THE PLANETARIAN Journal of the International Planetarium Society
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THE PLANETARIAN Journal of the International Planetarium Society Vol. 16, No.3, July 1987 Articles 7 Perceptions and the Modest Giant. ........................................... Doris Betts 10 B. Gentry Lee: An Interview ........................................... Apprise Magazine 14 International Science Communication ........................... David Spurgeon 18 The Scientific Approach ............................................... Horace MacMahan 26 Frank Korkosz and His American Planetarium ....... Richard Sanderson 28 Star Date Celebrates Tenth Anniversary ............................. Elaine Gould Features 29 Kodalith Corner..................................................................... Tim W. Kuzniar 32 Focus on Education: Tracking the Planets ................... Mark S. Sonntag 34 Dr. Krockter ................................................................................... Norm Dean 35 Script Section: Eugenides Script Contest .................... Jordan Marche II 37 President's Message ................................................ Von Del Chamberlain 39 Planetarium Lifeline: Fels Planetarium ........................... David H. Menke 44 Computer Corner ................................................................... Keith Johnson 47 Planetarium Usage for Secondary Students ................ Gerald L. Mallon 51 Book Reviews ...................................................... Carolyn Collins Petersen 54 Regional Roundup ................................................................... Steven Mitch 58 Universe at Your Fingertips: Supernovae ...................... Andrew Fraknoi 61 What's New ............................................................................... Arthur Barton 62 Jane's Corner.................................................................... Jane G. Hastings The Planetarian (ISN 0090-3213) is 1-' ......,,,.:>,""' ..... Society under the auspices of the tarium Society, Inc., all rights reserved. and views eXl::>ressed No.3 this publication are personal opinions and views of those authors are not nec:essarillv expressed position of the International Planetarium Society, its or July 1987 Editor welcomes letters to the editor for consideration for publication. The serves the right to edit any solicited or unsolicited manuscripts to suit the needs publication. Executive Editor John Mosley PUBLICATIONS CHAIRPERSON Griffith Observatory Carolyn Collins Petersen 2800 E. Observatory Rd. Loch Ness Productions Los Angeles, Calif. 90027 P.O. Box 3023 213-664-1181 Boulder, Colorado 80307 CompuServe 74156,473 TREASURER AND MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN Mark C. Petersen Associate Editors Loch Ness Productions Lonny Baker P. O. Box 3023 Forum Boulder, Colorado 80307 Arthur Barton What's New ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Suzanne Gurton Andrew Fraknoi Griffith Observatory Universe at Your Fingertips 2800 East Observatory Road Los Angeles, California 90027 Jane G. Hastings Jane's Corner 213- 664-1181 Keith Johnson MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES Computer Corner Individual Membership: U.S. (3rd class bulk mail): Tim Kuzniar KodaHth Corner Other North America class): $5 postage SUt)pllemlent Overseas Atlantic (1st class): $5 po~;ta~~e S11PJ)leIneIlt Gerald L. Mallon Overseas Pacific (lst $8 Dm;ta{;~e SllPt)lernel1t Students Institutional $125 first Jordan Marche II Script Section su'ppLenrleIl.t as above Eric Melenbrink Creative Corner I. P. S. INFORMATION SERVICE To receive word of new VV,.:>l.U.Vl.. oD'en:in~~s David Menke Planetarium Lifeline field, send up to six self-a~:::ld]res:sed Donald Director Steve Mitch Strasenburgh Planetarium Regional Roundup P.O. Box 1480 Rochester, New York 14603 Carolyn Collins Petersen Book Reviews BACK ISSUES OF THE PLANETARIAN Sheldon Schafer Beginning with Vol. 14, No.4, individual copies are $6.00 each. Consumer Concerns All previous issues are $1.00 each from: Charlene Dukes, IPS Back Publications Repository Mark S. Sonntag Focus on Education Strasenburgh Planetarium P.O. Box 1480 John Wharton Rochester, New York 14603 Gibbous Gazette The Planetarian Printing by The Planetarian, Vol. 1987 President Treasurer & Membership Chairman Elections Committee Chainnan Von Del Chamberlain Mark C. Petersen Thomas Stec Hansen Planetarium Loch Ness Productions Central Bucks East High School 15 South State Street p.o. Box 3023 Holicong and Anderson Roads Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 USA Boulder, Colorado 80307 USA Buckingham, Pennsylvania 18912 USA 801-538-2104 303-455-0611 215-794-5856 Presid en t-Elect 1988 Conference Chairpersons A wards Committee Chairman Terence Murtagh Ken Wilson and Eric Melenbrink Bruce Dietrich The Planetarium Armagh Universe Planetarium Reading School District Planetarium College Hill, Armagh 2500 West Broad Street 1211 Parkside Drive South Northern Ireland, U. K. BT61 9DB Richmond, Virginia 23220 USA Reading, Pennyslvania 19611 USA 0861-524-725 804-257-0211 215-371-5856 Past-President 1990 Conference Chairman Alan J. Friedman Lars Broman New York Hall of Science Framtidsmuseet 47-01 111th Street Box 22 5-791,21 Corona, New York 11368 USA Falun, Sweden 718-699-0005 023-181-60 Executive Secretary Historian Dr. Gerald Mallon, Ed.D. Paul R. Engle, Planetarium 204 Haws Avenue University of Arkansas at Little Rock Norristown, Pennsylvania 19401 USA 33rd & University A venue 215-631-9403 (office) Little Rock, Arkansas 72204 USA 215-277-8767 (horne) 501-569-3259 Association of Mexican Planetari- Great Plains Planetarium Associa- Planetarium Association of ums (AMPAC) tion (GPPA) Canada (PAC) Gabriel Munoz H,oger Reede Planetario de Morelia Southwest State University Ventura Puente y Ticateme 1VIU.! ;:'llUH, Minnesota 56258 USA Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico 58070 507-537-6196 Ontario M5S 2C6 Canada 451-4-24-65 416-586-5736 Middle Atlantic Planetarium British Association of Planetari (MAPS) Mountain ums (BAP) Thomas Stec Association (RMP A) Central Bucks East School Collins Petersen BT619DB Colorado 80307 USA 0861-524-725 303-455-0611 Nordic Planetarium Network Plane (NPN) Southeastern Planetarium tarium Association (EMPA) Lars Broman (SEPA) Dennis Simopoulos Framtidsmuseet Planetarium Box 225-791, 21 Planetarium Syngrou A venue--Amfithea Falun, Sweden Street West Athens, Greece 023-181-60 Bradenton, Florida 33505 USA 94-111-81 813-746-4132 Pacific Planetarium Association Great Lakes Planetarium Associa- (PPA) Southwestern Association of tion (GLPA) Larry Toy Planetariums (SWAP) Sheldon Schafer Chabot College Planetarium John C. Pogue Lakeview Museum Planetarium 25555 Hesperian Blvd. South Grand Prairie High School 1125 West Lake Avenue Hayward, California 94545 USA 301 Warrior Trail Peoria, Illinois 61614 415-786-6881 Grand Prairie, Texas 75051 USA 309-686-6682 214-264-4731 ext. 61 4 The Planetarian, Vol. 16, No.3, July 1987 space agency's public-information people, when tacted by news media, knew nothing about the just as NASA's couldn't identify the "comet tails" of Shuttle 51-F, as seen by millions of people when passed over the eastern U. S. on and (they were water and urine ........... ~A'~/vl. PtANETARIUM DIRECTOR veiled of All the The up. Your efforts Cotton Texas been some who have created MORE ON THE ROCKET" ",,,,,,,,, ... 11-,,, methods have been VVA,,",""l';;> and r.'O'!I" ....a,i",.e,.,.;s Readers areas concern in order to avoid the environment Meader's which Mr. Russo claims exists. there was blatant and obvious dlSire!k!aI'd the were summoned. S. time Since 1980 the laser have about'l''''"_V,'JVV About 1.5 two satellites in full time staff V'I.h;HU.",A have been involved in the n.n.tJlr~,hr,n of the show at a total cost of about wv'"/,v ....'v "" ..... :>..-. __ nTl solid boosters are ment, and about in under license from '-''V'''' .... A''''.., and Morton Thiokol. The second is venture into the trickly liquid hy- drogen/liquid which was the bane of Challenger, at least first time theirs Despite what Mr. Russo would worked fine. After putting the two satellites in orbit, much effort and money has been eX1Jerlae~a the second stage vented its surplus propellants, creat and upgrade this facility. Since our pr()tessllDncii ing a glowing spiral cloud widely seen (and reported as full time staff has grown from two to a UFO) from the eastern U. S. At least there's some thing at which the Japanese are as inept as we: their (Continued on The Planetarian, VoL 16, No.3, July 1987 Apprise which begins on page 10. I'd be From the hear about other interesting articles from Editor's Ke oard magazines. You'll also find articles reprinted from two tions you probably have heard of: the SEP A newsletter (available with men1bership in the Southeast ern Planetarium Association), and the Ob server, available to all by subscription. I'm pleased to be able to that a The Planetarian continues to add new staff. Lonny index of all major articles that have Baker, formerly of the Flandrau Planetarium in Planetarian since volume 1 in 1972 will be Tucson, Arizona, and now Education Coordinator at the this autumn and will be mailed with the October issue. Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco, California, has Articles are arranged and taken over the Forum. That feature does not appear in This 30+ page special is a benefit of mem- this issue; it'll be back next issue after Lonny has had bership and will be mailed to all IPS Inembers at no time to organize it. She'll be calling on some of you for additional charge. It's amazing how many really assistance and will ask you to respond to topics she's articles have been in this hunlble ~AU"'''''','L.;<U\_ selected. Please give her your support.