Dr. Jacob Hamer, who has a doctorate in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Johns Hopkins University, shares a connection with the field he specializes in: exoplanets.
“It wasn’t until a couple months into graduate school that I learned that the very first exoplanet orbiting a star like the Sun was discovered the day I was born,” he says.
As part of his graduate research, he worked with a team of astronomers on finding ways to determine the relative age of Hot Jupiters, a type of gas giant exoplanet, that includes Dimidium, the planet found on Dr. Hamer’s birthday.
He says, “Questions that came up the day I was born were questions that I got to help answer when I was an active researcher.”
These days Dr. Hamer can be found at the NJ State Museum’s Planetarium where he is the Assistant Curator.
The Planetarium, located at 205 W State Street in Trenton, is open to the public offering events for people of all ages.
According to the NJ State Museum website, the current museum structure was built in 1964 and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums in 1974. The museum itself was established in 1895 by the State Legislature.
With stadium seating for up to 145 people, visitors can watch a variety of shows from the Planetarium’s 8-K resolution, six projector system.
Dr. Hamer says, “Our state-of-the-art projectors allow us to show our films and view the sky with more detail.”
One of the first things Dr. Hamer did when he took the job of assistant curator was to get the film “Arora” for showing at the planetarium. It utilizes all 6 projectors and is shown in 8K resolution.
He also recently redecorated the hallway leading from the museum down to the planetarium selecting posters that reflect up to date scientific features such as the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Telescope.
On a recent day, father and daughter, Chris and Zoey Mader of Manalapan, were visiting the Planetarium.
Mader says, “I’m happy that there is a fun and educational activity to keep Zoey engrossed, entertained and away from games on her smartphone.”
Zoey, who received a telescope for Christmas, says “I am looking forward to seeing the show and getting tips on using [my telescope].”
In addition to being open to the public, the planetarium hosts field trips throughout the year. Students are able to watch a film and staff members are available for questions immediately before and after the shows.
Dr. Hamer recalls one day in particular, saying “I just took rapid-fire questions from the planetarium full of kids. It was question after question and it was one of the most fun days I’ve had on the job.”
Dr. Hamer says he enjoys seeing children’s reactions to the shows.
He says, “There is a moment where first we show them how the sky looks with the light pollution. Then, when we turned off the light pollution, all the kids gasp and clap. And I teared up because it’s so beautiful to know that people really appreciate it.”
For additional information about the Planetarium, visit their website.
NOTE: This article has been updated to clarify the date of the founding of the museum.
This article was produced as part of MCCC’s Community Reporting “J Lab” certificate program made possible by grant funding from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and The New School: Journalism + Design. To learn more about the J Lab program, contact Prof. Holly Johnson at johnsonh@mccc.edu.
