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LANETARI Journal of the International Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999

Articles 5 The Real, Real of the Zodiac ...... John Mosley 6 Possible Origin of the Pawnee Creation Story .... Wayne Wyrick

Features 9 Book Reviews ...... April Whitt 13 Technical Committee: Desert Skies Update ...... Kevin Scott 17 Gibbous Gazette ...... 19 Mobile News Network ...... Reynolds Button 23 Forum: Successes and Failures ...... Steve Tidey 27 International News ...... Lars Broman 33 Planetechnica: Zoom Tune-Up ...... Richard McColman 37 What's New ...... Jim Manning 48 President's Message ...... Dale Smith 61 Jane's Corner ...... Jane Hastings North America Welcomes a Brilliant NelN Character in ShOlNs: Zeiss Fiber Optics

With the dawn of the new millenni­ improve the quality of Star Shows for um, visitors of the new in audiences of the Universarium. They are Oakland, CA and will also offered with the Starmaster, the experience brilliant produced by medium planetarium. the Carl Zeiss Universarium fiber optics Quality at the highest level which systems, Invented by Carl Zeiss, the stars you can afford. appear in their natural tiny size, but We will be happy to inform you shine with extraordinary brilliance. about how Carl Zeiss can make sure thaI Come and see this absolute pinnacle you will experience a new experience of projections of stars. Fiber optic systems Star Shows. by Carl Zeiss are not only offered to

Seeing Is Believing! Carl Zeiss Planetarium Division In the U.S.& Canada D - 07740 lena cOlltact Pearl Reilly: INS TFlLJf'v'1ENT Telephone: + 49-3641 -64 24 06 1-800-726-8805 Fax: + 49-3641-64 30 23 Fax: 1-504-764-7665 E-mail: planetarium @zeiss.de E·mail: [email protected] Interne!: http://www.zeiss.delplanetariums The Planetarian (ISN 0090-3213) is published quarterly by the International Society. ©1999, International Planetarium Society. Inc .. all rights reserved. Opinions explressed e by authors are personal opinions and are not necessarily the opinions of the International etarium Society. its officers, or agents. Acceptance of advertisements. announcements. Vol. 28, No.4 material does not imply endorsement by the International Planetarium Society. its officers ecember 1999 agents. The Editor welcomes items for consideration for publication. Please consult (or "Guidelines for Contributors" printed on page 56 in the September 1997 issue and web site. The Editor reserves the right to edit any manuscript to suit this pul)lic;atio,n

John Mosley IN EX F ERT Griffith 2800 E. Observatory Road ...... Los Angeles, California 90027 USA Audio Visuallmagineering ...... (1) 323-664-1181 daytime phone (1) 323-663-4323 fax Bowen Productions ...... [email protected] Davis Planetarium ...... Advertising Coordinator East Coast Control Systems ...... Sheri Barton Trbovich Evans &: Sutherland ...... cover The Clark Foundation POBox 9007 Goto Optical Manufacturing ...... Salt Lake City, UT 84109-0007 USA Joe Hopkins ...... (1) 801-725-2771 voice (1) 801-583-5522 fax Learning Technologies, ...... [email protected] MegaSystems, Inc ......

Membership Miami Space Transit ...... 00 ...... Individual: $40 one year; $70 two years Minneapolis ...... Institutional: $150 first year; $75 annual renewal Library Subscriptions: $24 one year Minolta Corporation ...... cover Direct membership requests and changes ofaddress Pangolin laser Systems, ...... to the Treasurer /Membership Chairman; see next page for address and contact information. Planetarium Concert ...... R. S. Automation ...... L s. Job Information Service The IPS Job Information Service has moved to Seiler Instruments ...... cover the World Wide Web. Please check Sky-Skan, Inc ...... the 'Jobs" page on the IPS web site, Spitz, Inc ...... http://www.ips-planetarium.org. Back Issues of the Planetarian Available from: itors Charlene Oukes IPS Back Publications Repository Strasenburgh Planetarium Lars Broman Rochester & Science Center International News 657 East Avenue Jane G. Hastings Christine "-""u, ...... ,,;A

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian Ie P .. S .. Officers President Executive Secretary Director del Planetario "Lic. Elections Committee Chairman Dr. Dale W. Smith Lee Ann Hennig. Planetarium Felipe Rivera" Steven Mitch BGSU Planetarium Thomas Jefferson High School Centro de Convenciones y Benedum Natural Science Physics & Dept. 6560 Braddock Road Exposiciones de Morelia Center Bowling Green State University Alexandria, Virginia 22312 USA Av. Ventura Puente Y Oglebay Park Bowling Green, OH 43403 USA (1) 703-750-8380 Camelinas Wheeling, WV 26003 USA (1) 419-372-8666 (1) 703-750-5010 fax 58070 Morelia, Mich., Mexico (1) 304-243-4034 (1) 419-372-9938 fax [email protected] +52 (43) 14-24-65 (1) 304-243-4110 fax [email protected] +52 (43) 14-84-80 fax [email protected] Treasurer/Membership Chair http://michoacan.gob.mx/ President Elect Shawn Laatsch turismo / 3036/cconvenciones.htm Awards Committee Chair Martin Ratcliffe. Director, Arthur Storer Planetarium [email protected] Phyllis Pitluga Theaters & Media Services 600 Dares Beach Road The Adler Planetarium Exploration Place Prince Frederick, MD 20678 Historian/Photo-Archivist 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive 711 W Douglas, Suite 101 USA John Hare Chicago, Illinois 60605 USA Wichita, KS, U.S.A. (1) 410-535-7339 Ash Enterprises (1) 312-322-0319 (1) 3162633373 [email protected] 3602 23rd Avenue West (1) 3162674545 fax Bradenton, Florida 34205 USA [email protected] IPS 2000 Conference Chair (1) 941-746-3522 International Planetarium Pierre Lacombe, Director (1) 941-750-9497 fax Put President Planetarium de Montreal [email protected] Society Thomas W. Kraupe 1000 rue Saint-Jacques O. c/o Taylor Planetarium EuroPlaNet @ ART OF SKY Montreal, gc H3C IG7 Publications Chair Museum of the Rockies Rumfordstr. 41 Canada April Whitt Montana State University D-80469 Muenchen () (1) 5148724530 Fernbank Science Center 600 W. Kagy Blvd. Germany (1) 5148728102 Fax 156 Heaton Park Drive NE Bozeman, Montana 59717 USA 498921031531 voice [email protected] Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA 498921031532 fax (1) 404-378-4314 ext 221 IPS Web Site: [email protected] IPS 2002 Conference Chair (1) 404-370-1336 fax http://www.ips-planetarium.org Ing. Gabriel Munoz Bedolla [email protected] I .. P. S. Affiliate Representatives Association of French-Speaking European/Mediterranean Planetarium Society 600 W. Kagy Blvd. Planetariums Planetarium Association Soichi Itoh Bozeman, Montana 59717 Agnes Acker Dennis Simopoulos Suginami Science Center (1) 406-994-6891 Planetarium Strasbourg Eugenides Planetarium 3-3-13 Shimizu. Suginanli-ku. (1) 406-994-2682 fax Universite Louis Pasteur Syngrou Avenue-Amfithea Tokyo 167 Japan [email protected] Rue de L'Observatofre . Greece (81) 3-3396-4391 6700 Strasbourg, France (30) 1-941-1181 (81) 3-3396-4393 fax 33-388212042 (30) 1-941-7372 fax [email protected] Russian Planetariums Association 33-388 212045 fax dps@eugenides_found.edu.gr Zinaida P. Sitkova acker@cdsxb6. u -strasbg.fr Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society Nizhny Novgorod Planetarium Great Lakes Planetarium Assoc. Don Knapp PokhyaIinsky SYezd 5-A Assoc. of Mexican Planetariums Susan Reynolds The Henry W. Ray Special Experi- Nizhny Novgorod, 603 001, Russia Ignacio Castro Pinal Onondaga-Cortland-Madison ence Room (7) 8312-34-21-51 Museo Technologico C.F.E. B.O.C.E.S. Planetarium McDonald Elementary School (7) 8312-36-20-61 fax Apartado Posta! 18-816 P.O. Box 4774 666 Reeves Lane [email protected] CP 11870 Mexico City, D.F. Mexico Syracuse. New York 13221 USA Warminster. PA 18974 (52) 5 5-16-13-57 (1) 315-433-2671 (1) 215 441-6154 Southeastern Planetarium Assoc. (52) 5 5-16-55-20 fax (1) 315-433-1530 fax (1) 215 441-6006 fax John Hare [email protected] mcdonald@vo!cenet.com Ash Enterprises British Assoc. of Planetariums 3602 23rd Avenue West Paul England Great Plains Planetarium Assoc. Nordic Planetarium Association Bradenton, FlOrida 34205 USA Fort Victoria Planetarium Jack Dunn. Coordinator Lars Broman (1) 941-746-3522 Fort VictOria Country Park Mueller Planetarium Broman Planetarium (1) 941-750-9497 fax Westhill Lane, Norton, Yarmouth 213 Morrill Hall Ostra Hanmgatan 1 [email protected] Isle of Wight, P041 ORR. UK University of Nebraska-Lincoln S-791 71 Falun. +44 (0) 1983 761555 Lincoln. NE 68588-0375 (46) 2310 177 Southwestern Association of (1) 402-472-2641 (46) 2310 137 (fax) Planetariums Canadian Council of Science (1) 402-472-8899 fax [email protected] Wayne Wyrick Centres [email protected] www2.mm.se/cosmonova/tc-wnpa.html Kirkpatrick Planetarium John Dickenson. Managing Director 200 NE 52nd St. Pacific Science Centre Italian Planetaria's Friends Assoc. Pacific Planetarium Association Oklahoma City. OK 73111 USA 1100 Chestnut St. Loris RanlPOni Jon Elvert (1) 405-424-5545 work Vancouver. BC V6J 3J9 Canada National Archive of Planetaria Lane ESD Planetarium 0) 405-424-5106 fax 604-738-7817 ex 234 c/o Centro studi e ricerche Serafino 2300 Leo Harris Pkwy [email protected] 604-736-5665 fax Zani Eugene. Oregon 97401 USA jdickens@paclfic-space-centre. bc. ca via Bosca 24. CP 104 (1) 541-461-8227 Ukranian Planetariums Assoc. 25066 Lumezzane (Brescia). Italy (1) 541-687-6459 fax Dr. Alexander P. Lenin Council of German Planetariums (39) 30 872164 [email protected] Republical Planetarium Prof. Dr. Dieter B. Herrmann (39) 30 872545 fax http://www.efn.org/-esd_plt/ 57/3 Krasnoarmeiskaia Street Zeiss-Grossplanetarium Berlin http://www.cityline.1t Kiev 252 005, Ukraine Prenzlauer Allee 80 [email protected] Rocky Mountain Planetarium (744) 227-51-66 D-10405 Berlin, Gemlany Association (744) 227-51-43 fax +49-30-42184512 Mike Murray [email protected] +49-30-4251252 fax Taylor Planetarium, Museum of the Rockies

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4 Planetarian Vol. No.4, December 1999 • Auriga, Canis Minor, and I pass the 21 constellations I, I II here.

an an previously, and as far as I am aware, no published list of the constellations the and

ets' declinations. I wish to ~("kni(")1N'lp(i!Yp thanks to him for his work. The , moon, and are Ophiuchus, but are less often . In 1977, Lee Shapiro, then Director of the ets. His list includes 24 constellations, and is worth out when Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State Uni­ printed as Table 2 in his article. public seems to find this interE~stimr. versity, published in article in the Plan­ While writing a guide book to accompany of those curiosities of the that generates etarian titled "The Real Constellations of the a new astronomy program by Sienna Soft- a "I didn't know that" reaction. Zodiac." I felt the article was so important and so useful that it is one of the few I have This article corrects an error published in the Planetarian in posted at the Planetarian web site (http:// www.GriffithObs.org/IPSPlanetarian.html). and lists the correct astronomical constellations visited by Dr. Shapiro wrote the article to "... give the naked-eye . public further astronomical information that will hopefully have the effect of raising ware, I examined this list to verify it, as I Dr. was on the mark when questions about astrological belief and prac­ wished to include it in the guide. I discov­ wrote, in 1977, at the conclusion of his article tice." To do this, he points out that the sun ered that it is incorrect. Dr. Shapiro lists all (the italics are mine), "However, there one passes through 13 constellations, rather than constellations that lie at least in part within caution I would like to mention. If someone the 12 of traditional astrology, and he asks, 8° of the , but he chose this number asks you whether you believe in astroioQ:v "How often have you referred to the twelve only as a reasonable value. It turns out the ask them what they mean before you constellations that the sun passes through correct pattern is not this simple. someone me a definition such during a year? The number twelve is correct belief and of cosmic influences only if one is using astrological constella­ and its creatures", I can agree that tions. There are thirteen astronomical con­ influences do exist. However, I stellations that cross the ecliptic. Whenever that while it is obvious there are cosmic you refer to the zodiac use the number thir­ influences, from the sun and the teen .... If someone complains that these are moon, there is no evidence that of not the right constellations, just point out the bodies can be used to that all constellations are arbitrary and the actions or characteristics of individuals." strictly artificial. The ones we use are the When we present astronomical informa­ official constellations of the International tion to the public, we should be "",vr-,,, Astronomical Union." Dr. Shapiro provides into astrology. The sun passes the actual dates when the sun is in each of thl'OlllQ"h 13 constellations, not 12, and the the 13 constellations. dates when the sun is within the boundaries Dr. Shapiro further pOints out that the of an astronomical do not cor­ moon and planets stray above and below the ~~~,~~,~rl to the dates when it is within the ecliptic and pass through additional constel­ boundaries of an ;lslrroimr1c;l1 Use lations. These he calls "the astronomical con­ astronomical information. Likewise, the stellations of the zodiac" (as opposed to the moon and planets pass through yet addition­ 13 "astronomical constellations of the eclip­ alconstellations. When Venus is in Scutum, tic"). He defines the "astronomical constella­ I used the desktop planetarium program point that out. It causes to tions of the zodiac" as those which lie in part Starry Night by Sienna Software, and double­ their and beliefs. U within eight degrees of the ecliptic. They checked with Voyager II by Carina Software, include the approximate limits of the plan­ to find by inspection those constellations Dr. Shapiro is ets except Pluto, which strays farther and which are visited by the planets. I followed Morehead Planetarium in which enters yet additional constellations. the planets forward and backward in time North Carolina. His article, "The As and Neptune stay very near the through several thousand years, and discov­ Constellations of the Zodiac," amJeared ecliptic, this 8° limit would include the con­ ered that the planets do not pass through the Planetarian, Vol. 6, #1, stellations visited by all the naked eye plan- three constellations in Dr. Shapiro's 1977 list:

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Plane tarian iii iii when the other parameters were ibl I I ideal situation. The angular se{)arahon tween Venus and the sun must be than 6° at the time of '"''''n;''' ..... ,...+;r.n Creati n t assumes a literally reflecting actual physical phenc)m.ena, perhaps eclipses that took and conjunctions that occurred in the Wayne em post-sunset sky are stronger candidates. Armed with these constraints, used Kirkpatrick Planetarium planetarium program liThe Sky," 2100 N.E. 52nd Street 5.00.004, and started checking for these astro­ Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111 nomical phenomena between 1000 AD and December 31, 1550. "The includes an eclipse finder which shows The Adler Planetarium in Chicago is cur­ this story with actual events in the sky. path of totality (or annularity) and the rently developing a planetarium program There are constraints in searching for the of beginning, mid-point and end of based on the astronomy of Native Ameri­ proper time frame in which to look. The and from the selected cans, specifically that of the Skidi Pawnee. In Pawnee people apparently migrated from location, in this case, Omaha, Nebraska. I addition to the Adler staff, there is a team of the southern USA over many centuries be­ researched the aspects of every solar consultants including myself, Von Del fore ending up in Nebraska. Anthropologists visible from that location. For every Chamberlain (former director of Hansen first studied the Pawnee people in the late of magnitude 0.5 or greater, I then looked Planetarium in Salt Lake City); Maude Chis­ 18th century and most of the astronomical over the next four months for a close con­ olm, a Pawnee elder and one of only a hand­ information comes from the late-nineteenth junction of Venus and either Mars ful of people who still speak the Pawnee lan­ and early twentieth centuries. The best esti­ preferably in the western sky. guage; Pat Leading Fox, the Second, or Vice, mates put the Pawnee in Nebraska around The ideal set of phenomena be a Chief of the Skidi Pawnee; Anna Lee Walters, AD 1000 or so. total solar eclipse that began after sunrise, half Pawnee and half Otoi and N. Scott Mom­ Other constraints come from Earth's pre­ followed that evening after sunset with a aday, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and cession. The stories must have originated at a very close of Venus and Mars. Kiowa Indian. time when there was a good North Star The closest eclipse-conjunction pair I found Among celestial objects of importance in (Chief Star) and the specific constellations matching those criteria occurred on March Skidi astronomy are several constellations mentioned in their astronomy passed near 10, 1225. The eclipse magnitude was which pass very near to the zenith in their the zenith as seen from Nebraska. As recently 0.68, but it began 28 minutes before local native homeland in Nebraska, most notably as AD 500, Polaris was not the bright star noon. Sunset occurred at 18:33 and set the Council of Chiefs (Corona Borealis) and nearest the north celestial pole, and it made at 19:37. At 19:00, Venus and Mars were Unity (the Pleiades), the Swimming Ducks an obvious arc throughout the night. Also, rated by 43' 22" and occurred with an east­ (part of Scorpius), and Chief Star (Polaris). , which they describe as very rarely ern elongation from the sun of 12° 40'. The Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars and Canopus seen, must have been visible from the south­ I found a number of other such play important roles in Skidi cosmology. ernmost part of their buffalo hunting range, phenomena that fit the criteria. Most The Sun and Moon parented the first which was Oklahoma or possibly northern esting was the period of time from 1225 to male, while the offspring of Venus (Bright Texas. In addition, it is not completely cer­ 1234 when the two phenomena occurred Star) and Mars (Great Star) became the first tain that Mars solely represented Great Star. four times in a span of nine years, per­ haps reinforcing the myth. The table shows The thought occurred to me that this creation story might refer the best matches that I found. The first col­ umn lists the date of the eclipse, and the sec­ to a solar eclipse and a close conjunction of Venus and Mars. ond the eclipse magnitude as seen from Omaha. Time of mid-eclipse is when maxi­ female. This" Adam and Eve" became the There is some evidence that Jupiter may mum coverage of the sun occurred as seen pr~enitors of the Skidi people. Canopus, the have taken that role on occasion. from Omaha. A "P" following the m,lgnlitllde Death Star or Great South Star, was the place I further constrained my search by some­ means that it was not a total eclipse for any departed souls went after death. what arbitrary assumptions. I assumed that location on Earth. Conjunction date is the The thought occurred to me that this cre­ the eclipse must have a magnitude of at least date of the conjunction. A "]" under separa­ ation story might refer to a solar eclipse and 50% (eclipse magnitude equals ratio of tion means the conjunction was between a close conjunction of Venus and Mars. Moon's apparent diameter to sun's apparent Venus and Jupiter. Separation between con­ Details of Skidi cosmology suggest that the diameter; magnitude 1.0 or greater signifies a juncting bodies is rounded to the nearest eclipse was in the east and the conjunction total eclipse). Less than that would not be as whole minute of arc. Angle from sun pro­ in the western evening sky, or at least that dramatic, and much less than that would vides the angular separation between Venus the two planets began to move close enough likely have gone unnoticed. I also assumed and the sun, rounded to the nearest whole together that they knew to watch the pre­ the conjunction occurred no more than four degree. dawn skies for the conjunction. Since the months after the eclipse. For a Venus-Mars There are many unknowns in the male child came first, the eclipse probably conjunction, I arbitrarily decided that the archeology. While their creation im­ preceded the conjunction. separation must be no more than l", and IS plies that the eclipse occurred in the east I wondered if one could perhaps correlate for a Venus-Jupiter conjunction, except with the conjunction in the west, that may

6 Planetarian Vol. No.4, December ECLIPSE DATE ECLIPSE TIME OF DATE SEPARATION ANGLE MAGNITUDE MID-ECLIPSE J = Jupiter FROM SUN

Feb 3, 1022 0.74 17:38 Apr 3, 1022 35' , J 22 ° Dec 3, 1062 0.82 13:41 Apr 13, 1063 40' 27° Jul 1, 1079 0.78 6:17 Oct 17, 1079 27' 24° Oct 4, 1111 0.92 12:36 Oct 19, 1111 31' 26° May 21, 1137 0.50 9 35 Jun 12, 1137 38' 31° Aug 13, 1151 1.00 14:11 Sep 10, 1151 31' , J 19 ° Jan 28, 1180 0.69 8:38 Mar 6, 1180 25' , J 13' Jun 21, 1180 10° 10° Dec 6, 1192 0.83 8:18 Mar 6, 1193 40' 10° Apr 22, 1194 1.06 6:39 Jun 6, 1194 19' J 21 ° Sep 14, 1205 0.96 13:49 Dec 8, 1205 5' 8° Mar 10, 1225 0.68 13 :31 Mar 10, 1225 43' 13° Jul 14, 1227 0.58 19:41 Oct 14, 1227 10' 40° May 3, 1231 0.68 14 :09 Jul 24, 1231 21' 13° Mar 1, 1234 0.89 8:37 Mar 1, 1234 20 9 41° Oct 17, 1259 0.87 15:13 Oct 17, 1259 10 l' 37° Jan 9, 1274 0.84 16:04 Mar 10, 1274 21' J 37 0 Jun 6, 1285 0.90 10:01 Jun 8, 1285 10 39' 32 0 Jun 15, 1303 0.55 19:01 Jul 10, 1303 44' J 14 ° Jul 26, 1348 0.92 17:42 Aug 24, 1348 10 7 44 ° May 25, 1351 0.83 16:09 Jul 19, 1351 59' , J 20° May 16, 1379 1.07 9:41 May 19, 1379 50' 31° Nov 8, 1417 0.71 P 15:17 Nov 13, 1417 45' 47 0 Aug 29, 1429 0.86 P 19:50 Dec 25, 1429 32' 29 0 Jul 7, 1442 1.06 17:07 Oct 2, 1442 17' 28° Feb 22, 1449 0.75 17:25 Mar 22, 1449 30' 32 0 Jun 28, 1451 0.89 17:16 Oct 21, 1451 51' 22 0 Aug 8, 1496 0.53 15:12 Aug 21, 1496 34' 16° May 27, 1500 0.53 19:31 May 30, 1500 45' 35 ° Jul 6, 1506 0.77 6:10 Aug 15, 1500 10' , J 23' 21° 34°

be due to the sun's role as an indicator of looking for conjunctions that an the mC)rmlllg. rebirth, with dawn a symbol of that. An east­ eclipse. Chamberlain also states that ern, morning eclipse would reinforce that "... things were planned in the male east, but concept. Likewise, Venus is also called creative processes took place in the female Evening Star, so the conjunction in the west west" (private correspondence), and that I The software determines after sunset would reinforce that idea. These should not have such an on a default location is within the shadow times and locations may well have been arti­ morning, eastern eclipse. He feels that the of the Moon. If you to be ficial. It is very common in Pawnee culture best entry in the table is the one for 7, opposite side of Earth, it that a husband is older than his wife, so the 1442, eclipse. cumstances for the even .. , ...'Uj<;U Skidi "Adam" being older than the "Eve" I ran into an odd source of possible error Earth itself is between you and the (implying that the eclipse occurred before in liThe Sky" astronomy program. The pro­ Those events were not included in the conjunction) may also be artificial. gram gives the magnitude of an eclipse at set above.

Von Del Chamberlain adds that there is your default location, and if it is not visible I am not '-''-'''U'''Jlf', much evidence that the female child was from that location, the program states such. source of the Pawnee as there born first. I arbitrarily chose to look for con­ However, there were several total eclipses many uncertainties. But the junctions that followed an eclipse. As time that were obviously not visible from Oma­ cosmology may well lie in the above data. U permits, I may continue the research by ha, occurring sometimes at 1:00 or 2:00 in

Vol. No.4, December 1999 Planetarian

dance forever around the sky The scopes in the world were the Estonian is the fickle Lindu's of the Herschels, James bridal veil, flowing from one side of the sky Lassell, and the Third Earl of Rosse to the other. There is even the beautiful 72-inch "Leviathan of Parsonstown", story of Tanabata, Japan's interpretation of passed in size until the cOlTIrnissionirlg

Cygnus and Mt. Wilson 100-inch Hooker LLAo.-,,,,VLH::: In addition, the illustrations by Clare 1917. Hemlock are wonderful. Each two-page sec­ tion introduction shows a stylized version of the star field on one page, with an accompa­ "Chapman shows how nying picture of the traditional story. Of lar astronomical course, there is a little artistic license; for famous , as example, Cygnus is drawn backwards. But, as by everything is so beautifully drawn - the December is upon us again, and "odome­ seven little Kiowa girls dancing on DevWs self-taught ter thinking" is in high gear. As the numbers Tower, the weaver and the farmer, Bacchus's an important role in tum to zeros on the calendar, consider turn­ wine goblet - all add to the enjoyment of this ing entertaining a ing the pages of a few good books at the end precious little book. of this century. Here are some suggestions. So, when you see these little packages, pick public audience." And as always, I'm looking for a few good them up and look through them. In the case reviewers, willing to exchange a written of Constellations, we can all use a new and review for a brand new book. The reviews in enjoyable star legend. It may be small, but In addition to these observers with this issue all come from contributors on this you can't afford to pass it up. telescopes, influential observers with side of the "Big Ponds." Let's hear from some instruments; Reverend T. W. Webb of our international colleagues! Admiral W. H. Our thanks to the reviewers of these The Victorian Amateur Astron­ books: Anthony Cook, Richard Dreiser, omer, Independent Astronomical Francine Jackson, john Mosley Research in Britain 1820-1920, cessors of By Allan Chapman, John Wiley Handbook. Constellations, Glimpses of In­ and Sons, Inc., 605 Third Ave. astronomi- finity in Fact, Myth, and Legend, New York, NY, 10158-0012, by Larry Sessions, Running ISBN 0-471-96257-0, 1998. Hard­ Press, 125 South 22nd Street, cover, 428 Pages, $89.00. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103-4399, 1993, ISBN 1-56138- Review by Anthony Cook, Griffith Obser­ 247-7, $4.95. vatory, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Reviewed by Francine Jackson, URI Planetar­ This book breaks a lot of new historical We also can see how the jJUUAl .... a.UVU ium and Bryant College, Smithfield, RI, USA ground, relating for the first time the rise of somewhat British as a movement. role that Scientific American would in Have you ever seen those cute little books Here, "amateur" is used in its fullest sense, as in the 1920s as the medium for communicat­ laid out at bookstore cash register counters the pursuit of the subject for the love of it, ing teh~sc(me and wondered how much information is in­ not necessarily denoting a and diversified realderstlip. side those tiny, little things? I recently re­ sional practice. Chapman succeeds in weav- Astronomers both pH)fessi()n,ll ceived Constellations, Glimpses of Infinity in the tales of a large number of familiar teur by the 1860s. '--'l..al-/Hla.u Fact, Myth, and Legend, and was very impres­ names with their more obscure counterparts. relates the rise and fall of the sed. The result is a clear image of who pf ber of female members. Mythology," that is, the Greco-Roman leg­ of star and object positions. The This book is "'-llVA ..UA ends, but then author Sessions introduces well-to-do and servant astronomers were left myths from all over the world. Orion, to take on the cutting edge charting of according to the Teva people, is Sash. unknown double stars, and Ursa Major is the Aztec puppet who must nebulae of the deep sky. The largest tele- n",cT::lri;"", reaction was to the

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian rer)ro~ju(:t1()ns, in which the details - Make Your Own Solar in the upper of some of (ISBN 0-688-16330-0) and Make - are blurred, perhaps in a scan- Your Own Space Machines (ISBN This lack of would not 0-688-16329-7), text by Karen have been tolerated a century ago! models Pat science may For the this book can be rec- Books (imprint parts of it difficult to understand. ommended for several reasons. If history is of William Morrow & Co.), It is ",., ... +,,;,~hY COlffilJreihelrlsive: an component of your shows, this 1350 Avenue of the Americas, book will provide background to added New York, New York 10019, dimension and life to some of its characters. USA, 1998, $7.95 each. Place in the While some of the illustrations were poorly Solar Planets: Se,lrclhirtg reproduced, their sources are well annotated Review by: April Whitt, Fernbank Science and can serve as a finder for images. Finally, Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Lnapmaln has done an excellent job in illus- tern, several notable careers of women These two colorful paper books contain all instance, there is but a astronomers in the nineteenth and early the pieces a youngster needs to make a "tektites"). twentieth centuries. These otherwise mobile of the planets in our solar system or be unfamiliar to us and should be wel­ models of lunar exploration vehicles. Pieces come additions to the few examples current­ punch out and fit together by the tab-A-and­ "I would not to lyavailable. slot-B method. The paper is sturdy, the mod­ els fit together well and look qUite nice when completed. For students with enough Peter Catalanotto, digital dexterity, the models are easy to serious a l1bllistlin:g, Inc. 95 Madison assemble. astronomers, nd p Avenue, New York, New York, My cautions are in the text portion of the astronomers." 10016, USA, 1999, ISBN: 0-7894- booklets. In the solar system issue, a photo­ 2584-X, $16.95. graph of a is labeled as a star", the description of a light year leads the Several The Venus, Review by: April Whitt, Fernbank Science reader to think that the solar system is that Mars, , Asteroids, and Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. big, and moon phases are the result of "the merit more than one amount of sunlight reflected on its surface (Asteroids, Near-Earth Asteroids). This children's book may be one for the that changes." written a different author, and, gift shop buyers. It's set on June 3, 1965, the The space machines booklet contains vides the reader with as more inionnation day of the Gemini 4 space walk, and Tommy fewer errors. The astronaut information is all than would be jJV,C>C>AIUH. and his father have watched the launches, about shuttle astronauts, while the models devoted toa stayed in touch with walkie-talkies during are of a lunar lander and rover, and a space their own space games, and shared all the "station." The short summary of mametary on Missions, ;:)eJec1ted excitement of the early space program. But explorers at the end of the booklet is very Astronomical Cons tan ts, on this Father has an meeting well done. Orbital of the Sun at work, and when he comes home and, have some trouble reconnecting. "These two colorful Satellites. The details are of course eX1JarldE~d The author/artist's bright, in earlier chanters. spreads show Tommy and his family from books contain all the ExplC>ration Missions. Tommy's point of view. Colander sn;lcp-hf'l­ a youngster needs to not in tended for met fastened in place, he dreams him­ mobile of the planets in our self into the stars, eager to share his adven­ solar system or models tures. Tommy's frustration and the ending because it contains solution are depicted in facial expressions as lunar exploration vehicles." information and wen as words. One may read and appreciate as as This book would be an excellent conversa­ wishes (or can understand) about, say, tion-starter for discussions with children statistics of comet orbits, and, then about space travel, about technology, or Encyclopedia of the Solar section on forces about anger. For teachers and par­ edited by Paul R. Weissman, deals with "radial and transverse .,n,nrr... ,,,,r;"i-<,_ ents of younger children, this is one to rec­ Lucy-Ann McFadden, and tional components ommend. Torrence V. Johnson, Academic Press, a division of Harcourt A web site exists for the En4:::vc!ot'edila "This book would be an excellent Brace & Company, 525 B Street, Solar Suite 1900, San Diego, Califor­ conversation-starter for dis­ nia 92101-4495, 1999, ISBN 0-12- cussions with children about 226805-9, $99.95. reversed under space travel, about technology, wrong but overall the or about handling anger." Reviewed Richard Dreiser, The University be most useful to the cOlnrnunitv of Chicago Yerkes Observatory, Williams caveat: One finds in Wisconsin

10 Planetarian Vol. within four color scat- This slim book would be a useful resource tered the text. Although cap- for ideas tioned, none of the color plates is numbered, or when writing their own and one too much time leaf- Hons of the sky. And it should find a In our live ing to find the appro- every planetarium book store. programs on ences oooh and aaah tion and Sunclocks: Paper Sundials to across the The I\lIn,nTl'" Iv Make and Use, V. creation stories from tion, Trionfante, JVT Publications, Tirion, Cambridge University 5549 Camus Road, Carson teller. Press, , ISBN 0 521 6771 2, $16.95. Nevada, 89701, USA, e-mail [email protected], 1999, ISBN 1- Review by John Mosley, Griffith Observa­ 893812-51-0, $12.95. tory, Los Angeles, California, USA. Review by April Whitt, Fernbank Science This dandy book is one of the finest Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. to the sky for the beginning astron­ omer. A brief section introduces the major A paper-bound book of sundials to cut out components of the sky: planets, comets, and assemble - what could be a better offer­ stars, nebulae, constellations, the ing in your planetarium or museum shop? Way, and so on, followed by a month­ This book provides three types of dials: hori­ description of what to look for. zontal, vertical, and equatorial, across nine For each year from 2000 through 2004, it different latitudes from 26 to 48 de~rre~es tells you where to find the planets, describes north. And that's the only and meteor showers, and then can see - these aren't printed for southern This is one book that lJelorH!S selected constellations and their major hemisphere users. nhnoi-"'1"i",n'" bookshelf. features. For each month, a bit of mythology The volume begins with a bit of the histo­ is followed by concise descriptions of major ry of time-keeping, describes sun-time vs. stars, double stars, and deep space objects dock-time, provides a glossary of terms and that you can see with the unaided eye, a list of items needed to complete your paper binoculars, or small telescopes. sundial, and gives directions for lOIlg1tU(le correction and orienting each of the types of "This dandy book is one of dials. The cut-and-paste sundials are on heavy stock, labeled with their latitudes. the finest guides to the sky The directions are easy to follow and the for the beginning astrono­ explanations are dear. The web mer. And it should find a site, at www.jvtpubs.com has more informa­ tion. place in every planetarium I am Sunclocks as an book store." excellent resource for teachers, summer camp leaders, science clubs and the occasion­ Ian hits the high points without becom- al Y2K worrier. distracted by details, and he hits the mark in essential information. We learn stars are certain colors (and "A paper-bound book of sun­ Reviewed what that means), and are to easy-to­ dials to cut out and assem- see double stars and deep space objects. Each - what cou Id be is described in a way that is to a offering in your Wi! Tirion's star charts are, like all his or museum shop'?" work, of show what is and no more. Each blue-and- white monthly chart is supplemented by several /lclose-ups" of interesting areas, with The Celestial R iveri Creation an outstretched fist to give scale. Tales of the Information is current. Polaris, for exam­ Andrea Stenn Stryker, ties. It is an excellent resource is described as a variable that stopped House Publishers, Inc., Post co~;mlolc.gy to our youngest pullsating in the 1990s. Office Box 3223, Little Rock, of enrichment ''';.'' .... n'''.'' One drawback is that the book's shelf life Arkansas, 72203, USA, e-mail The Tree t:>ttt:>rielu,phT ends in the year 2004, which will [email protected], come sooner than we expect. For about 12 1998, ISBN 0-874830529-1, pages additional, it could have been useful $14.95. tnr~OU2:n 2010.

No.4, December 1999 Planetarian

allowing you to upgrade with a minimum of hassle. The DFXi adds everything you need to create interactive with real-time audio and brings you even doser to a full StarRider installation. Both the DFX and DFXi are with a collection of software tools, and both systems are hosted on the Windows NT l-.Hu,u'-n~J'~, on standard Intel-based hardware. This helps the cost down and makes ECCS gave a demonstration of troubleshooting/management much more cost, ILDA ",..,'~v'n-'-'l-l straightforward. As an aside, Rob Fisher showcased several interactive sequences on the DFXi system - sequences for the "Track- ing the Human Brain" program under devel­ opment at the Center for Creative at the Carnegie Mellon Rob and his team are working on developing mE~anin2:tul interactive paradigms that work well in a domed theater environment. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the E&S II instrumen t. Over the years I've seen several in­ stallations, and I must say that the Dorrance planetarium had the Digistar II starfield I've seen on a 60' Bowen Productions h~r"".J..",- . Of course it never hurts to an AstroFX The Dorrance Planetarium in Phoenix E&S engineer tune your projector while he's AstroFX devices store video Arizona USA recently hosted Desert Skies, ~ ... ~."-U'"HJl''' the conference. MPEG or MJPEG formats, and are ' conjunction of the Pacific, Rocky Mountain, into most theater automation sys- Great Plains, and Southwest Planetarium tems. the same lines, Associations. Of course, attendance was not laser cased the DVM2 Video .... u.'-AJ"UC! limited to these IPS regional affiliates, with from and The So1oist2 guests from other US regionals, Canada, Adtec. Each of these hard disk r .. ':>u .... ·~.r.7 LFI is a relative newcomer to h""~"'V'''''~-' Mexico, Europe, Australia and elsewhere. tems function Even with the beautiful weather and sun­ cal laser projectors, pn~senti.m! vary shine outside, most of us stayed indoors, at their new under the stars. There were a number of new fea tures the new feature programs to see, loads of vendors, lots 6210 scanners, up to 60K of great food, and perhaps the largest con­ mance from live source or ADA T centration of technology ever seen in a US playback. The head is planetarium. 10" tall by 5" across, (25cm 13cm) which Some conference demonstrations and seems small for all that con­ product highlights: tains. Images are produced with a Lo,hererlt Purelight Star C laser, rated at 3.5 watts. Evans & Other lasers are available for smaller larger , depending on the n ... 'rT ...... ~~~~ needed. In each case, a remote "white The StarRider DXF family of products is a (For DVD laser is passed through a Neos controlled relatively inexpensive way to real­ PCAOM color modulator and then "'h,"r.,·.~J.." time media, sound, and interactivity into a custom fiber launch to the pf()iection head. your theater. The Digital Effects systems are There are two effects arrays in the ...... r •• ~r ... ~- simply a single "channel" of the E&S Star­ with four effects in each. This allows of Rider real-time all-dome video system. The effects to be ganged for additional effects. DFX systems can be used as a digital media The has a single electronics server, supporting a wide range of graphic enclosure that sits near the projection head. and video file formats, DVD, audio, and This enclosure contains the scanner drivers, interactivity (in the DFXi). correction, power and The DFX architecture allows you to effects drivers. various events to occur a timeline and The is an ILDA r'n.,,,,, ....,,,H then execute those events in a show follow­ and can run aU of LFI's "" .. ~ .... ~­ ing SMPTE timecode or the interactive con­ programs. One feature that I found trols. The DFX/DFXi scripting interface is attractive was the to run live identical to that of a full-blown StarRider,

Vol. No.4, December 1999 Planetarian had better color balance across the individu­ astounding. The first all-dome video system al video projectors. One new feature was the using HD will be in Albuquerque, New use of Barco's recently introduced split-head Mexico, in the Lodestar planetarium. One of the interestirlll 'V\Tor](shons projectors with separate electronics and the conference discussed how to ri~'7~'r.~ CRT/lens enclosures. These new projectors laborative shows allow Sky-Vision to fit into tighter cove net. Aaron McEuen from Hansen spaces. AVI demonstrated their Omniscan 2020 urn, and Tony Butterfield from the Sky-Skan also demonstrated their rather full-dome laser graphics projector. Omniscan Baker Planetarium at the Houston MlISelllm sophisticated Sun/Moon projectors. This pair is now being used internationally, and is of Natural have been of video projectors was designed to work highly regarded as an excellent addition to together on remote production n ... r~iDr+<, along side a Digistar II planetarium instru­ any theater, even if you don't plan to present few years now. use a combination ment, but they really are mUlti-purpose, con­ laser entertainment programs. Being the shared websites, secure servers, and trolled motion video projectors with some "original" hemispheric laser projector, Omni­ images/audio/video. All of the n.,.,,,";',rt-iir..,-, real-time capabilities. In other words, this scan sets the standards for performance and assets, scripts, and deadlines are pair of projectors can actually display much functionality, though I think end users will can be accessed all those involved. more than just a flat sun and moon image. In agree that competition is a good thing. Using this same lec:nn01()1ZV fact, they can display just about any celestial Omniscan currently consists of an 11" (28 to offer an online of shows body -be it a star, , asteroid, etc. em) sphere housing a pair of 24K Cambridge other media that are available for nu:rchase Finally, Steve Savage was able to show the scanners and two effects wheels. The projec­ or projects that are under construction. conference attendees what High Definition tion head is fiber fed from a Spectra-Physics fact, Mr. Butterfield has a video looks like when projected onto the Chroma 5 white-light laser. The entire sys­ ing media version of some of his planetarium dome. I can tell you that the tem is ILDA compatible and can be installed tions, you to watch a plane1:arium crowed was suitably impressed. The clarity in a variety of configurations, with both live show online. U and detail of high definition video was really and tape playback capabilities.

The illenniulD ur Ancient les and modern truths come The countdown has started together when and the millennium wish made awaits. But what does it all mean-a passing of 1,000 years. Explore the power of time in our boldest show yet. A vailabl May iI ALso AVAILABLE FROM MINNEAPOLIS PLANETARIUM

Amazing Stargazing

Honey, I Shrunk the Universe CALL FOR Hercules & Other Superhero Stars A BROCHURE AND COMPLETE SHOW SAMPLE CASSETTES. 3-2-1. .. Blast Off!

14 Planetarian Vol. ANSWER: That's easy. Everybody asks about our theme song which is the classic 'Arabesque #1' by Claude Debussy performed by Tomita on the still available "Snowflakes Are Dancing" album (RCA)

At what and days the week can • see "STAR GAlER'i ANSWER: Most TV stations air 'STAR GAZER' just before nightly sign-off. However, due to 'STAR GAZER'S' enormous popularity a number of stations find the show's 5-minute format can fit any­ where during the broadcast day and air the show more fre quently. Local TV listings seldom include 5-minute shows, so it's best to call the station for the broadcast schedule.

If I can't find 'STAR GAlER' on my hometown PBS station, how can I see it where I livel ANSWER: 'STAR GAZER' is provided f.re.e. of ~ by WPBT, Miami to all PBS stations. If you can't find it, write or call your local PBS station and ask if they will air it and remind them that it is. available of ~.

QUESTION: Is it necessary to get special permission to use 4STAR \AIO£:lIVlu TV GAZER' for astronomy dub meetings, teaching in the rlalli:lli:lI"oom~ or planetarium use? on ANSWER: No. In fact, many astronomy clubs, teachers, science and planetariums have been taping 'STAR GAZER' off the air and using it regularly as a way to reach their public. "... one of the few writers who can translate sOtJhh5tic'at6~d riiCf"linlil'"lDC' Is there any way I can get ISTAR GAZER' other than popular language without local PBS station i Dr. Nobel Laureate ANSWER: Yes. A month's worth of 'STAR GAZER' episodes are fed monthly to a satellite from which all PBS stations take it for their "... knows how to come down from local programming. Anyone with a satellite dish is welcome to the ivory tower and make ~cfrnr:ln"11I the satellite feed. Again, no permission is required. For satellite accessible. " feed dates and times call Monday through Friday (Eastern time) Lovi, 305-854-4244. Ask for Ms. Harper or Mr. Dishong. American NlUSelJm/Ha'VOE!n

I am a teacher planning curriculum and would like several ISTAR GAZER' episodes in ad "... 1 never miss it. As someone vance, but I do not have access to a satellite dish. involved in science I'm enthralled Is there way I can obtain 4STAR GAlER'? with Jack Horkheimer's science fact. " John Nathan ANSWER: Any teacher anywhere around the world can obtain Executive 'STAR GAZER' episodes in advance through their NASA e.0. R.E. 'Dr. Who' Teachers' Resource Center. For details write: NASA e.0. R. E.; Lorain County Joint Vocational School; 15181 Route 58 South; Oberlin, OH. 44074. Or visit our website: www.jackstargazer.com

QUESTION: Why does ISTAR always say 44Keep Looking Up!" at of each showl ANSWER: Have you ever tried star gazing looking down? A planetarium is a spectacle, an event, but above all a tool which provides amusement in the service of knowledge. To meet all these needs, RS AUTOMATION INDUSTRIE, thanks to its specialization in automation, has developed a complete range of planetariums, all designed to provide a specific and immediately operational solution.

ROVING STAR SN 95 SN 88 II

The portable .A planetarium ~ust liKe a planetarium on the r()atJ . ~r()wn-up

Z.1. de la Vaure - B.P. 40 - 42290 SORBIERS - FRANCE Tel. : +33.4.77.53.30.48 - fax. : +33.4.77.53.38.61 E-mail : [email protected] Evans & Sutherland's

will con- tinue with the company in role. Kil:kJohmon, former Product is the new General Mana~rer. After 32 years, Schindler has retired as the Director of the Charles Plane­ tarium in Boston. Crawford (Pro­ ducer at the Charles Hayden) wrote, "We miss him already and he's only been gone 3 weeks." Charles Hemann (from the of Arkansas at Little Rock) is the new Plane­ tarium Director at Andrews In

Know chasers in who was part of the Calgary Centennial Plane­ were on cruise tarium and was involved in the McmIling (Director, Plan- establishment of the HR MacMillan Plane- etarium, Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman tarium in Vancouver. Jim away on Montana) and Shawn Laatsch (IPS Treasurer 1999. See an aplpreciation with elsewhere in this issue. to the and friends of Rossie, former Director at the Planetarium nides Planetarium, Athens, Greece), .I!.AIl..II."I.!1.IAUIIJ in Roanoke, Britt away on (Director, Griffith Los August 11, 1999, when the metal ladder he California), Paul (President, was holding touched a wire and electrocuted Adler Planetarium, Chicago, Illinois), Thomas has him. Elvert (Planetarium Director, Lane Planetarium, Eugene, Oregon) were an on the stolen property. ety member when the lens rli<;:::Innp;;JTP·rl OUf Stella Solads. Thomas (ART ofSKY) had a conversation with Jon on years ago. DeRocher who has been very ill this just minutes after had summer, but was recuperating at Munich, right before the Stella Solads was home by October. Joe is the Director of the the Thomas said that while many Ralph Mueller Planetarium in Cleveland, folks were clouded out, the Deutsches Ohio. Museum Planetarium and had great eclipse party, and four cameras online for a live web- (former Planetarium lVl(lma.ger cast. Thomas estimates this was the here at the Dorrance Planetarium, in the event in the of man- Arizona Science Center) is the new Director kind with 1 billion in the shadow of at the LodeStar Center in Albu­ (Head querque, New Mexico. We will miss him, but look forward to some of his new pro- there. from

Vol. December 1999 Planetarian lar ystem Panorama Set y

~ Panorama Set includes: • The Sun (a very active chord view) • All nine planets (separate ring for Saturn) • The Asteroids • Earth's moon The set is shot in standard 25% overlap and comes masked and mounted. 50% overlap sets are

o er Joe Hopkin all 1 O-J -59 4301 32nd 1 Bradenton, F 5. Scrjiohvriting 6.

used Letters - to clients to set Letters -instructions to teachers etc. to you 7. Lessons/Shows Powerful Interactive Pb,n",",t ;:lOlrilllnn ";"""'1"",,,,,,,, We will

presenter must include the rr",n,,,,,,,,,,, with the tape:

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ments List activities used with this lesson After and careful deliberation, a pro- The evaluation used posal was made to the IPS council for a hand­ son book that I feel will be useful to the nA·.. t~hl", A Plans are still n1",,,,h,,hl,, be a teachers to use a year before all the materials are collected and into a medium.

"'AIIAl,.nn,O" is a draft of a table of con- tents. Please it and me some com- ments. I would like it to be valuable to all

1. Introduction and Credits handbook and list tributors 2. Table of Contents 3. Portables on the Market Describe them User comments-Likesldislikes-consumer report Vendor :

This is how the 111/]'r1orl7r'1111"i'1 looks in the

used

aODllCa'tlO,n write or call: Susan Button, OCM BOCES Planetarium 4754, NY 13221, 2671, fax: 315-432-4523, e-mail: " ..... "n,',""

Vol. 1999 \J\II"u·."eh ...... • New Yorkj E-mail: [email protected]) By the year 2000, all students in America Just as in years past, the members of the will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 with the GLP A regional affiliate will present a wide to demonstrate competency in challenging array of workshops dedicated to the portable subject matter induding geography and sci­ planetarium educator. Listed below are this ence. Elementary teachers must teach across year's treats: the curriculum to meet demands of GOALS -~t4[)rv'·tellltna and Observations in the 2000: Educate America Act passed in 1994. teaching six classes a Far North: Eskimo and 1\JIl'l7'1"n ....'I_ This lesson will combine geography and sci­ day, I see seven classes). You Jeanne Bishop (Westlake Schools Plan­ ence in the portable planetarium. Elemen­ teaching Starlab is a very rAT,"'>'"'''' etarium, Westlake, Ohio; E-mail: JeanBishop tary students practice using latitude and lon­ exhausting exvelrienoE'. @aol.com) gitude to locate landforms and regions of the much." At high latitudes seasons are radically dif­ world. The use of a grid system to locate ferent from what we experience in mid-lati­ points on Earth transfers to the celestial Nick (PO Box 224, St. tudes. The sun prevents sky observations sphere renamed altitude and azimuth to 19470 e-mail: Starman224@webtvnet) during summer, and a dark sky (the polar locate pOints in space. Students practice to say that he is a rli"C'r>'• .j-~.j-: ~ night) appears without break for many locating stars. Starlab and interactive lessons months. This cycle leads to interesting cul­ II Cheri Adams ( Caryl tures and asked if knew of any tural activities and psychological experi­ D. Philips Space Theater, Boonshoft Museum tations than 1980 Gerald Mallon ences. Further, the harsh life is reflected in of Discovery, Dayton, OH 45414; E-mail: tation? If you can the stories, often told in the Singing House [email protected] during polar night. As certain stars with have been used for more than northern declination circle nearly parallel to 2,000 years and students of today still love the horizon, they serve to mark directions Happy I wish you learning how to use them. If the construc­ and seasons. In the Starlab, the Eskimo view and success in the New Year. tion is simple and expenses minimal to pro­ at different times of the year will be demon­ duce these, then this becomes a wonderful strated, important stars with the Eskimo project. Students construct their own astro­ names will be identified, and some anecdotes labe, bring it to the for a {AC:VU:;:w.>. continued and Eskimo sky myths will be told. demonstration of the instrument and con­ "M[erururilrul the of Stars" Susan tinue to record their observations from the Reynolds Button (OCM BOCES M-S-T Center real sky for a designated length of time. Wonders Ellen Jackson Syracuse, New York; E-mail: sreynold 0-87975-819-8 from Prometheus Books

@cnyric.org) John Glenn Drive, Buffalo, New York, I Susan Reynolds Button will demonstrate a During this workshop we will examine new "Solar System and Galactic cylinder", 2197) and a comb-bound How We Haf}f}t?nea: adaptations of a PASS program where stu­ designed by Murray Barber from the United the dents observe the relative brightness of stars Kingdom. Chuck Beuter and/or Doris Forror the curriculum. Both are meant and discover that there are more dim stars plan to contribute a demonstration (to be aloud to young children. Colorful llH.l,;)lla- than bright stars. They then invent their announced). All others will be welcomed to tions the texts. own systems to classify stars according to use the dome to demonstrate their latest cre­ The lesson their brightnesses. They compare their sys­ ations and tips. tems and decide on a "standard classification Braille Book Review: .n, "T_ n, ,...... system." Finally, they learn more about the Books for Children-Nonfiction: international star brightness classification While surfing the net one across system developed by astronomers. We will a site for Braille books and a book was listed "It is an resource develop strategies for effectively presenting under astronomy, this activity in your planetarium. for introducing cosmology to Close Encounters: Exploring the Universe "Getting There From Here" Gene Zajac our youngest visitors." with the Hubble Space Telescope BR 11749, (Shaker Heights High School Shaker Heights, Elaine Scott, 1 volume. The review said: Ohio; E-mail: [email protected] "Explains how information transmitted Planning a trip to a planet involves a few the repaired Hubble telescope enables scien­ problems. Gravity is both an enemy and a tists to study stars, planets, black and But the materials are not for killdE~nl,lrtE~n helpful friend. Learning to travel in space teachers The authors have included a galaxies. Describes the impact of this new requires creativity and planning. We will dis­ section for fourth and fifth technology on astronomers' ideas about cuss the issues of escape velocity from a plan­ how the universe was formed. For 4-7. first third, this et and the sun. The force of gravity will take that science centers, museums and 1998." This might be worth looking at. its toll on our initial velocity even when can use with a of age ranges. traveling to the moon. Using the gravity of a those of us who can still use the "evo- space body to slow a craft down or increase lution" in our '~""''''''LAH,,,,,, the speed is an inexpensive method used in La'l(esha (515 Dowd Street resource worth nll"""~'''C':;~~ space travel. Simplifying this concept is one Durham, NC 27701; Phone: 919-956-5599) of the purposes to this activity. called to ask for some materials from the Loca1:ioln. Location, Location" Barbara Public Domain Files. She said she was Nissen (OCM BOCES M-S-T Center, Syracuse, to teach 8 classes a day for two schools K-4

20 Planetarian Vol.

York's Planetarium and Phila­ delphia's Fels Planetarium, as a child in the late '50s and '60s. And I'll bet my expe­ riences there were much the same as those of the lucky few in Munich four decades earlier. Today, as we prepare to cross the thresh­ off. old into an new century and millen­ nium, we gaze toward a future with promise. Yet, at the same time, we cannot but look back from where we've come. Since that magical day in 1923, our knowl­ edge of the cosmos has advanced anyone's ability to grasp. We've learned about galaxies and quasars and black holes, and about a universe that seems aV1".,w~rli"'''T and limitless. We've sent robot to visit well, a big lurking thing. Yes, a new millenni­ many of our neighboring worlds, and have um approacheth, and at times like this one is even watched a dozen humans walk the soil tempted to look back and reflect. So with of one of them. We've peered outward in col­ that in mind I thought it would be useful to ors that, until no one had ever seen. give this issue of Forum over to a retrospec­ And we've developed computing machines tive of the planetarium profession in the to gather and reduce data at an ~L~HUAA"_F. 20th century. Here's the topic: rate. Things have become bigger and faster and Re1tro:specti'ves on the 20th are in far more complicated than ever before. And, vogue at the moment, what with a new mil­ like the cosmos itself, there seems to be no lennium around the comer. .BAAIA..U,~ end in sight. We in the planetarium - and those in our audiences - are the beneficiaries of these astonishing advances. We now have at our disposal planetarium instruments that are truly time and space machines, and rival the real sky in appearance. We have in our arsenal and fiber and Dennis Mamanna drops the puck to get us lasers and video that can turn our domes going. into virtual spaceships of the imagina-tioll1. And we don't hesitate to use every bit of our electronics we can get our hands on. Over the past three decades, our shows have What a marvelous experience it must mirrored this technology, bec:orniru! have been to enter the 9.8-meter (32-fooO and faster and far more than dome in the Deutsches Museum on October ever before. accessible. And on that 21,1923. At its center was a strange, mechani­ We argue that this is necessary because cal-looking device aimed upward toward the we're competing for the same dollars with sky. No one had ever seen anything like this whiz-bang, high-budget motion before and, as the spectators excitedly took video games and virtual reality; that we need their seats, they must surely have wondered to keep up or we'll be left behind in the dust modern astronomy and the what was about to happen to them. of the 20th century. And we rationalize that heads. And, to create that it And then, the lights dimmed. this is what our visitors want and that, with­ cult. We must back off the technoic>gy And the stars came out. out it, their numbers will dwindle. a bit, and refocus our attention In the daytime! But, if I may borrow a from the purpose. Oh, what a thrill it must have been to wit­ turn of the last century - we've somehow Now, what if we refuse to COlllDete with ness the spectacle: the world's first indoor allowed the cart in front of the horse. We've the and faster and more c0111p>licated universe. The effect was so startling, they say, become so drunk on our technology, that of the entertainment Will that even the men who designed it were we've lost sight of the purpose of a plallletari­ tor numbers dwindle? astonished. Newspapers called it the "wonder urn: to demonstrate the beauty and wonder ofjena". of the night-time sky. And it must have been absolutely spine Or, as Dr. Walter Bauersfeld (whose "won­ tingling. der of lena" stunned the crowds in 1923) so out. lnf'A1"t-l1-n1~t&'hr I was nowhere around on ",l,-"r."",,-nl-h, described it: to "create the illu­ that exhilarating October in 1923 my sion of the silent march of the parents were only 10 at the time. But I do worlds of nature." remember fondly my first visits to New Now I'm not for a moment ",,,-.-nc,,,l-i ...

Vol. December 1999 Planetaricm Balboa Park Beyond that, I'n pass on diurnal in San California 92103 reverse". put, when it comes to taria, I don't feel there have been too many *** "golden era" events or moments I've missed out on. I've seen Strasenburgh shows in the the most important pIClm€'tar'l• era of Don and Fran and Vic and Elmer. I urn event was its invention by Bauersfeld at ",.,-irnfori the original Laserium, with Ivan's the Deutsches Museum in Munich in 1923. narration, and I've seen "Tank" nPlrtn.rrrlPti What an experience that must have been, to live with note-per-note precision and artist­ see the excitement on the faces of those who ry. I've heard Jim Sharp hold audiences attended the first demonstration of the pro­ entranced with simple star talks. I've per­ jection planetarium. Those stars were appar­ formed keyboards live in planetarium con­ ently added as an afterthought. The prime certs with AVI lasers overhead. I've seen purpose was to build an accurate projection when it was a still a CRT tube (thus the name planetarium). But we on the conference room table at Evans & work at our profession today because of that Sutherland. I've seen thousands of shows in afterthought. In a sense we all still hundreds of theaters around the world - ence that original excitement, every time we and small, good and bad - and through my bring a group into the planetarium and everyday work, I contribute to those thou­ show them the stars. sands. The second revolution in the planetarium I'd rather use a time travel onno-rtllnit-u to field was the invention of the low cost pin­ visit the future instead, to see that virtual hole projection planetarium by Armand dome in Hong that Arthur C. Clarke Spitz in Philadelphia, circa 1949. Spitz was wrote about, to visit the that the Henry Ford of the planetarium profes­ works like the Enterprise's Stellar Carto­ sion, bringing the artificial to the graphy suite in the Star Trek movies. But masses and particularly to the schools. How that's only a couple of decades away, and I many millions of children have experienced plan on still being around then. the planetarium across America in many Hmm, maybe we'd better set that time small towns because of Spitz's invention? I machine 76 years into the future instead of do not known the exact number, but the the past. What do I see? The Holot'ro-iec1tor. influence has been profound. home model. You select Planetarium as the Mark S. Sonntag program to load, and in a silent concussion Professor & Planetarium Director of light, a virtual dome surrounds you. Department of Physics Fortunately for us "content (to Angelo State University use the 90s term), the sound, San Angelo, Texas 76909 you'll take in will be our domain. As long as we can hold your attention for *** a while, and you to wonder, we'll have succeeded in our evolved role of The most significant success comes from tarian, of the stars. the very invention of the modem projection Mark Petersen planetarium, Bauersfeld's "Wonder of ". Loch Ness Productions This is what gave birth to everything that POBox 1159 followed in this profession. After that, there Groton, Massachusetts 01450 were just refinements. I'd say no single devel­ opment is on the same scale as the initial quantum leap provided by that Zeiss. The comprehensive audio-visual theater The approach to planetarium design, first exem­ number among the LV'LA~" ",,"-. plified at Strasenburgh, is probably the next and in some cases the only, venue for about the more signiJ:ic;;mt most significant success. Rather, it was the teaching of astronomy and space science; 1) more siglnitilcallt next step in the evolution of star theaters; has brought together one of the most cre­ tic artificial skies created th]:OUl!!h one can only remain in the cradle (the ative and eclectic mixes of within nr{"\i<>('t-A-"" of the last gellerati4:::m. "admire-the-star-projector" mode) for so one specialty; and it has been a leader in sci­ long; planetaria had to evolve - or stagnate, ence education for the No wither and die. other science has such an open door Significant failures? Concentric seating, as a part of its for expal1ding maybe. awareness and of for few minutes. Regarding the time travel question: The ments in the field. shows of yesteryear are still today, Probably its biggest failure has been the in much the same form, at around inl:efldel)erld{~ll(:e of most facilities as either a the world; one can get a feeling of backward time travel at some of them.

24 Planetarian *** unlock the mysteries of our universe, and inspire, educate, entertain, sing, tell yet receive an ovation at the end of the pro­ stories, use models/multi-media and lasers, So, there you have it. Like it or lump it, gram? And they call this work? discuss the fate of the universe, and yet learn that was the 20th century. It played to As a kid I always wanted to do something something about yourself, as well as the cos­ mixed reviews, but only time will tell if, as that I really enjoyed. Now, if someone could mos in which you live? Only in a IJ,,,.ULLu sively because they had a planetarium in the many minds have you touched or ch,an~~eC1 *** basement of the Science building! After grad­ even in the slightest? Keep up the excellent uating with a Masters in Science Education work, and may all your hopes and dreams My fellow Buffalonian, Paul Krupinski, and a minor degree in Astronomy, I decided carry you to the end of every rainbow and sent in a contribution for the Forum topiC in to pursue my ultimate childhood dream; beyond into the stars. the last issue. Unfortunately it arrived too working in a professional world renowned PaulJ.U...,'n, ...... "liT; late to be included, but I wanted his words to planetarium. Dreams do come true ... I cur­ Director, Mobile Dome Planetarium be read as they are inspirational and should rently present school shows, as well as public Buffalo, New York give a. boost to your day. The topic was: programs at the famous Strasenburgh Planetarium, Rochester, New York. Being a *** What js the best thing about being a plane­ planetarian is outstanding. tarim, and what js the worst? Another great asset about being a planetar­ Here is the topic for the next Forum: ian is the ability to work in the greatest *** room ever invented - the planetarium. I What are (or should be) the pla:n.etariClm's ten loved the capabilities of this unique class­ commandments? Allow me to tackle the last question first. I room so much I bought one. Not only do I These can be funny or serious, or a mix­ cannot think of one negative thing about present programs in a large theater, but I ture of the two. Don't worry if you can think being a planetarian. Moving along to the travel to numerous schools in the Buffa­ of only a few, just send me any you can next question, What's the best thing about lo/Rochester area in my portable planetari­ think of. I'll be pleased to receive the results being a planetarian? Being a planetarian is um. Owning a planetarium allows me to pre­ of your considered thoughts by the deadline the best job in the entire universe! Where sent nearly 500 shows a year under both ofJanuary 15. else could you inspire inquisitive minds, large and small domes. Where else could you I'll see you all in the next century.

James Wright 1931-1999

James Frederick Wright passed away at horne on Monday, July 26, 1999. Jim was born in Calgary on February 3, 1931. After graduat­ ing from Crescent Heights High School, Jim attended Mount Royal College, SAlT, and the University of Calgary. He was a member of the Calgary Amateur Radio Association and was a founding member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Calgary Centre, receiving the service medal from the R.A.S.c. in 1967. Jim was instrumental in the Calgary Centennial Planetarium Project and was involved in the establishment of the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium in Vancouver, 1967 to 1988. After retiring, Jim returned to the Calgary area where he enjoyed pursuing his many interests, culminating in the comple­ tion of his workshop. When Jim's family and friends gathered for his memorial service on Saturday, July 31, 1999 Bob Nelson, the Chief Technician (ret.) of the Centennial Planetarium, captured Jim's friendliness and quiet, mischievous good humor in a moving eulogy. Bob recalled delightful sto­ ries of adventures in Europe and at the time the Centennial Planetarium's Zeiss projector was purchased and a wonderful inci­ dent where Jim kept the City from putting a street light in the sight-line of his observatory by moving a survey peg in the dark of

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian 25 - new show for children, Les etoiles d'Hercule. I A new Planetarium de presently being built. A very large IJA"U'-"~L' urn is also announced for near Bordeaux. This summer, Jean Medas passed away on 9 August. He was the importer of Spitz and and singing pumr:~Kuls Goto Planetariums and had installed the pro­ urn again in A jectors and domes of the Planetariums of give a talk entitled 1000 Years Strasbourg (1981), Musee de I' Air et de at the on 3 December. l'Espace at Le Bourget (1984), Cite des Sciences at La Villette (1986), and Espace Mendes France at Poitiers (1992).

Great

2310 tion of Illinois: October brought a universe of redesign; and an annual visit +46 2310 137 fax change to Chicago's Adler Planetarium & Ash for maintenance on Astronomy Museum, including two new [email protected] A4. has been ... " ..... AA~~ shows and extensive renovations and re~ and recei ved the www.teknoland.se modeling. Beginning 1 October, visitors enter school groups. The the Planetarium via the grand staircase and Planetarium, has been received and I never made it to Romania, but I enjoyed the prism doors, the original entrance to the process of installed. The aO(ll non the total solar eclipse from southern Ger­ building. special effect n"'f"\j",,~tn, ... " many. In spite of mostly cloudy weather, it Upon entering, visitors now see the muse­ tinues. was a good experience that I was able to um store the Infinity Shop to the left. To the The Lakeview Museum Planetarium share on-line with many radio listeners in right is the entrance to the exhibits, includ­ sen ted this fall, among other shows, Dalarna by means of my mobile phone. ing a new exhibit entitled Gateway to the Astronomy of the The International News column depends Universe. Reopened in its new permanent ober, in entirely on contributions that I receive from home on the Lower Level of the 1930s build­ Wonderful Things Tutankhamen's IPS Affiliate Associations all over the world. ing is The Universe in Your Hands, the show­ Tomb. The museum exhibit features Many thanks to Bart Benjamin, Kevin case of Adler's collec­ Conod, Jon Elvert, Jean-Michel Faidit, John tion. The original Sky Theater, with its Zeiss Hare, Donna Pierce, Loris Ramponi, and Mark VI star projector, reopened at the same Zinaida Sitkova for your contributions. You time with a full schedule of shows. The the­ are welcome back with new reports, and I ater has been refurbished with new carpet­ look forward to reports from other Associ­ ing and approximately 300 stackable, ations as well. Upcoming deadlines are 1 portable seats replacing the older theater

January for Planetarian 1/00 and 1 April for seats. Adler has also upgraded their '-.{'\.J,"uupo, 2/00. Please note my new e-mail address. Spice automation to include all of their dis­ solve, panorama, and all-sky systems. Millen­ Association of French-Speaking nium Mysteries, a new show for the Planetariums remodeled Sky Theater, will explore various aspects of the concept of a millennium, The eclipse of 11 August was a beautiful The ISU Planetarium including its origins. The next StarRider public success, despite the weather not being year with the program Hercules show, Blueprint for a Red Planet, is of very perfect in the central zone. Some places Superhero Stars! This show features Adler's effort to support the Mars Millenni­ were good just at the time of totality, but, of from many cultures um Project, a nationwide educational effort, from La Hague to Strasbourg, through Reims come to the aid of Deanna, a young who and it is the first StarRider show fully pro­ and the partner sites of the Palais de wants to learn about the stars. Work duced by the Adler Planetarium. This space l'Univers of Capelle la Grande, the suspense has continued on the Planetarium saga willI/transport" viewers to Mars to see was quite total like the eclipse everywhere! llUVUj""n.lu< the summer. The what it's like to be an interplanetary pioneer This eclipse brought so much the attention occurred 10 September. A student in the year 2030. of the public, and during the days before, in business intern will be added to the to The Cernan Earth and Space Center on the many towns, there were not enough special manage the Gift Shop. campus of Triton College in River Grove glasses for the eyes. The Waubonsie recently premiered an all-new, state-of-the­ With the new year 1999-2000, several tarium had its Minolta Star Pr£""""rt-r.r art laser projection system, custom built by planetariums propose new shows. The Plane­ vated in June. parts on the Aura Technologies of Chicago. In early fall, tarium of Vaulx en Velin has produced a were replaced and a new control console was the Cernan Center installed a set of remote great show, Special year 2000, with a pano­ installed. The also had a laser projectors and fog machine in front of ramic history of mythologies and cosmolog­ Point automation system AH';'~""~~ the dome that will direct laser beams over icallegends from everywhere, written by the in August. Also, many of the !-'A..,'U'-.'''' •• ''''''U the heads of the audience, resulting in an scientific author and astrophysicist Daniel slide and effects n1"'..... "".~t·f"\.rc even more spectacular laser show experi­ Kunth. The Planetarium of Forum des through the coming year. Sciences in Villeneuve d' Ascq has produced a ence.

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian was selected in to the JPL Solar and Planetarium collects rI ... .,uri'nrr" made Ambassador Program and will be children that have visited the scientific sites in on-line training early this fall. of Lumezzane. The drawings have been col­ Ohio: The of CRAP gatjhen~d lected also school con tests. The for their summer picnic at the home of Bob most interesting works are used for exhibi­ and Sledz in Rocky River on 13 June. tions, post cards and published on the After a decade of hosting this annual event, Internet. The exhibition is found at Gene and Pam Zajac this year's torch www.cityline.it/cul t/ ZANIj disegnLh tm. (or is it water-hose?) to the Sledzes. An after­ Serafino Zani Observatory would like to get noon of food, fun, and good conversation in contact with foreign colleagues that orga­ was enjoyed by all. Missing from the picnic nize similar activities. The objective is to cre­ (with good reason) was Jeanne Bishop. She ate an astronomical chHdrens drawings exhi­ was in Japan under the auspices of the Ful­ bition with contributions from different bright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. countries that could be open in occasion of During three weeks in Japan, Jeanne visited the next 19 March 2000. 20 different schools, including one with a planetarium, to learn more about Japanese education. Congratulations to Jeanne for winning this award! The MAPS Board recently met in Prince Sweden, was acc:en1ted From David Hurd: I regret to inform you Frederick, Maryland to discuss SOciety busi­ tion. that Aaron Brace, my technician at the Edin­ ness and the upcoming annual conference. boro University of Pennsylvania planetari­ Conference host Shawn Laatsch led a tour of um, was killed in a car accident. He will truly the Arthur Storer Planetarium, which fortu­ be missed here as his fingerprints are all over nately received only minor damage from this Last year he did over half of my Hurricane Floyd. Laatsch's and tenta­ programs and was loved by the teachers and tive schedule for the conference were students. It is not often that you run across a reviewed by the MAPS Board. This was fol­ student with talent and enthusiasm like lowed by a tour of the Holiday Inn Select in Aaron had. He was 20 years old and a psy­ nearby Solomons, Maryland. The hotel has time Bal tic reports are chology major. I was always trying (and excellent facilities and a wonderful view of International News column, the NPA growing close, I might add) to having him the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River. will this time concentrate on those switch majors to earth-space science educa­ The 35th annual MAPS Conference will be the NPA Conference. First Giedrius ~tr'~i7'U<;:' tion. He was on a fast track to becoming one held 3-6 May 2000. Our focus will be "Our is in Vilnius, Lithuania. of the finest planetarians around. Astronomy Education 2000 and Beyond. A day We have a m dome and a Zeiss trip is planned to the Maryland Science There are 144 concentric Center, the Davis and National Most of our visitors are school Visitors Center for the Hubble groups, but The and astronomical obser- Telescope. The Conference will feature Mini­ have shows vatory of Treviso (north-eastern Italy) is situ­ Dome Lessons, which allow to while ated in a school and managed by the local share their ideas on education in this association of amateur astronomers. It orga­ environment. Two special guest are nizes several activities for schools, teachers, tentatively scheduled: Fred from and the Director is astron­ NASA Goddard (Highlights of the 1999 Total omer Giuliano Romano. The 1999-2000 cal­ Solar Eclipse) and Dr. Susan Sakimoto from endar contains a conference program about NASA Goddard part of the Mars Global Sur­ the main moments of physics and cosmolo­ veyor Team (Volcanism on Mars). For more gy of the 20th century, the Sunday Planetar­ information contact Shawn Laatsch, Arthur ium projections for the public, and the Storer Planetarium, 600 Dares Beach Road, etarium meetings for amateur astronomers. Prince Frederick, Maryland 20678, USA, The number of Italian Natural Parks from phone 1 410-535-7339, e-mail 102424.1032@­ far north to far south that are involved in compuserve.com, and home page work as of electronics." astronomy activities continues to increase. www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/instruction/ Then Helle Jaaniste, Last summer, planetaria have been used also planetarium/mapsconf.html. AHHAA, and Jaak Jaaniste, AS1:rolClOIny during public initiatives for tourists. In the MAPS newsletter The Constellation has of the Tartu Old Natural Marine Reserve of Ustica, a small added two new regular features this year. island near the west coast of Sicily, an inflat­ Steve and Jan Russo created MAPS Bits, a col­ Pioneers obtained a Zeiss ZKP-2 plametarmrn. able planetarium operated for some days. In umn about gOings on in the MAPS Since the Palace had no room the Gran Paradiso National Park, situated in John Meader volunteered last year to take remained at stock until 1988 the north-west of the mythology Star­ over the Society's archives and is now writ­ sold to Tartu. In Tartu a group of lab have been used without a ing Old MAPS: Views the MAPS Archives. astronomers it up in dome inside the Visitor Center, thanks to the This has featured interesting photos of peo­ of Tartu KEK, one of the Magic Walls initiative. ple and places in the Society's collection. cOlmr;lanies in Tartu. The Serafino Zani Astronomical Observatory opened in 1988 and A ..... "".,,+-.orl

28 Planetarian Vol. until June 1989, when the time of contract offer from the owner of the exhibition hall terminated. At present, the projector belongs to the planetarium there without any to the Astronomical Club of the Tartu Old charge up to the end of their next event, the lennium Museum, Observatory, a non-profit organization yearly School Fair. We agreed with our lec­ in) the moon in the year 2999. which rents rooms in the old observatory turers that a small fee about EEK 5 ($0.30) The Holt Planetarium at building and acts as coordinator of school would be established to cover their honorar­ Science is near of astronomy and amateur activities. ium. To our great surprise we had only 20 of the new PASS Volume: Northern liAs the previous owners, the Club has no 30 visitors per seance, carried twice a aurora). Planetarium folks inten::~stE~d space for the planetarium. We have a plan to One of our lecturers, who had worked dur­ this show before late rebuild one detached small telescope dome ing the first season of our 10 should contact Alan Gould. into a planetarium; the idea has been years ago, remembered that they had the O. approved by the University government and same problem with small numbers of visi­ reconciled with the Tartu Town Committee tors also at that time. of Heritage. As always the main problem is "Now we come to the main conclusion of money, but we hope it will find its solution our report: the sky is wonderful, but nobody during the next year. wants to pay for it. In order to attract people "At the beginning of 1998 when the to the planetarium we must make some red over formed AHHAA Center organized its first knight move on our educational chessboard, great exhibition, Mrs. Tiiu SUd (the project like connecting the star show to some popu­ leader of the Center) had an idea to use the lar amusement. As we know, most of plane­ planetarium as a self-standing part of the tarians use cinema-like effects to organize exhibition. A plastic dome was mounted on events in the planetarium. We propose a two-meter-high wooden base covered by another possibility: to include the normal textile and the dome was painted twice out­ (astronomical) show into the program of side by opaque aluminum paint. So we got a some larger event without extra fee. Our with 80 seats, and with the opera­ experience shows that if the event is popu- tor's table put inside near the projector. The lar, the entrance fee may be quite and presentations were based on free improvisa­ the planetarium will rise the of tion, and the operator drove the projector the main event at every case. So we can bind manually showing the possibilities of a plan­ the commercial success to our great aim to etarium. For school groups, an educational popularize astronomy and more peo­ part containing the diurnal motion of celes­ ple to science. tial bodies and the change of seasons was "Two remarks concerning to the organiza­ On 5 November, Moscow included. tions mentioned above: will celebrate its "The exhibition opened at 26 May 1998 by "Tartu Old Observatory (Tahetorn, the saddest Lennart Meri, the President of , and "Star Tower", web site http://www.obs.ee) is became extremely popular. During 36 days built at the beginning of last century and we had 22,000 visitors; most of them saw the equipped by the world-famous astronomer F. picmetar'imTI performance. The planetarium G. W. Struve, author of one of the first cata­ year took no extra entrance fee, but the total logues of double stars, who first measured ber, the Conference entrance fee of EEK 25 (approx. $2.00) was the stellar parallax in 1838. The buiildilng St. PeterslburQ". considered qUite expensive for Estonians. kept its original view and there is a rich The questionnaires filled in by visitors lection of old instruments. At present, the marked the planetarium as the most attrac­ Observatory belongs to the Tartu Unliv~"rs-itv tive part of the exhibition. and is planned to be the main ..., .... u ..... u ... "During the winter, the planetarium was the coming AHHAA Center. used by the Tallinn Science Center and set "The Science Center AHHAA of the Tartu up in the building of the Tallinn power University (website http://www.ahhaa.ee) today Museum of Energy. When Mrs. was founded in 1997 by the initiative of SUd planned her new exhibition in coopera­ Lennart Meri, the President of Estonia. The tion with the London Natural History founders of the Center are Tartu in the southeast, this Museum, the planetarium had been includ­ and the City of Tartui some financial sup­ has caused sus;pension ed despite of its obvious unfitness with giant port has also come from the Ministry of tion, and water '-

Vol. December 1999 Planetarian music score. The show will be made avail­ Force operated observatory on the volcano. able to SEPA members as well as IPS mem­ From University of Texas, Mary Kay Hem­ bers and is scheduled for release in early menway reported on the EXES (Echelon 2000. Distribution arrangements will be Cross Echelle Spectrograph) team at the UT announced soon. Astronomy Department. This project to build a spectrograph for SOFIA, the Strato­ spheric Observatory for , includes six meetings a year, field trip to Waco where a Boeing 747 is being modified Over twenty-five SW AP'ers attended to hold the telescope, and numerous other Desert Skies in Phoenix last October, offering events. Find out more at marykay@astro an opportunity to finalize the year-long .as.utexas.edu. on Texas 2000. SWAP and other IPS Congratulations to Charles Hemann, for­ affiliates are looking forward to extending merly at the University of Arkansas at Little that great Texas hospitality 4-8 October in Rock Planetarium, as the new Director of the the new millennium! Wilgus Burton, Gar­ Andrews 1.s.D. Planetarium! Hemann and his land I. S. D. Planetarium, sent the following family moved to West Texas last fall where information to SW AP'ers that we would like Jan and Mark Wallace gave him that Texas to share with yawall (Texan for you all; edi­ hospitality. SWAP President Barbara Baber tor's guess): Bob Wollman, Richard King reported that the Morgan Jones Planetarium Planetarium, certainly enjoyed being a con­ and West Texas Utilities has installed 16 solar manage its pla.neitarila/the,aters if sultant and guide to Star Parties, Inc. last sum­ panels outside the building. Here students any of us could go for that one! mer. He participated in the trip to the extinct can study the temperature, wind speed, This SWAP report ends with volcano Haleakata for observing and also graph and chart temperatures for a week to a yawall to Texas (Dallas and m(:trIODJleX visited the not-known-to-the-public U.S. Air month. These solar panels convert enough October 20001

20 minutes / 108 slides / $450 interactive exploration of the sky! Designed especially for 1 st graders, this is an ideal first show for primary school SEND ORDER Your presenter conducts this program blending live interaction with Distribution, Davis Planetarium Maryland Science Center prerecorded segments. 601 Light Street Baltimore, Maryland 21230 UFE BEYOND EARTH 31 minutes / 368 slides / $350 Consider the possibility of life elsewhere in our galaxy and throughout the universe.

DESTINATION: UNIVERSE, OUR FUTURE IN SPACE 38 minutes / 321 slides / Indicate preferred noise Journey into the future from a space station out to the stars. reduction: Dolby B, Dolby WORLDS OF WONDER 25 minutes / 314 slides / $350 Investigate some of the exciting discoveries made about the worlds in our Solar System.

30 Planetarian Vol. No.4, December SPITZ, INC. P.o. Box 198, Route 1 Chadds Ford, PA 19317 USA Tel 610.459,5200 Fax 610.459.3830 www.spitzinc.com 5

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GOTo OPTIC L MF 4-16 Yasaki-cho Fuchu-shi, Tokyo 183 JAPAN TEL: IntI No. +81-423-62-5312 FAX: IntI No. +81-423-61-9571 Email: [email protected] GI014si Zoom projectors are great! Despite the recent introduction of video and digital graphics, I think the ubiquitous "zoom" is still one of the most useful and flexible tools in a planetarium. Particularly when coupled to a slew-mirror assembly, a zoom projector provides one of the best ways to portray the dynamic, three-dimensional character of space by depicting moving spacecraft and planets. However, along with its ability to animate a static image, the zoom projector presents a number of technical challenges to the planetarian. Let's explore some tune-up techniques which will enhance the zoom in your facility.

Let's explore some tune-up techniques which will enhance the zoom in your facility.

But first, a little background. The typical zoom unit, uses a standard Carousel-style projector together with a lens designed for a video or 16mm film camera. A bi-directional motor coupled to the lens provides manual or automated image zooming capability. But there's a problem in mating the zoom lens directly to a Carousel-style projector. The physical size of the zoom - compared to the ~------projector's lens opening - prevents it from being mounted close enough to the slide to achieve a focused a image. To get around this problem, a "transfer optic" is introduced between the projector and the zoom lens. The extra lens(es) transfer a small, focused image of the slide forward into the rear of the zoom lens, which, in turn, projects a larger, focused version onto the dome. These intermediary optics have a sMort focal length, and come in the form of either one short focal-length projector or camera lens, or two lenses stacked one in front of the other. (In the case of two lenses, the first is typically a standard lOOmm Carousel projector lens - installed in the pro-

Vol. No.4, December 1999 Planetarian 33 jector - with the second lens about half the make the mistake of in

There are three main criteria to consider in and screw in the feet. In the case of nl'{;rtAT("V\ri order to maximize a zoom projector's perfor­ just drill and mount thread inserts de~;igrled mance. are aim, collimation (optical for attaching machine screws to wood (a T­ alignment), and focus. To the greatest nut works well here), and screw in the feet here - we'll find out po:ssit)ie. these criteria should be treated inde­ (Figure 5). Make sure to position the feet so ly need to do some trial-and-error re~)ositi()ll- pelldE~ntJV of other another. that won't interfere with the placement of the zoom lens forward and h"H'II',."","",-1 Before starting any ali~~nrnerlt aldju.strnellts, of the projector or zoom lens. The three feet along the axis to oDitimize Wllnt·,«::Oflf> make sure that the entire zoom - inc:lwjinlg will provide you with the needed adjust­ transmission into either projector, transfer optics, and zoom lens - are ment to the entire in both lens (if the i-,.~n<;:tpr mounted on a single platform. If they altitude and side-to-side tilt. Azimuth aren't, it will be impossible to establish and tion is a matter of rotating the entire maintain an adequate optical collimation platform .QT"_'T£"_... "T ...... in the cove. reference for the various components. (Many

5

34 Planetarian Focus I.... noc~~all.n Mounting changeout, you can space between the underside of the "',.,,,;.0,,,,-1-,.., ... Now that the zoom system is aligned, it's Once you've finished adjusting, and you're finally time to adjust the focus. This is a confident that collimation, light transfer, and the platform, and cut several major stumbling block for many planetari­ and focus are optimized, you can mark and blocks to that size. These blocks ans because focusing a Carousel-mounted fix the components' positions on the plat­ mounted to the l-'''iUU'UU zoom requires two separate adjustments, and form. Often the zoom lens assembly can be each must be made with the system in an simply fastened to the platform with screws. opposite zoom state from the other. Because To permanently position the projector - but of a lack of understanding of this concept, also make it easily exchangeable with anoth­ unnecessary at eqlllplm~~nt ch;an~~ealut. many planetarians find that their zoom er unit - you can mount positioning blocks case, just make sure that the adlust:m!~nt slides are focused when zoomed either larger onto the platform at six to eignt positions on the projector are retracted or small, but not both. around the projector case (Figure 6). Readily­ Start the focusing procedure by running adjustable positioning blocks can be fash­ the zoom lens to the fully-large position. ioned by cross-cutting sections of hardwood Then adjust either the projector lens, or the dowel and drilling off-center screw-holes in zoom projectors relates to poor or mc:onSlS­ position of the zoom (relative to the projec­ them. This method creates an eccentric ten t focus - even after aO'lustments tor) forward/backward until the projected "cam" which is easily adjusted by loosening have been made. The first is image is sharpest (making sure not to mis­ the screw, rotating the dowel section, and to use glass mounts. I've talked about this align the optical system in the process). Now, retightening the screw again (Figure 7). Once subject several times before - so I won't zoom the image fully small, and then adjust these are mounted and the optHnum projec­ spend too much additional energy here - but the focus ring on the zoom lens itself until tor position is established, set the dowel glass mounts are the only surefire way to the small image is at its sharpest. It may take adjustments by rotating each block until its ensure focus with a slide n"'I"\1"'r+I'~" a couple of sets of these adjustments to get rounded edge contacts the projector case, Holding the film in pOSltlCm things "in the ballpark", so repeat this proce­ then tighten the screw until the dowel is more critical in a zoom because dure until both "ends" of the zoom range anchored firmly against the platform. Just slight variances from the focal show the sharpest image possible, and the make sure that the positioning cams are tall show up more than in most conven- alignment is still correct. You will probably enough to hold the projector's position lu_ll",n"",'" projectors. find that there is some unevenness of focus regardless of any small projector-height Other non-adjustment-related focus in the image - particularly when it's zoomed adjustments you might make. If you ever lems concern the quality and interactions of large. This is to be expected Simply try to get need to change-out a malfunctioning projec­ the optical components themselves. First, it's the best focus across the field of the slide, but tor with another unit, simply dropping the important to bear in mind that any system if the center-to-edge focus difference appears new unit into the space between the posi­ with standalone optical units will excessive, opt for focusing on the central tioning blocks, tweaking the projector's tend to degrade image quali ty regions of the slide, since that's where the height adjustment feet, and quickly readjust­ extent, especially if the individual bulk of your visual content will likely reside, ing focus will get you up and running again, weren't to each other anyway. without major, time-consuming realign­ an optical In world of plane1tar- ments. To save even more time in projector ium folks, the process of mating components together to create a zoom projector is often a hit-and-miss proposition, at best. If your images still look "soft" even after to glass mounts and making careful it could be that a swapout of a projection or transfer lens do the trick, though this is a trial-and­ error process. The easiest change is to try a different lens. If you can find a similar focal-length lens of a different different manufacturer, it projector trying a substitution, borrow the lens for the test. In1ter,estillJ~lv enough, we've found that in some cases, changing from a higher-quality after-market projection lens, to a slightly lower original-equipment Kodak lens will some­ times actually provide a increase, particularly in This fact probably has more to do with the over­ all field curvature of each lens in the system and how all combine to the

ponents' individual FJgure6 alone.

Vol. No.4, December 1999 Planetarian However, if the belt may be able with a chE~miical get a bottle - " ... +.o-nr1or! and rollers - at

their counterparts. part, this can be due to the fact that the total com- crossed? With luck units-conversion screw-ups as U'-'~VLH!-,"'HA'-'U' the ill-fated Mars Climate Orbiter Polar Lander has settled down near the south of Mars about (or before) the time you read this, and is away in the Martian soil for water evidence while scans yet a new horizon for us . ..,rl'

Of course, we do this sort of time, even when there isn't an attractive and

~fl"T<'·1A7r.,.. H-I" mission to hook on more about their back And we often do so "inlfolrm,aH~(' - to use the official vernacular di~;tirlgllislles us from IIformal" edifices of come to us in their off time or on their lets-take-the-kids-on-a-field­ tT'i'n-~)pt.nrf'-V\irf>-{ro-nattv time. other words,

inside. fora meal! We, on the other hand, are our own Hansels and Gretels a """1-"'''1''> - in a sort of "catch-and­ release" program which the chance to go away a little better informed and a little better connected with the world then when walked in. But still to put out some their attention. And that's what this offers: and your efforts a little tastier, IJ'-.""'I-''-' form of some informal education initiatives and a of glimlJSe1d, demonstrated, or r"1YlAT'Pr! conference of western U.S. pl,mE~ta]~l· urn affiliates. First, Lasershow Designer

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Support Branch, Office of Public Affairs, time, pelrtorm.ed none other than Houston Texas, 77058 USA, +1281- Reed a man of many talents, but ChcJreog­ 483-1257, fax +1 281-483-4876, e-mail too? He continues to amaze. bob.fi [email protected]; Debbie memorable was his and Brown, International Space Station Edu­ demonstration of the new cation Specialist, Teaching From Space Pro­ automation system, about as a gram, NASA Johnson Space Center, Mail setup as I've seen. The clever cue-based sys­ Code CB, Houston, Texas 77058 USA, tele­ tem is designed so that every device in your phone +1 281-244-7024, fax +1 281-244-7026, theater (including star projectors, video and e-mail [email protected]; and Mr. multi-axis thingies) is assigned to a show Chris Chilelli, NEW Educator Facilitator, time track displayed on a computer screen; NASA Johnson Space Center, Mail Code AP2, mouse action allows you to set the device to 2101 NASA Road I, Houston Texas 77058 do at any in the time track USA, telephone +1 281-483-8619, fax +1 281- of your show. A series of menu choices and 483-4876, e-mail ekos@tisdnet. 1"U''1I.o_.11C allows you to program the And if you want to check out the "formal" device for fade, brightness and motion rates, NEWEST and NEWMAST programs, take a for and the setup is as easy to look at the NASA web site learn.jpl.nasa change as it is to grab hold of cr.vn.ot-nlna .gov /newest.htm. with your mouse and click. The system runs Williams Drive, I wonder if other space such as on a PC, is of unlimited USA, +l~ULJJ~JJ~' ESA have similar sorts of education pro­ numbers of tracks (i.e., controlled devices), 818-0498. For Smlth~~ast grams, both formal and informal. If any read­ can control anything with a serial ers know of such, please let me know and I'll plug, and is a match for the 1024 be happy to outline them in a future col­ and 512 systems. As one who has had pro­ umn. gr,lmming eX1per'ierlCe on several automation control systems, I was very impresse,d. For more information and on this and other products (which include the systems 512 and fully-automated 1024, the 3862027. the by, in both Denver and Houston, beefier Space Voyager for theaters, much was made of the "NASA Implemen­ domes, and Electric - the "surround tation Plan for Education 1999-2003." This video" system with digitally-based "Immer­ document outlines NASA's education strate­ sa Vision" video format capable of immersive gy in the short term. If you want to know experiences and interactivity), contact the context for NASA's educational initia­ George or Joyce Towne at Spitz, Inc., P.O. Box tives, read this document; it will provide 198, Route I, Chadds Ford, i.Ja,nn<,ui some very useful insights. To get a hard copy 19317 USA. telephone +1 610-459-5200, fax +1 or to get more information, contact: NASA 610-459-3830, e-mail [email protected].(:oro. Headquarters, Education Division, 300 E web site Street SW, Washington, D.c., 20546 USA. Or From Zeiss came news from Pearl to access the document via the Internet, go the 75 th to the web site education.nasa.gov. The web site also has links to resources for informal and of the laser educators among others. Check it out! nrr,i.ort-nor snE~ak.-Dr'evie"'Ted there. (Look for fun-blown demonstration at the upcoming Out IPS in Montreal next year; it should Recen tl y cond uded as I wri te is the be well worth seeing!) She also

"Desert Skies" conference of the the Universarium M-vm to be HA" ...... \..u Mountain, Pacific, Southwest, and Great Plains U.S. planetarium affiliates held in Phoenix, Arizona in mid-October, hosted by Ryan Wyatt, Christine Shupla, Mike George Zeiss line which includes and the rest of the Dorrance Planetarium Starmaster ZMP for medium to domes gang at the Arizona Science Center. With (and fitted with Zeiss' fiber optics technolo­ some 160 in attendance including many gy as well) and the ZKP3 for small­ from beyond the western U.S., and with a er domes, contact Pearl at Seiler Instrument, multitude of technologies and on 170 E. Kirkham Ave., St. Louis, Missouri or at display, it felt almost like a mini-IPS confer" her office in New Orleans. Her ence. There was a great deal to see and do and number is +1800-726-8805, her fax is +1 504- learn about. Following is but a brief sarnpler, 764-7665, and her e-mail address is for follow-up on your part as your interests '=uV•• '_VA .... Those outside the U.S. may may lead you. wish to contact the Zeiss company From came one of the funkiest open- The IPS Resource gives contact ings to a paper presentation I've seen in some information as Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH,

40 Planetarian SU1t:hE~land carne news that its StarRider full-color all-dome real-time prc)jec:tio1n system has sprouted and now comes in a number of flavors to meet differ­ ent needs and You can get StarRider LP (offering one to six channels of luHon video in linear mode), StarRider SV (PC-based and ottlerirlg StarRider PC interactive, PC-based, sm.gH~-Clr1aIlnl=l uration), or StarRider IG (the version, an E&S generator with one-to- in teracti ve). available, aepellOlng get. In Phoenix, E&S demonstrated two other StarRider manifestations to be low­ Another of news alll1101Jm:ea cost entries into the game which can ulti­ in Phoenix was the appoiintm~~nt mately be to a full StarRider sys­ tem. The first is StarRider DXF, a PC-based '-U'''U''~~A system which can standard video or 2D and 3D com- puter and animation a video projector. and animations can be controlled in real time or grammed to as part of a show, and can cover as much of a dome as a standard video projector is of The cost is about $19,000 U.s. The second manifestation is called Star­ \1'"''''-'<'0''''' Channel, to Rider DXFi, and adds interactive manage the division. Since Terence knows us effects capability to the DXF system. Both and knows the field, it should make versions were run through their paces, show- ex<:lt1ng times as E&S rHH'QiI""~" some nice stills, video and animation se­ lines and its content libraries. Best quences. In the case of DXFi, four the endeavor, Terence. were called upon to controls to For more information try to get a Mars lander down inc:lUicHrLg StarRider and Martian surface. I found it all sive, and a low-cost way indeed to get an entry-level system that can enhance a p12me:iar'imn's visual \..UIJUl.lHJ.U\.. .:>. Also demonstrated in PhOenix were the E&S sun and moon projectors, first demon­ strated last year at the IPS conference in London. The little machines are to interface with the II system to pro- vide realistic sun and moon that act in concert with the with proper positioning and, in the case of the moon, phasing. But subcontracted to design them, made the little critters a lot more flexible than that: you can map most any surface onto the COml)u1ter-gE~nE~rated assorted starscapes and celestial projected by the devices to show most """"1'<0,,,,,,,,,,:, collision between Earth any planet and moon, and zoom up from Mars-sized dots to give small sun-and-moon-sized

.U'L ...... "". In Phoenix, the devices first mas­ quer2Laea as and with corre­

"IJVU.U'UJ;<. colors. Then one became an remarkable! orangey Mars the star field another of the full-color, and up to show details. dome, video ...,. ... '""Dr'r'An

Vol. December good to my unpracticed eye as any of the Notes shows, contact Jeff Bowen or Tom substitutes an eight-channel audio interface other video demos we saw during the confer­ Hocking at Bowen Productions, 748 East and includes basic noise reduction software ence. Bates Street, Suite 300, Indianapolis, Indiana and CD-ROM backup; it sells for The AstroFX 1.1 is PC-based and offers DVD­ 46202, telephone +1317-226-9650, fax +1317- AudioStar Master system adds a CD audio quality video playback, according to the 226-9651, e-mail [email protected]. mastering system for creating compact disk company's information, and can interface and/or check out the web site at www. masters, and a comprehensive noise reduc­ with control systems from Joe Hopkins bowenproductions.com/planetarium. tion and removal package; it sells for Engineering, East Coast Control Systems, From JHE came Joe Hopkins and Troy JHE is also working on a video prc>dllCtion Sky-Skan, and Spitz. More advanced versions McClellan with samples of slides from their system called "VideoStar" which will allow are offered which provide additional capa­ available show productions including Bear the editing of video from most any source, bility and quality exceeding DVD according Tales, Daughter of the Stars on Native stored on hard disk with playback '-U!-'UUllU to Bowen Productions. The cost of the basic American mythology, Welcome to the ty. JHE is looking at going to DVD spEdfica­ 1.1 system is listed at $2,995 U.S. Version 2.1 Universe, a short intro to any planetarium, tions for the system, and estimates a cost of costs $4,995, and Version 3.1, $9,995. and two of their newest, Stars to Starfish and less than $10,000 when it's introduced. Jeff Bowen also ran snippets of his compa­ Midnight's Canvas. We also saw a number of JHE offers a variety of custom services and ny's latest Astro Notes show, the 25-minute their Joe Tucciarone-created all-skies includ­ equipment in addition. For more informa­ Mystery of the Missing Seasons. For more infor­ ing colorful artwork of nebulae and galaxies tion, contact Joe or Troy at ]HE, 4301 mation, see the guest review that appears which looked very good on the Dorrance Street West, C-1, P.O. Box 14278, Bradenton, later in this column. dome, and sell for $150 U.s. a set. Florida 34280 USA, telephone +1 800 JHE Bowen Productions offers a wide variety JHE also sells digital audio production soft­ 5960 or +1941-794-3200, fax +1941-753-1482. of services including custom exhibit and ware called "AudioStar" which provides for From East Coast Control came lit- show production, soundtrack production, multi-track non-destructive editing, mixing, erature on its control devices named for con facility and system design for multi-media and manipulation of soundtracks. The basic stellations, unified under its Universal theaters, and special effects video animation version (selling for U.s.) includes a 17- Theater Control System. East Coast offers a among them. To check out these services, inch (43cm) monitor and a four-channel full range of modular automation devices, and to learn more about AstroFX and Astro audio interface. The AudioStar Plus version plus a cove lighting system, white light laser

42 Planetarian Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 projection systems (we witnessed a laser and manufacturers. Ash provides planetari­ on what it takes, contact Astro-Tec Manufac­ demonstration in the Arizona Science Cen­ um maintenance and refurbishment services turing, 550 Elm Ridge Avenue, Canal Fulton, ter's large-format film theater and I was for a number of Spitz and Goto projector Ohio 44614 USA, +1216-854-2209, mightily impressed with the brightness and models (and is a factory authorized U.s. Goto fax +1216-854-5376. vibrant colors of ECCS's system), and a pack­ service representative). It also creates special From Audio-Visual came age for converting the front end of the RA. effects-notably, its warp drive special effect another demonstration of its innovative Gray MC-I0 automation system into some­ which uses an overhead projector (sells for Omniscan full-dome laser projection system, thing newer and more user-friendly (I $795 plus shipping - $100 less if you provide which can do laser shows with abstract dunno; are we MC-lO facilities ready to give the overhead projector). forms and animations or can support astron­ up those eight-inch floppy disks?). For information on services and products, omy shows with a variety of hard- and soft­ The price list shows devices ranging from contact John Hare at 3602 23rd Avenue focus astronomical effects. All of these capa­ a few hundred dollars u.s. to about $1,000 for West, Bradenton, Florida 34205 USA, tele­ bilities were illustrated in a series of short the video controller; call John Frantz for phone +1 941-746-3522, fax +1 941-750-9497, programs including their demo PajraCiri'll~ price quotations on the laser and lighting e-mail [email protected]. or Eric Melenbrink at Shift and a bit of a rock In roll laser show, systems and the bigger and more complex 1221 Stanhope Avenue, Richmond, Virginia with from a items. John can be reached at East Coast Con­ 23227 USA, telephone +1 804-264-8888, fax, Pegasus and quasar to clever trol Systems, P.O. Box 486, Bigler, Pennsyl­ + 1 804-266-7966, e-mail e.melenbrink@ abstracts. Great effects. Great colors. Com­ vania 16825 USA, telephone +1 814-857-5420, att.net. pact system. What will lasers do next! e-mail [email protected]. From Astra-Tee came word that all of their For and information, contact From Ash Enterprises came word that the dome-building staff are as busy as can be, Joann at Audio Visual Imagineertng, company "is now in a position to meet your constructing domes for planetariums, flight Inc., 10801 Cosmonaut Blvd., Orlando, Flor­ planetarium needs on a full time basis." The simulators, and specialized projection needs. ida 32824 USA, +1 407-859-8166 or company offers a variety of services includ­ The company builds all sizes, and re-paints +1800-952-7374, fax +1407-859-8254, e-mail ing technical design and consulting for plan­ domes that grow dingy with the years (and [email protected], web site etariums to put together complete system with the ubiquitous spitballs and dripping www.av-imagineering.com. packages working in concert with vendors sprinkler systems). For the latest information From Laser International came a

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian 43 score go

Inc., you the Nessie web site at www.lochness.com to get details

r-.. ...r"l"' .. ii .... '" The show includes peltol~m,:m(:e 90 slides two all- either SPICE www.csmisfun.com. keeping and the search for /lETs." The newest addition is a holiday show called Winter From the Mountain Pla:net:arllllm Wonders running the gamut from the Star of Association came Bethlehem to solstice practices around the etarium Primer," a com{)enldil11m world, available now. Coming next year are and commissioned articles from many famil­ two more programs on the aurora and the iar names in the business, solar system. all aspects of our I missed seeing parts and pieces of the lication was edited shows, but you can check with planetarium RMPA ~~~,~;rI~~" coordinator Rodney Nerdahl at the Min­ just for "beginners"; we older coots can learn neapolis Planetarium, 300 Nicollet Mall, (or be reminded of) useful as well. Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401, telephone +1 RMPA has decided to offer the pulbli<:atilon 612-630-6152, fax +1 612-630-6180, e-mail as a benefit of RMPA ~H'_U'U'-L.HHIJ on the [email protected]. The shows run 30 premise that it's easier for them to handle it to 35 minutes, and the $350 U.S. price tag that way and it's cheaper for you if you want includes soundtrack on audio cassette or one. The cost of RMP A is $15 compact disk, annotated script, 120 to 220 U.s. - and so that's the cost of the book (with slides and activity booklet. the bonus of other RMPA bene­ From LM Images came a sampling of the fits - you even get to vote, no matter where company's lovely all-skies on the Dorrance you come from!). If you have dome. Imagery ranges from colorful ab­ need more information, you can contact stracts and fractals, to medieval scenes and Mike Murray at the Museum of the Rockies, constellation charts, to assorted astronomi­ 600 West Kagy Blvd., Bozeman, Montana cal imagery including the Pathfinder 597l7, telephone +1 406-994-6891, e-mail Martian landscape, planet montages, nebu­ [email protected]. las, the radio sky, and the Hubble Deep Field From IPS's past president Thomas North. Beautiful stuff. LM Images uses came a sampling of the new ESA video one. Digidome and Photos hop software to cus­ containing a wide of t~j\.-g~em~ralted tomize images to match dome diameter and video, from Ariane rocket to a projector configuration, creates slides with rendezvous with Mir to a number of com­ built-in soft-edge masking mounted in glass puter animations, including the ISS and mounts, and can also do custom work on some really great Huygens stuff not all of your own images and photographs. which I'd seen before. Some segments are Who can't use more all-skies, when there's narrated in English, some in French. Some 70 such nice stuff out there? For more informa­ minutes of footage selected from 40 betacam tion, prices and a copy of the catalog, con­ tapes has been crammed onto the double­ tact Laura Misajet at LM Images, P.O. Box 948 sided laser disk. (Tape Narberth, Pennsylvania 19072 USA, tele­ - can be re(lUE~st~~d.) phone +1610-664-0308, e-mail Imimages@aol This is great stuff, not .com, web site members.home.net/misajet planetarians outside of

/Imimages.html. sold essentially at cost to IPS HH:HIUC.!:lI From Lawrence Han of Science's Alan $95 U.S. with a non-member cost of Gould came word of the newest entry in the What a wonderful service! Thomas eSr)eClal­ PASS (Planetarium Activities for Student ly is to be commended for his hard Success) series of audience participation pro­ producing this - and it's just grams: "Northern Lights." This program, first of more tapes to come. Some developed by the LHS folks in conjunction Propulsion Lab apL) sequences on plametarv with Franck Pettersen of the Nordlys Plane­ mISSIOns is in the for "~.,.,,...,.,.,~ tarium in Tromso, , will demonstrate Thomas and President-Elect Martin Ratcliffe seasonal differences on different parts of the are Earth-one far northerly (i.e., Tromso) and so con tact them with your one at your own presumably more southerly obtain an order form for the ESA video, location - and will investigate the cause and tact Treasurer Shawn Laatsch the appearance of the aurora. tact information on the IPS page of Alan was looking for planetariums inter­ (unless an order form has been stuck into ested in field testing the program this winter, this issue). with feedback provided prior to next Also recently announced is a spring's publication date. If you're interested, the distribution of slides and acc:oIllPanying you might check with Alan to see if he still data sheets from both ]PL and the needs more testers. Contact him at Lawrence elescc~pe Science Institute (STScI). Han of Science, University of California, Ber­ these materials were sent to affiliate reps for keley, California 94720 USA, telephone +1 distribution. This system will remain in 510-643-5082, e-mail agould@uclink4. place for affiliates outside of the U.S. and

Vol. No.4, December 1999 Planetarian etarium, continuously rey:>eatlng. "' ..... iH"it-" for me - one cerebral some sort of rivet don't know if The John demonstrated included hemispl1.eI'e observing and tim- ed), and you end up with some beautiful imagery of dense star clusters while the other is lost in the story (if it's for the northern Then go VU.l;)l'UI:. near the galactic core I hadn't seen a good one). Watching Mystery of the Missing the inner wheel to the before. It's a wonderful idea. If you think so, Seasons one lobe was asking, 'Could we run (or too, you might check with John to get more this show in our theater? Do we have the ern horizon for the present m<)mlen information or to express support. You can Df()ie~:tolrs? Where could we put that read the time around the IJ'-J,HJ.A'-V'-J reach him at the Space Science cool purple spaceship? Could this run in a cOlrre:SDC)fl(lS to your current Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, smaller dome effectively?' While the other date. Should civilization Maryland 21218 USA, telephone +1 410-338- lobe was answering, 'Yes, yes, in 408 and yes. stroke of mi(lni;ght 4394, fax +1 410-338-4579, e-mail stoke@ This is a good one!'" still stscLedu. For show package details, and any cloudless Whew! So much for a brief And other information, contact Bowen It's a novel, and clever this doesn't even cover the Productions, 748 E. Bates St., Suite 300W, and slips in a few useful concepts anything major that's fallen the Indianapc)Us, Indiana 46202 USA, tele~Dh()ne same time. It comes in Dutch cracks to appear next issue. +1317-226-9650, fax +1 317-226-9651, e-mail versions, and would be a clever u ..... ,.u ",vu, [email protected], or check out the your to his Seasons - Bowen web site at www.bowenproductions wholesale cost for 500 .com/planetarium. U.S., $1,000 for 1,000 counts for numbers. One- or tWIO-COI()T The following comes from models are available. Contact who offers a review" for a ,", ... ,",rI,,~-I- above for SPEDtlCS. that I can't review for obvious rea- Rob Walrecht, Fuutstraat 6, 3815JP Amers- Walrecht also offers a sons. Thanks, April, for to this foort, The Netherlands, +31 sundial in thin PVC or laminated cardbloaI'd quarter's column! Attend ... 033 47 55 543, e-mail wal,recht@Ylllc>baJlxs.lrll materials. It's not a ...... ,...... i"i"..-. "If you're looking for a seasons show for at it again, new does a nice of the third grade and crowd, this is one excellent planispheres. and is easy to put Costs run to consider. Informative, and One of his most recent is his for 500 of the cardboard "a ...·"", ", ..... well-illustrated, Mystery "Anti-Millennium-Bug-Clock" or "Star for the PVC-material version, is the latest offering from Bowen Produc­ Clockl! which depends on no with greater discounts for tions. The program does as wen COJrrectinll beyond the stars to tell time - so as it IS can be Pf()dllCed misconceptions as it does vocab­ dark out and you live in the northern hemi- and in different sizes. ulary and supporting national science preferably at a latitude where the tives. Dipper is circumpolar. The product consists spheres in Dutch, French, ,,-,,-,JHJUU, "At the beginning of the program we are of two parts on a paper stock (300 gr Norwegian and Danish, with introduced to a young man with a two-sided sulphate cardboard). An 11 cm (4.5- and versions. He homework find some constella- inch) wheel displays the northernmost part new southern helmi~;phere p13lnis;phere tions and figure out some are VISI- of northern celestial down to ble during certain seasons. The appearance of about +45 degrees declination (just '-"",'-H.IHJ;:. two aliens (not zombies) for their Deneb and and the feet of Ursa planet'S missing seasons leads to a discussion with Polaris in the center and the of reasons for seasons on Earth. northernmost constellations around it. a liThe script Jim is a Around the outside of this wheel are marked wheel with the transparent window blend of facts and the silliness so relished the months of the year. This part fits onto a hours a red and white. the eight to ten year old crowd. Art and 12.5 cm by 17.5 cm (5-inch 7-inch) card dis- devices include declination and sound by Bowen Productions COlmY::'lelnents wheel which has the hours sion a meridian line, a way to estim;ate the writing very well: colors, clever (from 0 to 23) around the rim, altitudes, and brief useful information animation sequences and voice- with an indicator for the northern horizon. back. I don't have current overs, You put the two wheels at their tion, but in the past, these plalni~iPtlen~s any plametar'lmll program is a centers, the smaller (with wholesaled for a little over $5 U.S.

The IDA Outdoor Lighting Code Handbook will be available in its thl~OU,llh the process of rnr,,11TUlrHT the Pattern Code into first version very soon. Watch the IDA web site at code suitable for their cornrrmnHy for notification of the Dublica1:ioJrl. and concerns. The handbook will include extensive discussion of issues relating This project is the result of a concerted IDA effort that has to the design, implementation, and enforcement of outdoor ed input from those most familiar with the issues of lighting codes, and will include new ideas some of the ...... u .... uu both technical and as well as pn)tesslIDn,ll U,I'.HUU.'" desi:gners pressing issues of control, such as service and The Pattern Code is based on American station canopy lighting and sports Included is a Pattern lighting codes and structures; the issues are universal, h,-,.".,~,,,~~ Lighting Code that can be used as a communities and the handbook should provide some assistance to anyone to draft or update their codes. Th~ handbook will cerned with outdoor lighting wherever are located.

46 Planetarian Vol. Contact Rob as given above, and/or check useful tips on how to find the how 1999 out his web site at www.walrecht.nl. to set up an equatorial and locate the planets with the setting circles, and how Data 2000 to calculate the approximate times of certain celestial phenomena such as new and full Assuming the doomsayers are wrong and and planetary conjunctions and there'll still be a world to deal with when we oppositions. Spiral-bound at the top, it goes rouse from our New Year's hangovers, Roger Mansfield (obviously an optimist) of Astro­ for $12. Ph()tol~aph4ers Almanac of the Sun and nomical Data Service is offering a new year's Moon 2000. Once again computed for your worth of his excellent custom sky references location and time zone, this publication con­ which can help with your own observing as tains information on the sun and moon use­ well as answering those pesky inquiries ful for the "landscape photographer" - but about what's going on in the sky and when. And they're all reasonably priced. Here's a I've also found it mighty useful for me in ~aking observing plans. This reference pro­ a wearable sundial on a cord, quick sampler. Almanac 2000. This publica­ VIdes, for every day of the year, the time and constellation books, toys, azimuth (that is, location) of sunrise and sun­ tion is computer-generated for your precise an Mars baH, set, the same for the moon, the time of local now order on-line at latitude and longitude, and offers the time of noon and the sun's altitude then, the per­ at +1 415-337-5205, or rise and set for the sun and moon at your centage of the moon's face illuminated at 335-2624 in the or locality on every day of the year. The refer­ u.s. moonrise, and the times of the beginning of outside the U.S.) Or contact the ......

Vol. No.4, December 1999 Planetarian /II a from most visitors. I could pass for a large watch. But the modest label H4 away the watch's Now the secret. It is the fourth chronometer buH t it is, won't see first John Harrison, a determined clockmaker 2000 because the International from Yorkshire who spent a generation per- around the world his oceangoing Step Pacific Ocean. So who will see first step, he whittled down the size of his chron­ Let's start with the 48 US states. "'.'-'CA'-~A'-~'AA ometers, and step by tortuous step he readers will wan t to the factors that would steal away their accu­ in their land first sees the racy - the ron and of the the cor­ 2000. We all understand that the rosive appetite of the salt air, the expansion tions to determine where this and shrinkage of the parts as the temperature lennial dawn breaks earliest must rose and fell. He beat them all and claimed 1",.,.,n'·l-llrl,p and latitude (remember the - £20,000 (today, $12 million) - is near the solstice) and altitude. the British Admiralty had posted for the first calculations are well defined. device that could keep accurate time at sea Cadillac nH.JU'. .I.""u and tell the ship its longitude. (The jealous Astronomer Royal fought the award, and only with the personal intervention of George III a decade later in 1772 did Harrison receive his money. US readers may recognize this science-friendly as the tyrannical sovereign against whom the American colonies rebelled just four years later!) many will remember from his plcme'taI'lUlm Today, H4 resides in a display case at the To at the National Air and Greenwich Observatory a The millennium was the farthest thing in D.C stone's throw from the Prime Meridian of But who's first in the whole from their minds. They had never heard of a the World. Here is the fiducial line from should be easy. Who is closest to planetarium, and the Boss would not live to which the time of planet Earth is measured, national Date Line on west side, see one. But they did want to see the Sun, though we take the liberty to call this remember to fold in effects of HH.I.'''',-,,­ and see it they did - but a mere four times in time Universal. The Prime Meridian line rolls altitude? But, what about 800 miles (1300 km). But it was enough, and out ever so carefully from a stately structure after all, it's summer Down Under, the crew of the James Caird guided their whose outside wall holds an electronic clock those austral docks will be turned pitching, rolling, open craft across ~he fea­ counting down to the change of millenni­ hour. Next, take a look at an atlas, tureless sea to their goal. It was an epIC cross­ um. The RGO web site it all, as those twists where the Date Line ing: from the bleak edge of Antarctica to ~n we it all ("all" meaning when the the 180th meridian so that island in the middle of nowhere. But here, m millennium really but the clock and you will be in 1916, was a whaling station, and rescue. counts down to of, well, you to the west. Ernest Shackleton had won again. guessed it, 2000. Just as the electronic The James Caird sat at anchor this year as Pitt Island, New Zealand, is board on the Eiffel Tower counts down des part of an exhibit in New York at the Ameri­ for the honors. It is the southernmost jours in Paris, the that once contested the of those can Museum of Natural History, not far from with the British for custody of the the newly emerging Hayden Planetarium. meridian. Like most visitors to the exhibit, I stood in ~'-"'r., ... ,"lClt1 as perClllea awe beside this 22-foot (7 meter) open boat at the same as Pitt, that crossed some of the worst seas in the time zone is turned 15 minutes ahead. world to a pinpoint landing. farther north, the island of Taveuni Just ahead of the boat, a small open box straddles the 180th meridian but attracted far less attention from visitors to not the Date Line, which tl::~ ·.rJt~r~ the exhibit. But here was the lifeline the farther east. Boss's men used to guide their way: a brass Northernmost among the COll1II:~UU~l::' sextant that Frank Worsley somehow man­ the atoll nation of Kiribati, which aged to fix on the elusive Sun to threa~ his across the waters and the stret<:hing way along the invisible road to land. Wlth a from its atolls west of the turn of the diurnal and latitude dials, you ian all the way to Christmas Island and I can guide the Sun across our rock­ of Hawaii two time zones to the east steady skies, and explain all its motions, but to the island which until to the men of the lames Caird, and called Caroline but has now been fixing the Sun was a matter of life and death. tened Millennium. That name I stood a long time and looked at that sex­ made with reason, for tant. like no other nation between Harrison's 4th chronometer (H-4) Across the Atlantic, another exhibit has found the

48 Planetarian Vol. two full time zones eastward, and wrapping /MillSunRhtm. The last IPS planetarium up side a small monument dedicates the sundial all of its islands together in the same day. for 1-1-2000 light is the Bishop Planetarium and features a table listing the of And in the process making a great frog's leap in Hawaii, home of the Explorers project and time so visitors can understand the differ­ over the competition to greet the third mil­ led by IPS veteran Ken Miller and present on ence between the sundial's time and their lennium first. You can check out the August the web at www.bishop.hawaii.org. But the watch's time. A gnomon rises from the cen­ issue of the magazine Islands to get the prize for the planetarium which must wait ter of the sundial and aims toward the North whole story. the longest of all to see sunlight on January 1 Celestial Pole a mere 2r from the zenith. Who will be last to see 1-1-2000 light? That must go to the one in St. Michael, Alaska, Of course this arctic sundial is rather use­ one is easy and unambiguous. There is only which shivers through the winters near the less in midwinter when the Sun takes its one place where the Date Line skews west of mouth of the Yukon River on Alaska's west annual six-week vacation from the 180th meridian, and that's in the north coast a spell south of the Arctic Circle but skies, but in midsummer it is on duty for 24 Pacific to keep the westernmost Aleutian barely east of a frozen Date Line. hours a day from late May until late Islands on the same day as the rest of Alaska. But wait a minute! Which planetarium is While they're retrieving an errant drive from So the prize for last goes to Attu Island, the really the last to see sunlight in the year the rough, the midnight golfers at most western and most remote of all the 2000? Sorry, Pacific sites. It's the Northern Pebbles could check out the gn1omlon.'s Aleutians. Due north of New Zealand, Attu is Lights Planetarium in Troms0, Norway, up ow pointing south. own

0 home to a small year-round contingent of there at 69 north and braving another sun­ efforts were frustrated as both rn,r,-,,"n7 the US Coast Guard and in the month of less winter. Anyone watching from the en­ nights I spent in Cambridge last SUlnnler May to a hardy band of birders. The 24 stal­ closed observation tower above the planetar­ were cloudy and shadow less. wart Coasties will be the very last to see the ium won't see the Sun again until just before But still I was intrigued to find a sundial dawn's early light on January I, 2000. noon on January 13. built for a round-the-clock sun, and was reminded of the fascination my own classes Quasi-millennial light: us Arctic Sundial and audiences at home find with demonstra­ tions of a sun that does not set. Finally, what about us? Who is first and That's about the same date the Sun will last among planetariums? A few minutes make its 2000 premiere to the hardy folks in with the IPS Directory of the World's Plane­ Cambridge Bay, Canada, which like Tromso To want to "u".,,-ron tariums and a map unearths the answers. The sits about three degrees north of the Arctic If you want to slow down the pace of time world's easternmost planetarium is the 6-m Circle. And just as Tromso is home to the and make a starlit night that almost never Holt Planetarium in Napier, New Zealand. world's northernmost planetarium, Cam­ ends, you can do one of two things. You can But no IPS folks there. The easternmost plan­ bridge Bay is home to what must be one of run your diurnal motion at half-speed, or etarium with an IPS member is the ll-m the world's northernmost sundials. You can you can take the overnight flight from facility at the Auckland Observatory under find it just a stone's throw from the Many Town to Miami. Frequent fliers will recog­ the leadership of Jim McPhillips. You can Pebbles Golf Course (no kidding) at the edge nize that a westbound overnight flight must check out their web site at www.stardome of town. be a long one, and this one surely is. You are .org.nz to see a picture of this facility and Look for a circular structure a few meters in the air for 14 hours non-stop from take off you.can learn more about New Zealand's across, paved with attractive stones, and to touch down. You have plenty of time to millennial sunrises at www.rasnz.org.nz bounded by a concrete ring. On the south eat, sleep, read-and stargaze. If you ever take this flight, get a left window seat, use your blanket as a light shroud, and look At 39,000 feet (11,800 meters), the sky is a sure bet to be clear, and near the equator, it may be a bit of a puzzle too because your field of view is limited to the southwest by the win­ dow. After some bewilderment my northern eyes pulled Ara out of the black, then slowly, ever so slowly, Scorpius crawled into view and crept toward the horizon, followed in suspended animation by Sagittarius, wrap­ ped like his quarry in the bright band of the Milky Way. The pursuit went on at only half the normal speed, as our westbound plane slowed down the pace of time. It took the better part of the Atlantic Ocean and a good clip of eastern South America for the sea to swallow the hunter and prey. A week earlier I'd followed the celestial chase from the ground, safely afoot in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Here Scorpius climbed to the zenith, and in the premillennial Aug­ ust skies, red light of Ares shone not far to the west of its rival light, . The Crosses too were where they belonged, the 24-hour sundial at Cambridge Bay, Canada (69 0 north latitude) Southern Cross to the southwest and the

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian 49 Northern Cross low in the north. I explained inable forms they have evolved into by gamma to radio. What a limited view our the overhead arch of the Milky Way to my then, will not be the only places one can go eyes give by seeing only that part of the spec­ fellow travelers - volunteer victims of a star­ to see a dark sky. Let us also hope that those trum we so confidently callI/visible." What a talk given by a pianetarian who couldn't who gaze at a dark night sky in 3000 will dim view we get too - most of the pictures leave his work at home - and together we stand in awe at its wonder, not at its rarity. we now see and show are taken with detec­ found the young light of Alpha Centauri tors whose collective bolometric range and that none of us could see back home. Shows for the ages quantum efficiency far outstrip the work of As my new friends went back to the lodge South Africa is home to two of the world's our eyes, incredible as they are. (and lights), I realized that over the course of most isolated planetariums (though Pam The second enhanced walk was a in two or three nights, more than half the tour Eastlick by herself on Guam claims the title time, both back and ahead. Tony mapped group had followed me into the dark. None of most isolated planetarian), so it was a spe­ the traditional "time line since the Big Bang" were amateur astronomers or had done cial treat to spend two evenings in the Cape onto a pair of 12-frame pans thilt Of ewe much skywatching before. This was not a Town planetarium as a guest of Tony Fairall, home the brevity of human history on this preselected group of people who had decided Theo Ferreira, and their colleagues, and then planet with an impact you could not miss. to come to a planetarium show. They were a couple weeks later to meet Claire Flanigan, But it was a different slide that froze a just folks on a tour group and many were director of the Johannesburg Planetarium. moment of the show into my consciousness from big cities where there is no sky, almost. Tony and Theo graciously ran a pair of as a resident of this planet. It was an image Yet there was an interest waiting to be shows for me. In the first we followed the surel y familiar to every reader of these tapped - not at the moment by the media­ adventures of an endearing little dragon words, one you have probably seen so often rich shows we work so hard to deliver - but named Davy as he traveled among the plan­ it's memorized, so I don't know if I can prop­ by the simple prospect of looking at the sky ets. This delightful show is wri tten erly convey how it hit me. It was the won­ while someone talked about it for a few min­ through the eyes of the young children for derful whole-Earth image taken from utes. whom it is intended. Writer and graphic 17 on its way back from the Moon. The one It is this that lies at the heart of what illustrator Walter has created an that shows Africa front and center with the we do. This is we so much story that offers just the right gleam of Antarctica beneath. I'd seen it a mil­ money for those projectors that anchor the number of words and images and whets the lion times before - almost all of them from North America. But not this time. This time centers of our Perhaps we can­ young minds to learn more afterwards. not our audiences to stargaze from Other colleagues who haven't been so fortu­ for the first time - I was in the picture. In 7 miles (11 km) up, but we can try to inspire nate as to see the show share this upbeat an instant, my eye went to Cape Town. them to watch the sky from wherever they assessment: the judges in the last round of That's where I am! I'm on that planet, right are. And if they do, they may find a sense of the Eugenides Script Contest awarded Margie there! I should have asked Tony what the what drove the first stargazers - and stargaz­ first prize at the London conference last year. narrator said for the next minute or two, ers in 999 - and us. Well done, Margie, and thanks also for giving because I didn't hear a word. Like you, I'd Then the alarm went off at 4:30 am. I me a half-hour to be a kid again! shown this image many times, and talked wanted to hit the snooze button - this was Too soon it was time to grow up, but not about it, and written about it: our home in vacation, after all - but a few minutes later I to soon to see the Universe through the eyes space, spaceship Earth, and the like. But this stood outside surrounded by a ring of pearls of Tony Fairall in his show "Enhanced was the first time I'd been in the field of from a "January evening." Achernar anchor­ Vision./I First we walked across the spectrum view, and this was the time the picture really ed the southern sky, Canopus lay to its left, and saw the sky through many eyes from struck home. then came , Orion, Aldebaran, Jupiter and Saturn, and finally Fomalhaut in the west. The "M" of Cassiopeia hovered barely above the horizon in the north; aimed above the queen, my binoculars pulled in the light of the Andromeda Galaxy before turning to the LMC in the south, just as a few hours ear­ lier, they had turned between the two great globular clusters, (0 Centauri and MB. A stargazer in January of the year 1000 would have seen a slightly different sky. The stars of course would have been the same, but the planets would have shifted. Mars, at , would have lit the sky all night. Venus would have graced the evening sky, like Saturn, and Jupiter would have risen just before dawn. Pluto, though our medieval friend could not have known of it, would as now have been near perihelion, and also then as now unfelt by all the astrologers. The sky in 1000 would have been different in another way as well: it would have been darker than it is today. Let us hope that in the year 3000 the sky will be darker again and that planetariums, or whatever unimag- Theo Ferreira and Tony Fairall in the Cape Town planetarium

50 Planetarian Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Now I'm sure that Tony never thought of Association convened for its 1999 meeting in with many of the exquisite video anima­ this image as the peak picture in the show - Tampere, . Timo Rahunen was the tions he has created and then concluded the certainly not in the show as this grateful pri­ gracious host as a small but very internation­ meeting with a helpful video production vate audience of one would see it. None of us al group assembled in his planetarium at the workshop. I would be remiss not to mention can tell ahead which images or words in our Sarkanniemi theme park. The Swedes and our meals: two lunches in a revolving tower­ shows or lessons may strike an especially res­ Finns were joined by planetarians from near­ top restaurant just an elevator ride away onant chord with someone in our audience by Estonia, Lithuania, and Russia, and by this from the planetarium and a buffet dinner at or class. But it happens, and to help make it one planetarian from the distant USA who a lakeside sauna in the forest a few miles happen is why we are here. brought the greetings of IPS to our busy (km) outside of Tampere. You can read more We have at our disposal an arsenal of northern members. NPA president Lars about this meeting in this issue's Inter­ equipment from slide projectors to star pro­ Broman showed plans for his new planetari­ national News, but it's quite safe to report jectors to immersive video that would have um in Teknoiand, an emerging scientific here that our profession is alive and well in seemed quite magical to a star teacher in 999, theme park in Sweden. jaak and Helle the lands near the midnight sun. and rather amazing even to the first plane­ jaaniste from Tarku, Estonia and Giedrius En route to the meeting, I spent a in tarians in 1923. Yet our goals are the same - Straizys from Vilnius, Lithuania described as a guest of Tom Callen and to touch the people who come to us with a work at their respective planetariums in the Marianna Back. Tom is chair of the IPS web sense of wonder and excitement about the Baltic countries; see the Nordic section of the subcommittee and producer at the Cos­ star-filled sky and the universe beyond it International News in this issue for the full mono va Planetarium, whose construction at that our "enhanced vision" is revealing. We text of their reports. Vadim Belov from the the Natural History Museum was just start­ have little idea what incredible tools our suc­ planetarium in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia ing when the IPS post-conference tour visit­ cessors in 2999 will have at their disposal - gave an extensive illustrated report on work ed there in 1990. Marianna was a co-host ours will seem museum pieces to them - but at this facility which celebrated its 50th (with Lars Broman) of that 1990 meeting in perhaps the one safe bet - and hope - is that anniversary last yeari look for this report as BorUinge, Sweden, the first IPS conference in they and we will share this common vision an article in the March issue of the Planetar­ Europe. that strives to touch our fellow humans ian. Sakari Lehtinen from Helsinki described En route home, while my colleagues wherever they may be. his innovative work with a trio of portable taught my classes, I made the rounds of some planetariums. Other speakers described their of 's planetariums, beginning with Nordic notes expeditions to the August solar eclipse and a pleasant visit with Bj0rn jorgensen, direc­ A month later winter had become sum­ shared their excitement and images with us tor of 's Tycho Brahe Plane­ mer again, and the Nordic Planetarium homebodies who were less fortunate. Timo tarium, where the Omnimax films are fol­ ran a pair of his planetarium shows filled lowed by live startalks. Later, Ole Knudsen at

Delegates to the 1999 NPA meeting in Tampere, Finland (L to R): Patric SjOlander, Tom Callen, Timo Rahunen, Vadim Belov, Sakari Lehtinen, Giedrius Straizys, Timo Kinnunen, Anttijannes,jaakjaaniste, Hellejaaniste, Lars Broman, Hans Lundstrom.

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian 51 h",i,,...,.,,,-a-,,, and titles from the 1999 issue of Planetariums APLF des Planetariums €Ie

Jean-Michel Faidit, Editor-in-Chief Pi ..... ".·.,."" ...... €Ie BP 1088, 34007 Mcmtirleliller France (email: illru!J!llQ]tlW~m~tllli~[)

Translation by Dennis J. Cowles Freeman Astronomy Center and Planetarium New Orleans, Louisiana USA

Space News in 1999 Florent Bailleuil, Head ofEspace Ciel Ouvert, Nanr;ay Jean-Yves Marchal, Planetarium de Strasbourg Some new equipment the radio observatory in Nanc;ay will pem1it astronomers 1999: An exceptional year in astronomy and space. 1998 was a year at the Paris Observatory to push the limit in the centimeter radio band. cesses: the qualification of the European Ariane V heavy-lift booster, assembly of the elements of the International Space Station, launch of a

The 'V ...... , ...... la probe to the Red Planet. .. 1999, eve of the year 2000, offers us a rpr.np7'''''''' Stephane Co/senet, Director of the Palais de I 'Univers the Sun and Moon on Wednesday, August 11, the last total solar eclipse The change in development projects for the planetarium involves strategies for century. the public well as the creation of networks and European partnerships. The emphasis is on pedagogical action. The Planetarium of Sky is Days a Week Stars Patrick Millat. Planetarium Director Philippe Dagneaux, science journalist The Vaulx-en-Velin is pedagogical tool whose first priority is Panorama of the recent publications. cation and culture: multimedia astronomy shows give a popular and playful dimension to astronomy education. New astronomy courses this year.

Marc Moutin Planetarium, Cite de I 'Espace, Toulouse Each year, Digistar users get together to talk shop: Digistar function, mainte­ nance, programming, technical developments, and computer technology. These meetings are the occasion for Digistar users to present their graphical creations argument to promote a and to network. an astronomy museum complex. Raise the Frequency of Solar Eclipses in France Patrick Rocher Institut de Mecanique Celeste et de Catcut des Ephemerides, BDL Jean-Michel Faidit, Editor-in-chiefofPlanetariums Total solar eclipses are hardly numerous in a county the size of France, and if we Didier Basset, formerly of the Palais de fa Decouverte limit ourselves to a specific city or region, they become exceptionally rare. The transformation the former Observatory at the Jardin des following table lists solar eclipses that cross France, from the beginning of the Plantes a school planetarium, project for a large planetarium in the city 16th century to the end of the 21 st. where this journal is published takes form. What's New at the Palais de la Decouverte? iJ'1~'n",t!liI'ilirn Shows Denis Savoie. Head of the Planetarium Animated workshop by Professor Tony Fairall The Planetarium at the Palais de la Decouverte notes a sharp increase in the num­ During the IPS meeting in London in July 1998, an animated workshop by Prof. ber of visitors. New developments in astronomy in perspective. Tony Fairall, Planetarium Director at the South African Museum in Cape Town, discussed the conception and writing of planetarium shows. Because of its inter­ The Renovation of the Strasbourg Planetarium est, this text (created with Margie Walter) has been translated by Philippe Huyard Franr;ois Schnell of the Planetarium de Saint-Etienne. During the last two years, the planetarium has been progressively transfonned.

aYear", Planetariums in Germany Claude Ganter, Director Andreas Scholl This article covers the changes brought to the planetarium since the installation of Cradle of the modern planetarium, Germany is the European country with the some very innovative equipment in June 1998, which introduced all-sky video to most facilities--eighty-five. A tourist view. France. A tale of technological adventure with a capital A! About the Eclipse: Shows and Events Concept Show On August 11, 1999, a total solar eclipse will cross France. Such an event hasn't Philippe Huyard, Planetarium de Saint-Etienne happened since February 15, 1961. The next eclipse will be on November 5, Use of the starry sky, informative image content, progression of rhythm and form. 2059, but it will be annular-the next total eclipse is September 3,2081. Special The idea of a planetarium show proceeds from a particular reflection on the audi­ shows, meetings, exhibitions, observations, and television programs accompany ence and its development. this rare phenomenon, a sign of widespread interest. Here are the events that have been brought to our attention. Eclipse 99-Digital Why? Serge Koutchmy, Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris Albert Pia and His Mobile Planetaria The study of total eclipses allows for better understanding of the internal and Driven by a devouring passion, for several years Albert Pia has brought original external solar corona. A quick look at current research and techniques put into contributions to both inflatable domes and to projection systems, marking the resurgence of inflatable domes in Catalonia and the rest of Spain.

Planetarian Vol. Catalog of Planetarium Programs News from Francophone Planetarium programs are of two types: pre-recorded or live. It is natural then Quebec: The Astrolab of Mont-Meganitic. that this catalog covers both types. Pre-recorded programs are listed thematically The Planetarium of Tunis. with other information on production and usage, and a list of planetaria which showed them in 1998. Live programs are grouped by facility. Shows for school 1998 Meeting of the IPS groups only are listed separately from public programs. Every year, IPS Council meets for two days to world's planetaria. Account of the meeting. Ephemerides 1999 List of astronomical events. Observing Planetaria Approximately 1.2 million visitors in The 14th IPS Conference increase in visitors due to a strong showing by the Chronicle of the international meeting. the opening of new planetaria. A decrease in school

General Assembly of the Association of French-Speaking Planetaria Planetarium Gazette Paris, Palais de la Decouverte, May 29, 1998 Planetarium chronicle. Meetings. Events. (Notes on the APLF conference.) Resource List for r-Ulmemr'UUIS IPS '98 in Images: A Souvenir Album This list covers diverse resources available to Miscellaneous images. Advertisement is not implied. Separation is ac(~ofldll1g activity. Companies and groups wishing to be included in asked IPS '98 in London the editor. Despite our best efforts, there may be errors in this (Photos from the conference.) one, please notify us.

The Megastar of Takayuki Ohira Small and Mobile Planetaria. A mobile with a million stars! A heady challenge, but the county. Diverse projects. A thanks to specially-developed laser lithography, the result is stunning: beautiful, (News items from small domes and portables.) star-filled skies. These projectors offer the opportunity to create dark skies in the middle of a city. News on the young constructors.

I • • , I

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Vol. No.4, December 1999 Planetarian the Steno Museum Planetarium in Arhus and the September Planetarian. If you can read June, the ASP Toronto conference bel:kcmed Lars Petersen at the Orion Planetarium in Jeis French, I'd recommend buying a copy of the in early were gracious hosts as I spent a day with 1999 Planetariums. I believe it is free to APLF each of them. Their ll-m domes are twin members and a bargain at about 90 francs planetariums; with almost identical configu­ ($15) for everyone else; contact the omy. rations of seating and equipment, they can Strasbourg Planetarium at fax +33-388-212- At the an interrlatilonal readily exchange their programs and share 045. amateur astronomers (and production efforts. ers such as AAVSO's Janet Mattei), ~rO,,.~,.J.~_, our and a few pl2metar'iarls excllarlge'd n"' ... "'n"',~_ Return to :nr'aSIDOIUl From Strasbourg, Planetarium One (aka tives and talked about ways for Another regional conference turned inter­ three NW /KLM flights) carried me from eration. A dent Bill Gutsch national had convened four months earlier breakfast in Strasbourg to the 1<>i-,"_n1cy~,i- in mid-May in Strasbourg, France. A joint pitality suite at the MAPS in meeting of the APLF (Association of French­ Lancaster, Pennsylvania six time zones to education. speaking Planetariums) and European port­ the west. (It would be too embarrassing to Not all the conversations and r>"""""'~r>"~ able planetariums attracted dozens of French fess up that IPS Treasurer Shawn Laatsch had these make for inlten~stilng planetarians and colleagues from England, to pick up the prez at the HarrisbUlr1! in a message such as this, but many Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ger­ the prez had neglected to notice that his to efforts whose results many, Switzerland, Slovakia, Italy, Portugal, driver's license had five days earlier in the months, and I'll and Spain, as well as two of us from the and as a consequence he could not claim his here: United States: Susan Reynolds, chair of the rental car.) Successive weekends thereafter initial contacts with additional IPS Portable Planetariums Committee, and took me (with a renewed license!) to for the IPS slide service myself. Superbly organized by APLF presi­ staff, Arizona to make arrangements for talks with SEPA's SEP A ~~,~~~-~ .. ;: ~~ dent Agnes Acker and her co-workers, the October Council meeting at Lowen Observa­ conference sessions met in the prestigious tory, to Chicago for part of the AAS Centen­ Skies vlanetarill1m Council of Europe building, the same site nial meeting, and to Montreal for a weekend recruitment of volunteers for IPS IJ'''... HU'", talks with several IPS ,-. .."'Yl",,...; ... ·l-oc where the IPS Council had assembled two with Pierre Lacombe and his busy IPS 2000 years earlier. conference team. After flying to SEP A in late chairs The many papers by French plane­ IJ~CUl1UH.):.. session for the next aro;'''-''-,~r tarians were abuzz with the excite­ the IPS Directory of the ment of reporting new or freshly ren­ Planetariums and ovated facilities and of describing new exhibits and outreach programs. Other papers set out plans for the areas of av,"\o.,.il-;"", August solar total eclipse, the first to cross France since 1961. The meeting c; contacts that may lead to continued with a wealth of papers tion of affiliates describing the creative work in areas not served portable planetariums across Europe. So you get the idea. We received fresh copies of the Some efforts lead 1999 volume of Planetariums. This is the annual French-language planetar­ ium journal inaugurated in 1995 and so ably edited by Jean-Michel Faidit. Abstracts translated from the 1998 volume appeared in the June issue of the Planetarian, and abstracts from the 1999 volume can be found else­ where in this issue. Thanks to Dennis Cowles of the Louisiana Nature and Science Center in New Orleans for doing the 1999 translations. Thanks also to my French col­ leagues for bearing with my "French with an American accent" as I brought them my president's greet­ ings in their native language. Les Hoiles, sterne, stjarnar, stjerner, tahti, zviozdaii, or stars, we share the sky together. You can read much more about this meeting in the Mobile News Susan Reynolds (IPS Portable Planetariums Chair) and and International News columns of Agnes Acker (APLF President and meeting host).

54 Planetarian Vol. Resume de Que1(IU~~S articles IJUUJ.J.I':;'" dans la revue The Planetarian au cours de P annee

L'utilisation de lentiHes grand-angle dans un planetarium Montana State University Frank Andrews, Richard Hall et Wayne Orchiston Bozeman, Montana 59717 USA Carter Observatory PO Box 2909 J'aimerais vous offrir, pour votre reflexion, une vision d'un planetarium du Wellington, New Zealand siecle. Peu importe comment les choses evolueront, la beaute du ciel etoile [email protected] citera toujours l'emerveillement du public. Des questions seront posees reponses sollicitees. La cle de notre avenir reside peut-etre dans ce Nous presentons l'utilisation de ientilles grand-angle dans des projecteurs a dia­ avec la nature. Quelques conseils pour les planetariums: 1) devenez positives au Carter Observatory's Golden Bay Planetarium. Nous decrivons porte-parole; 2) repondez aux besoins de vos visiteurs; 3) developpez egalement les positions respectives de ces projecteurs speciaux dans Ie theatre et partenariats; 4) suivez les changements technologiques et 5) diversifiez leur couplage avec les projecteurs standards pour realiser des effets visuels duits. En d'autres mots, adaptez-vous continuellement, trouvez votre dynamiques et spectacuiaires.

La revue Planetarium presente des chroniques regulieres dans chaque Aniara: A propos d'epopee spadale et de son auteur publie: Aadu Ott Batsmansv I 1 La revue de livres (April Whitt) SE-433 64 Partille, Sweden resumes et critiques de livres dont la thematique peut interesser [email protected] sonnel des planetariums

Lars Broman Le coin de l'ordinateur (Ken Wilson) Stangtjarnsv 132 presentation de logiciels pouvant interesser Ie personnel des SE-791 74 Falun, Sweden urns [email protected] Forum (Steve Tidey) Pendant plusieurs annees, Harry Martinson a eu l'intention d'ecrire une histoire debat d'idees concernant un sujet d'interet pour les planetariums concernant Ie voyage d 'un vaisseau spatial dans I' espace. II desirait par la ecrire une histoire de la vie sur Terre avec ses promesses et ses aleas. Le poeme nous «Gibbous Gazette» Les potins planetaires (Christine Shupla) rappelle que nous, habitants de la Terre, possedons toujours un endroit pour vivre nouvelles diverses concernant Ie milieu des planetariums et ses et prosperer, a I'oppose des malheureux voyageurs condamnes a vivre a l'interieur du vaisseau Aniara. Le recit decrit leur voyage dans l'espace, non Nouvelles internationales (Lars Broman) seulement celui qui entoure Ie vaisseau, mais aussi l'espace interieur de chacun nouvelles en provenance de chacun des groupes regionaux associes a des voyageurs. l'IPS

«Jane's Comer» Le coin de Jane (Jane G. Hastings) Symposium international sur les echanges en astronomie entre la Chine et commentaires de !'auteure les autres pays: un compte rendu Dale W. Smith Nouvelles des planetariums portatifs (Susan Reynolds) Dept. of Physics and Astronomy nouvelles des utilisateurs de planetariums portatifs du monde entier Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, Ohio 43403 USA Ouvrons Ie dome (Jon U. Bell) [email protected] presentation d'observations du ciel etoile en relation avec des spectacles de planetariums Au mois de septembre 1997 j'ai represente l'IPS en Chine au mois de septembre 1997, dans Ie cadre d'un congres commemorant Ie 555ieme anniversaire de Planetechnia (Richard McColman) l'ancien Observatoire de . Ce compte rendu decrit Ie symposium, resume discussion detaillee de diverses pieces d'equipement utilisees dans les quelques-unes des presentations orales qui y ont ete faites et relate nos diverses planetariums aventures en Chine. La recherche astronomique et les planetariums en Chine sont tres actifs et bien supportes par les autorites. Memoires d'un planetarium(Ken Perkins) commentaires d'un veteran du milieu des planetariums

Promotion des planetariums 101: lme introduction au marketing pour Res Message du president (Dale W. Smith) professionnels des planetariums message du president de !'IPS Christopher S. Reed CSR Media Quoi de neuf? (Jim Manning) 12106 West 75th Lane presentation de nouveaux produits susceptibles d'interesser Ie Arvada, Colorado 80005 USA des planetariums

J'ai ecrit cet article en tenant compte de mon experience professionnelle dans les The PLANETARIAN est une revue trimestrielle, publiee par !'IPS et distribuee medias, et en tant que partenaire interesse par Ie milieu des planetariums, et en tous les membres de l'association. esseyant de vous aider a promouvoir votre institution. II est rassurant de constater que la promotion et la publicite peuvent etre tres efficace, peu importe la somme Editeur: John Mosley d' argent qu' on y consacre. Griffith Observatory 2800 E. Observatory Road Los Angeles, California 90027 USA Le Monty Phyton, Barnum and Bailey, super deluxe planetarium du rutur [email protected] James G. Manning Taylor Planetarium Museum of the Rockies

Vol. No.4, December 1999 Planetarian More has returned to ate school at Indiana One of the we do best in I-"uu'-'.... " As I've described in this year he urns is to show these images to our tion on the of the American classes and audiences, and one of IPS's emerg- tarium community from 1930 to 1970. A member services is to you obtain copy of this arrived on my these desk a few days ago for presentation to IPS. We the IPS slide service Before it on to IPS Historian John 1995 and have 1"<>rIPntlv n~orl~ar:lize'd Hare, I hope to make time to read it. As we vide direct distribution of these look forward to our into IPS. with the year 2000, slides a new millennium, we would also do wen to from the Hubble and from remember our roots and learn from the the Jet Propulsion Lab will be distributed to lessons taught those whose work we in the US and build on. Jordan hopes to return to the Canada directly by IPS, the tarium community and to be with us service through the regional affiliates. Montreal. at the Montreal conference. Planetarians elsewhere in the world may also subscribe to the direct IPS service or may At obtain the images the affili­ That SEPA conference in late June brought ate serving their geographic area. For full nearly 100 planetarians from the southeast­ details, see the message in the ern US together in Jacksonville, Florida at the SelJte'mlber Planetarian. Alexander Brest Planetarium. The busy An order form to subscribe to the slide ser­ schedule organized by host Patrick Mc­ vice appears as part of this message. Please Quillan included a wonderful at the note that we have extended the date from November 1998 to January 2000. Your Kennedy Space Center where a succession of his team have n1"£,n" ... "rI privileged behind-the-scenes tours showed order form must be received by IS, filled with papers, WClrK~;nC)pS, us the working of America's spaceport. Like 2000 if you wish to subscribe to first service sions, invited talks, exhibits, demonstrations, little ants, we in the cavernous and of time for informal conversa­ Vehicle Assembly and stood The actual distribution and HUlU,","U .•p., tion as well. Most events are scheduled dwarfed beside a Shuttle fuel tank. Later in this direct IPS slide service is being "'I-'~~U"''-'''-_''' the visitor center, the recumbent parts of a by Bowen Productions. IPS is we'll also have two pU/='nl1'1U<: Saturn V had lost none of their power to Bowen and his co-workers for their support urn a short walk away. The conference impress, even though a generation had of this important service. contains all the details, and passed. While many of us remember the find information on the conference Apollo days first-hand, to almost all of our IPS at students and younger visitors, are days The first IPS laserdisk is now IPS2000. The conference H.H .•"' .... "'t".'- from history. As I look back, I am still in awe paration spearheaded by Thomas AU~~I-'_' SO of what we did a generation ago. Even as we the disk is filled with more than 30 or poster paper and share your come to take so much miracle te<:nIlology video sequences released ESA. The the world. You'll for granted, I hope that we can convey to sequences include a of launches, our charges some sense of the of l1U.l'ClUI-',~L scenes of terrestrial weather and that achievement in the not-so-distant past. solar flares, several Cassini-·H1JVl[eI1S We also took a superb look at the space animations of a dozen spiK~~cratt shuttle Columbia being readied to launch the Meteosat, Soho, Ulysses, & Chandra X-ray Now One of the much more. We are grateful to ESA for their IPS web site is an annotated roster of orbit, Chandra the Hubble wonderful cooperation. Telescope and the Gamma Ray tional web sites that Jon Elvert is deveJlOrnng. Advance of the disk were Dn~mjlen~d Check it out at Observatory as part of NASA's Great Obser­ at the Desert Skies and GLP A conferences in vatories program. Later, the Infrared October and you can preview on the Telescope will join this trio. These superb IPS web site at www.ips-planetadan.org. each. Here's a instruments span much of the spectrum, and An order form for the laserdisk appears as the only part of that spectrum we can see part of this president's message and is also ourselves is the "visible" and we all know posted on the IPS web site. As in how our own vision in with earlier announcements, this disk is the Hubble's view. These instruments, and made available at cost and we have The educational resources at the ones that came ahead of them, those costs under $100 per disk for IPS mem­ include: "Universe at Your 1-.1r,aOrr1,11(:" bring our "enhanced vision" to the universe. bers. Thanks to Thomas Kraupe and Martin hands-on activities; a resource Let us hope that as their once incredible Ratcliffe for their work on this exciting pro­ /onrrll'rl(l more about women in [Ju-rm1(}- views become we may retain ject. my; "Universe in the Classroom" c011te.nts and convey our sense of awe at the universe A second disk is in planning with rO/l,rVl11Y10 astronomy in are He V' ra" H"'. stunning sequences from NASA/JPL. I'll about tea'ching you on its progress.

56 Planetarian Vol. We have all discovered certain web sites The 1999/2000 edition of the IPS Directory lhc,p."."',,,tr"t"u in Arizona. which are especially useful in our education­ should be in press by the time you read this da is a very full one, and we al efforts, and that's where you can help in and should arrive in your mailbox in much to report in the next issue of this IPS project. It:s easy: the new year. We are grateful to all who tartan. have contributed updates since the previous One Send Jon the name and edition was released in mid-1998. web address of one or two of your favorite web This is your directory and we on sites for astronomy education. He will do all the you to help us it current. When infor- rest. mation in your entry ch,m12;es, tion with IPS. expect we'll please notify IPS welcome to the new ,,,,"'''''TU If we all help out in this simple way, Chair Shawn Laatsch or use the on-line together we'll have a terrific set of links to update form available on the IPS web site. the best of on-line astronomy education ate of resources. IPS I'm writing this column a few IPS Directory leaving for the IPS Council on lennium. etarians October 17 and 18. The Council will convene nn next time ... on the grounds of the historic Lowell

On March 19th, 2000, the next issue of the the name and reference of your '-''''};;''V,LUU collaborators. In Slovakia, for eX,lml:He, Day of Planetaria, that has been organised or National planetarium Association. programs are collected since 1995, will take place. The annual Day of 4) The entrance is free in some .,..,."'-n£, ... ~ .. '''' (Sarisska Hvezdaren a Planetaria always takes place the Sunday during the "Day". tatium, Presov). before or after the Spring Equinox. The aim 5) For such an occasion exchanges and twin­ 9) In the occasion of 2000 of this initiative is that of promoting the ships between planetaria of Eastern and etaria" we also offer the idea of an

knowledge and the diffusion of planetaria. Western, Northern and Southern coun­ nomical children "'''-C1HT1rHT Suggestions for the planetaria accepting the tries are promoted. proposal of collaboration for the Day of 6) We are inviting all the planetaria, not only Planetaria of March 19th, 2000: the European ones, to take part and to sup­ port the "Day", for a 1) During this "Day" the planetaria offer their planetarium recurrence (anniversaries of ordinary program or organize special planetarium or and events freely, such as lessons, shows, exhi­ on). students. We suggest

bitions, practical sky viewing and so on. 7) The initiative a !_"UAA'-CUJ.AU send us a copy of one of Obviously in the monthly, weekly or diffusing the knowledge of plalnetarla ri"""T,,;'nrrc collected in the last daily program we suggest to indicate that the large public. The in dif­ to select the best "March 19th, 2000" is the annual "Day of ferent cities draws mass media attention Planetaria" that is celebrated in different to this event. Obviously each p12tne~taltUlm countries. Join in the celebration of the is invited to indicate in the "Day" it does not take a big effort; that March 19th, 2000 is the 2) In the leaflet that describes your planetari­ Planetaria". um program or in a special leaflet printed 8) The programs of the "Day" sent to Italian for the "Day," planetaria are invited to Planetaria's Friends Association will reproduce the logo of the "Day of also available in the Internet site Planetaria" (available in Internet at: .. www.cityline.it/l (pages of "Science"). We http://www.cityline.it/cult/Grup_sci/plan suggest that you create a permanent space national contest dE"volted eta.html, or simply opening the science in your Web site devoted to the . For total solar of 11th,1999. pages on Internet ''http://www.city this reason we inform you that the pro­ line-it"). posed date for next "2001 Day" is March We that in the future also other 3) If you decide to print a special leaflet for 18th. In this way we can create a perma­ tries this initiative. For further your public we suggest that you mention nen t link between your site and mation or you can contact the total number of the planetaria operat­ .. www.cityline.it ... Communicate to the Associazione Amici dei Planetari, c/o ing in the whole world and in your coun­ webmaster of our Internet site your Web Studi e Ricerche Serafino Zani, via try (see the IPS Directory), the existence of address. Programs could be also collected 25066 Lumezzane 30/872545, the International Planetarium Society and in each country of Planetaria" mail:info serafinozanLit

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Laserdisk order (prices include shipping): $ 95 IPS member price to be used if. you are a current individual member ofIPS, or your facility is a current institutional member ofIPS, or you are joining IPS using this form $135 non-member price

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Please send this form and fees to: Shawn Laatsch, IPS Treasurer/Membership Chair Arthur Storer Planetarium 600 Dares Beach Road Prince Frederick MD 20678 USA Phone 1-410-535-7339 Fax 1-410-535-7200 Email [email protected]

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian 59 Planetarium Concert Management

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60 Planetarian Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around toured. We were Chinatown." the Space Station construction areas, - Douglas Adams #2: "In the beginning the got off the bus to get a dose view Universe was created. This has made a lot of tle on the launch that was to people very angry and been widely regarded Chandra satellite. We got back as a bad move." and went a of miles; it was Jefferson - William J. Broad: "The crux ... is that the and we heard the tour bus leader Planetarium vast majority of the mass of the universe let's get off for lunch". We nr~'n"'r.orl 4100 West Grace Street seems to be missing." ing bagged out on the - Rich Cook: "Programming today is a race we saw outside the bus. No lunch Richmond, Virginia ...... -"''''--Al ...... between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and Look over this way." About two It would be hard to imagine a planetarian better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." after the bus, we saw the who hasn't gazed at the night sky (real or - Fred Hoyle: "There is a coherent plan in the Far Ultraviolet Sp~~ctJ~Osc:orlv tqullpnlerlt projector-produced) and found his or her the universe, though I don't know what it's a (FUSE) spalceCl:att! thoughts wandering to such topics as "What plan for." - At an alarn""n-t" ... ", school served is the meaning of life?", "What's it all - Ray Bradbury: "We are an impossibility Savannah, '-''-V~I~H'1 about?", or "What is this Universe, anyway?" in an impossible universe." etarian Max Famous people like astronomer Bart Bok are - Christopher Morley: "My theology, graders to leave their shoes not immune to such awe-struck considera­ briefly, is that the universe was dictated but Starlab. the lesson, one of tions. He was once interviewed about his life not Signed." dents, Jason, was sent out of the as an astronomer. The interviewer readied - Edward Chilton: "I'm worried that the in the dark. While side his pencil for quick note-taking, preparing universe will soon need replacing. It's not Starlab, he tied all the shoes for some scholarly answer to this question: holding a charge." kids who were inside the Starlab. When "Why did you begin your study of the - Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson): liThe class emerged, Max said "Now I wonder stars?" Dr. Bok's answer: "Because they are surest sign that intelligent life exists else­ tied all those shoelaces JASON." pretty!" where in the universe is that it has never Jason could not figure out how Mr. Mc- 'Because they are pretty.' I like that. tried to contact us." knew it was he; after all, no Apparently lots of people have thoughts - Carl Zwanzig: "Duct tape is like the him do it! about the Universe. After the end of this sen­ Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it - Edwin tence, you will find some of these thoughts holds the universe together ... " strange halJP~~nill1gs from various individuals about the" Nature Pink Palace Museum in ME~mpnJIS, U:nrles~;;ee. of the Universe" Overheard at Southeastern They were a - Douglas Adams: "There is a theory which tarium Association ..".,."':.o'iH ...... show, "Planet Patrol" (distributed states that if ever anybody discovers exactly Jacksonville, Florida kum Planetarium in Nashville what the Universe is for and why it is here, it -Planetarians are obsessed: each one wants will instantly disappear and be replaced by to be the first "kid in the dome" with the lat­ something even more bizarre and inexplica­ est "toy" or procedure. This becomes evident ble. There is another theory which states at each year's regional conference when indi­ that this has already happened." viduals demonstrate or describe the wonder­ - Albert Einstein: "Only two things are ful new product or procedure he has infinite, the universe and human stupidity, acquired or created. In introdUCing his topic and I'm not sure about the former." at the paper session, George Fleenor of - Unknown: "Astronomers say the uni­ Bradenton, Florida, said, "I'm the first person verse is finite, which is a comforting thought at a SEPA [Southeastern Planetarium Associa­ for those people who can't remember where tion] meeting to use a Powerpoint presenta­ they leave things." tion. The next speaker, Kenneth Moore, of - Edward P. Tryon: "In answer to the ques­ the Virginia Living Museum in Newport tion of why it happened, I offer the modest News, said, not to be outdone, "I'm the first proposal that our Universe is simply one of person to use a remote mouse (for a comput­ those things which happen from time to discovered that most er) in a presentation" Next up was Patrick time." McQuillan, of the host museum in Jackson­ - John Andrew Holmes: "It is well to ville. "How could I do one better?" he remember that the entire universe, with one thought. He then said, as he looked at the tra­ trifling exception, is composed of others." ditional tray of slides he was preparing to - Max Frisch: "Technology is a way of show, "I'm, the first person at a SEP A confer­ organizing the universe so that man doesn't ence to use a slide tray without a locking ring have to experience it." lousy T-shirt!" on toJ!." - Kilgore Trout (Kurt Vonnegut): "The uni­ - Jon Staib has been .ornni'"H,,,'r! - A tour of Cape Kennedy was one verse is a big place, perhaps the biggest." light of SEP A. A bus took us from Jackson­ - Woody Allen: "I'm astounded by people ville to Cape Canaveral. Participants were

Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Planetarian ginia. "Several times in the lifetime of a facul­ Inc. from New Hampshire, gave a talk about They sent a set to him for free. ty tenure here", he says, " a dean of the col­ their products and then said "we have a web­ - Duke Johnson and Karen Osterer from lege will read a book over the summer about site: it's for those of you who have impulse Sci Works in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, some sort of 'innovation' in education, and a buys late at night; we're there for you." A rip­ showed an example of a business card some­ new general education course will appear in ple of laughter went through the audience, one might use for the Y2K doomsdayers. It the fall catalog. In the philosophy evoked by the idea of someone buying planetarium read: this 'innovation;; Jon was directed to aban­ shows late at night. "Don't laugh", said Roger don the planetarium for teaching about the Joyner from Greensboro, North Carolina. He "For info on Earth's Destruction, Call seasons and moon phases, and to use student continued, "I woke up one night at 3:00 A.M. 1-900-NO EARTH observations instead. "The students selected and a voice told me to buy a LochNess show, $1.00 1st minute whether to watch sunrises or sunsets; they 'The Cowboy Astronomer', so I did." $2.00 each additional minute chose sunsets. At least, they discovered that - Mark Petersen, of LochNess Productions, No charge after destruction the sun doesn't always set in the west and in Groton, Massachusetts, introduced a new Credit cards cannot be processed in a the moon's phases are not caused by the show called "Star Quest" and said it would manner" earth's shadow!" not be for the "faint of dome". Interpre­ - Allen Wells, the Spitz Systems represen­ tation: it will require a lot of projectors! - Van Abernathy from the Discovery tative, from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, gave - Dave Hostetter, planetarian from La­ Place, in Charlotte, North Carolina, said they a presentation in which he talked about the fayette, Louisiana, needed volunteers from got a complaint from a member of the audi­ "AGVE". the SEP A audience to hold up something he ence while they were running "Light Years Someone from the audience asked, "What was illustrating. He said," Now come on. I from Andromeda". The complaint? "The nar­ do the initials stand for?" never have any trouble getting volunteers rator sounds too much like God." Allen answered"Advanced Group Visuali­ from my student audiences. None of the stu­ - Carole Helper, planetarian at the Mu­ zation Environment". dents have ever been in the workforce, so seum of Arts and Sciences in Macon, Georgia, Then the voice said, "Well, what is that?" they will quickly volunteer." met a woman in Albany, Georgia, who is a Allen explained: "I mean the starfield, the - Dave also called the Revell toy company fellow planetarian; the woman was new at dome, the cove lights, and theatre automa­ and asked for decals for an old Apollo model the job and was very enthusiastic. tion system of sound, pictures, etc" he found. He said it was for a model he built Carole said: "You don't have any plane­ "Oh," continued the voice from the audi­ 30 years ago and he wanted to use in a plane­ tarium experience. How did you get the ence, "you're talking about a PLANET ARI­ tarium show honoring the 30th anniversary job?" UM!" of the moon landing. "Wow!" said the Revell Lady: "They said I was just what they - Paul Tetu, representative from Sky-Skan, representative, on the phone. "That's neat" were looking for!" u

A Farewell Message

As I hinted at IPS'98, my future at the London Planetarium was going to change. The situation has not improved and for this reason I have decided to take early retire­ ment from the end of this year, and devote my energies to something else - possibly fur­ ther studies, or some sort of charitable work - and I shall continue my involvement with Shakespeare's Theatre. I would like to take this opportunity of saying a really big "Thank You" again to all of those whom I have not already contacted, and who have helped me over the years with your time and advice. I, like many others, have gained so much from the warmth and generosity of the planetarium community, and it has been a pleasure and privilege to join your ranks. I shall miss you all enormously. - Undine Concannon

Undine Concannon, M.B.E., at Buckingham Palace on July 20th. The award (which means she is now a Member of the Order of the British Empire) was presented by the Queen for services to the London Planetarium.

62 Planetarian Vol. 28, No.4, December 1999 Creating a new planetarium for the next century was easy. It only took the best of the world's most advanced multimedia technology.

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