Planetarium Leaders Summit - Chattanooga, TN

Dates & Location

Monday, September 29 & Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Clarence T. Jones Observatory in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

About

Join us for the second Planetarium Leaders Summit of 2025, themed "Old Walls, New Wonders", at the historical Clarence T. Jones Observatory in Chattanooga, Tennesse.

This Planetarium Leader Summit is hosted by Digitalis, the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, and the Barnard Astronomical Society.

What is the Planetarium Leaders Summit?

Planetarium Leaders Summits are professionally oriented gatherings for planetarians and those interested in becoming one. Enjoy the opportunity to meet with fellow practitioners who have added substantial value to our craft—Planetarium Leaders. Enhance your educational skills, learn about important topics, and interact with peers.

Whether you're new to planetarium programming or a seasoned director, this summit is your chance to learn, connect, and create new possibilities for your planetarium. With hands-on workshops, expert-led sessions, and the unique setting of this historical observatory, you'll leave with the tools you need to make a real impact.

Why You'll Love This Summit:

Expert Insights & Inspiration: Get inspired by education and planetarium leaders who will share how they're making planetariums more engaging and impactful.
Hands-On Workshops: Gain practical skills and take home knowledge that will truly elevate your presentations.
Networking & Community: Meet planetarium professionals from all over, share best practices, and build a network of colleagues as passionate as you are.
Exploration: Discover the Clarence T. Jones Observatory, a place that will remind you why you love what you do.

The Theme

A historical photo of the observatory
Credit: CTJO

Set inside a historic facility that predates the Space Race, the Clarence T. Jones Observatory in Chattanooga, TN, offers a powerful setting for this Planetarium Leaders Summit, themed "Old Walls, New Wonders." As home to one of the oldest continuously operating planetariums in the Southeast, it is a shining example of how digital technology can be thoughtfully integrated into legacy spaces. The facility’s unique blend of historical preservation and forward-looking modernization offers valuable insights for planetarium professionals navigating change in their own theaters. This summit invites leaders to explore how honoring a planetarium’s past can be the key to building its future.

If you are:

A planetarium attached to an observatory, exploring how you can better integrate the two in programming...
A more historic planetarium exploring how to upgrade while maintaining your facility's heritage...
A facility exploring how to engage a large supportive network of volunteers...
A facility upgrading from an optical mechanical system to a digital system...
A planetarium that wishes to incorporate more historic content into its programming...

Then this Planetarium Leader Summit is for you!

Registration

Tickets include 2 days of professional development opportunities.
Price: $250

Don't miss your chance to be part of this summit — register now!

Speakers

Meet your hosts and speakers.

The CTJO Team

Amy Brock-Hon, Kevin Hon, and Steven Kline form the core team behind the Clarence T. Jones Observatory. With exceptional dedication, innovation, and big plans, they are working hard to move the observatory forward while preserving its history. Thanks to their tireless effort the CTJO has become a central feature in Chattanooga, attracting everyone from kindergarteners to retirees.

Kat Hunt

Kat joined Digitalis in 2022 after serving as the Planetarium Director at Ingram Planetarium in Sunset Beach, NC for six years. In addition to supporting planetariums all over the country through her work at Digitalis, she is also the incoming president of the Southeastern Planetarium Association which serves as a professional organization for planetariums across the Southeast.

Agenda

Day 1 (September 29)

Welcome! Meet your colleagues
Keynote Address: The Clarence T. Jones Observatory & its approach to live, interactive programs and immersive planetarium journeys
From Myth to Map: The Historical Journey of the IAU Sky Map
Roundtable: Correcting Misconceptions with Empathy
Catered lunch
Tour of the Clarence T. Jones Observatory & account of the building's rich history
Presentation: Mars from Percival Lowell to Perseverance
Roundtable: Preservation in an Ever-Changing World
Beyond the Dome: Curating a Complete Environment

Day 2 (September 30)

Roundtable: Funding Historical Facilities and Alternative Spaces
Whisk to the Stars: A Case Study in Fundraising Events
When Data Does Ya Dirty: Uncover hidden disparaties in data to strengthen funding proposals and advocacy efforts
Catered lunch
The Hidden Archives of E.E. Barnard
Open Format / Constellation Shootout
Nightshade User Group meeting. Ask the Digitalis team any questions you may have about your Digitarium and learn some of our favorite tricks.
And more!

Getting to Chattanooga

By Air

Browse for flights to Chattanooga Regional Airport. Chattanooga Regional Airport: 3.8 miles (10 minutes) from the Observatory and 17.9 miles (13 minutes) to downtown. Within 2 hours from major airports: Atlanta and Nashville

By Road

Chattanooga is at the intersection of two major interstates (I-24 and I-75). It is a ~2 hour drive from both Atlanta, GA on I-75 and Nashville on I-24.

Lodging

There are two clusters of hotels in the Chattanooga area and the Clarence T. Jones is approximately at the center of both. We recommend staying at hotels in the downtown area for the full Chattanooga experience, and they are within walking distance to many great local eateries and pubs.

Select Downtown Options

Select Hotels near Hamilton Place (east of CTJO)

Many Airbnb and Vrbo options.