Revamped Vanderbilt planetarium. Pictured above is a state-of-the-art planetarium projector. (Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Museum.)

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Planetarium has been renamed The Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium following the philanthropic Fort Salonga couple’s recent $850,000 donation—a move that some worry may cause confusion.

Suffolk lawmakers debated the issue Tuesday before they unanimously voted to approve a resolution changing the name of the Centerport facility, which saw nearly 10,000 visitors the first month since it reopened in March following a $4-million renovation. About 200 school children visit the planetarium and museum daily.

“We’ve spent a long time branding this facility, we’ve spent a lot of money on this facility…everybody knows it as the Vanderbilt planetarium,” Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk) said before the vote. “I’m a little bit concerned. I don’t want to discourage people from being philanthropic. I just hope were not hurting ourselves in the long run.”

The donation, spread out of the next decade—$80,000 for the first five years, $90,000 for the second five—is the third largest in the history of the museum since William K. Vanderbilt II bequest the mansion and a $2 million trust to the county after his death in 1944 and his daughter, Muriel Vanderbilt, donated another $6.2 million.

Revamped Vanderbilt Planetarium Educates and Illuminates

“I’ve thought of that,” Lance Reinheimer, interim executive director of the Vanderbilt, said of the name change possibly confusing the public. “It’s a valid concern.”

He added that road signs will continue to just say “planetarium” and the Reichert family name will be used mainly in correspondence and publications. It will be informally known as the Reichert Family Planetarium at the Vanderbilt Museum.

“This is a private donation, it’s not a corporate donation, and we’re naming the building in recognition of the gift,” Reinheimer said. “So it’s a little bit different than Bethpage Ballpark,” he added, referring to the Long Island Ducks’ minor-league baseball stadium in Central Islip for which the county sold the naming rights to Bethpage Federal Credit Union.

Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) dismissed the concerns over any potential confusion.

“In all the years that I’ve been sitting here there’s been nothing but complaints [from] this legislature about the Vanderbilt bleeding money,” Lindsay said. “Here we got some money, what are we going to do, throw it back at them?”

For those heading to Manhattan on Saturday, there will be three additional westbound morning trains on the Babylon, Port Washington and Ronkonkoma lines as well as three added eastbound afternoon trains on each line with a fourth extra eastbound train added on the Main Line.

MTA Police will be enforcing the system-wide booze ban from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Sunday. Anyone found violating the ban will have their beverages confiscated.

Those heading to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montauk on starting at 11:30 a.m. Sunday can take the 7:42 a.m. from Penn Station arriving at 10:46 a.m.

The next train after that is a 9:42 a.m. from Penn to Montauk that arrives at 12:46 p.m. but the LIRR said it may add an extra train. An added westbound train from Montauk leaves at 1:23 p.m. followed by regularly scheduled trains at 3:35 p.m., 5:35 p.m. and 7:33 p.m.

The alcohol ban will continue on the Montauk line through 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, riders can call 511 or visit www.mta.info/lirr.

The MTA started the project in 2011 to add another 40 years to the life of the Shinnecock Canal Bridge, North Highway Bridge and the Montauk Highway Bridge, all of which were built about a century ago.

The work is expected to impact about 400 daily weekday riders in each direction, who should expect delays and plan for buses to take 40 minutes longer than regularly scheduled trains.

LIRR crews will also use the South Fork service suspension to rebuild railroad crossing on Montauk Highway near Flying Point Road as a part of a planned road widening project.

For more information call 511 of visit www.mta.info/lirr.

Edward Orr pleaded not guilty Friday at Suffolk County court to a grand jury indictment charging him with leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, tampering with physical evidence and criminal mischeif.

East Hampton Town Police arrested the 30-year-old Feb. 7 for crashing his Jeep Cherokee into John Judge as the victim walked on Main Street on Oct. 23, 2012. A driver found the victim’s body near Hedges Lane and called 911, police have said.

Judge William Condon set bail for Orr at $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash. Orr is due badk in court March 20.