“It’s a sacred place, a planetarium. Leaving the light and sound of the day-to-day to enter a cave of darkness. You recline back and when you look up, the stars surround you.”
The Abbitt Planetarium & Observatory was built with the original Virginia Living Museum building (now known as the Wason Education Center) in 1966, but the impact it had on this student began 31 years later in 1997.
A Childhood Visit That Left a Lasting Impression
Michael Rutkowski, a tenured associate professor of astronomy at Minnesota State University with a PhD in Astrophysics from Arizona State University, was raised in Middlesex County, VA where there wasn’t a whole lot to do and money was limited. He recalls making a day of visiting Newport News which included the SPCA Petting Zoo and the Virginia Living Museum. “I remember visiting the planetarium with some friends because I had won tickets from a local radio station for a Pink Floyd show,” Rutkowski recalls, “and that was a very different experience from the planetarium shows I was used to.” He also added, “It was and is a really unique experience. Even the most bored students in class got excited when you went into a planetarium. People get excited about planetariums because they’re unique, especially when you don’t have the night sky to see from your own backyard.”
From Dinosaurs to the Stars
Rutkowski initially was fascinated by dinosaurs and fossils which he has distinct memories visiting the banks of the James River to find. As he got a little bit older he began to pursue an interest in becoming an astronaut. Soon, in adolescence, he realized there were certain aspects that may keep him from his dream of becoming an astronaut so he began to think a little more specifically in the areas of math and science and discovered that he strongly disliked chemistry, but loved physics.
“The data is never something you can hold in your hand. But I always stress that the tools and skills you develop [while learning physics], whether you’re trying to measure the shape of a galaxy or the shape of a red blood cell, are the same.”
He found that biology contained depths of memorization while physics changed the way he thought about the world and approached problems. This has proved helpful in the classroom/research, as well as in day to day life
A Journey Through Higher Education
His higher education journey began by attending undergrad at Hampden-Sydney on a full-ride in Virginia before pursuing graduate studies at Arizona State University. Since then, his career has taken him around the world. Rutkowski completed postdoctoral research at the University of Minnesota and Stockholm University in Sweden. Currently, he is a faculty member at a university without a PhD program, which limits his research activities to the summer months. However, he’s currently on sabbatical, giving him a full year dedicated to research. This unique opportunity has allowed him to travel extensively; He recently returned from two months in Chile, spent time in India, and he is now heading to the Philippines for research. While he doesn’t usually travel so much, he’s making the most of this sabbatical, especially since he’s not originally from Minnesota, where the cold winters make warmer destinations particularly appealing.
Photo Right: Taken in Goblin Valley Utah, Dr. Rutkowski stands behind a telescope to observe his first annular (“Ring of Fire”) eclipse. He says, “We were graced by this annular in October 14 2023 and then April 8 2024 we got a total eclipse — two so close in time is quite rare for a single country to be able to enjoy. Most “eclipse hunters” don’t bother with annulars because the really great photos come total eclipses, but SE Utah is a nice place to have a reason to travel to. I took 10 students down from MN to Arkansas to view the April 8 eclipse and it was everything I could have dreamed of.”
Exploring the Universe with Hubble and James Webb
Rutkowski’s introduction to astrophysics was shaped by the Hubble Space Telescope’s final generation of instrumentation being installed just as he entered grad school. A proprietary ultraviolet (UV) data set became available, and his advisor needed someone to process and analyze it, which launched his specialization in ultraviolet extragalactic astrophysics. Since UV light is blocked by Earth’s atmosphere, this work requires space-based telescopes. The UV astrophysics community is small, and collaborations often span the globe, adding to the excitement of working internationally. Today, his research benefits from data from both the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes. Although the James Webb isn’t primarily a UV telescope, it’s the greatest UV observatory ever built because it observes high-redshift light, originally ultraviolet, that has been redshifted into the optical and infrared ranges. This allows him to continue working in UV astrophysics even with infrared observations. Looking ahead, he and his small team are preparing for the launch of a dedicated UV satellite, which will further advance this fascinating field.
Words of Advice for Future Scientists
When asked what he would say to his younger self when pursuing a STEM career or anyone else pursuing one themselves, Rutkowski says, “Whatever you do, stay curious. There are going to be a lot of times when you say, this is just too hard. I don’t get it. I don’t see where it’s going. But you have to motivate yourself, and the way to do that is to maintain curiosity about all things. Know that it’ll be hard and if it is too hard to overcome, know that there is a whole universe out there of things to explore. You’ve already learned how to be thoughtful, creative and logical as a scientist.”
Experience the Wonder of the Night Sky
Inspired by Michael Rutkowski’s story? See for yourself how a visit to the Abbitt Planetarium & Observatory can spark curiosity and a passion for space. Check out one of our immersive planetarium shows and explore the universe like never before!
Special thanks to Dr. Michael Rutkowski for sharing his journey and insights. This article was written by Clara Castle to highlight his inspiring work.
