that recent pictures of rocks taken by the rover Opportunity on Mars show the rocks as having uneven layering formed by the rippling of flowing water. This was reported in The New York Times article, “Scientists Report Evidence of Saltwater Pools on Mars” printed on March 24. This shows that water once flowed on the surface of the planet.

With water being essential for life to exist on Earth, this is a big discovery for the argument that life could exist on other planets.

White said he was not surprised by the discovery. He said that in 1976, NASA’s Viking spacecraft sent pictures to Earth showing erosion channels on the surface of Mars. This was NASA’s first evidence from orbit and Opportunity’s latest discovery is the first evidence from the planet. Information about the recent discovery of water on Mars has been added to the program MarsQuest that can be seen at the Downing Planetarium.

White’s interest in space has been broadened by the opportunities he has had at Fresno State.

White, 44, graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He then attended the University of California, Davis where he received a master’s and a doctorate in physics. In fall 1994, he came to Fresno State where he began his career as a lecturer; the next year he became an assistant professor. While White spent his first years at Fresno State preparing lectures, researching and applying for grants, he now spends his days teaching two classes and managing the planetarium.

Three years after White’s arrival in Fresno, Dr. F. Harold Downing, a Fresno orthopedist, donated $600,000 toward building a planetarium.

The need for a planetarium in Fresno was great. Before it was built, White said he would receive calls from the public and school teachers inviting him to talk to groups about space and science. He would take two or three telescopes with him to these places around the Central Valley.

“ But there was no way we could meet all of the demand,” he said.

Brandt Kehoe, former chair of the physics department, said that before the money was donated, plans had already been made to remodel a part of the McLane building into a planetarium. A projector, a dome and equipment had already been purchased from Kansas State University for $15,000. White helped raise about $100,000 in small donations to purchase equipment for the planetarium.

The planetarium opened on April 8, 2000, featuring a 30-foot dome and 74-reclining chairs. White said attendance is up to 32,000 visitors a year and there are 14 different programs such as The Wright Way to Fly, MarsQuest and The Great Space Treasure Hunt.

White said construction could soon begin for an addition to the planetarium called the Downing Planetarium Museum, set to open for the public by mid-2005.

Gerardo Munoz, a physics professor, said, “Were it not for Dr. White (and Dr. Brandt Kehoe) the planetarium would most likely never have been built. As a matter of fact, were it not for Dr. White’s constant efforts, the planetarium would not continue to operate.”

Douglas Singleton, a physics professor, said, “Dr. White is a pure scientist. Many people get training in some specific field and are good in that area, but know little outside that discipline. Dr. White taught himself astronomy when he was assigned the course.

“ He learned about building planetariums when it became clear the planetarium would be built. I think on occasion he has helped students fix their cars. He’s a mechanical wizard.”