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THE PLANETARIAN Journal of the International Planetarium Society Vol THE PLANETARIAN Journal of the International Planetarium Society Vol. 22, No.4, December 1993 Articles 5 Big Video is in the Stars .................... Dave Conley and Garry Musgrave 9 Collaboration for C-360 Theaters .............................. Richard S. Knapp 11 Story Telling in the Planetarium: Two Approaches ........ John T. Meader 13 Technology, Automation, and Planetarium Experience ...... Jeffrey H,unt 19 Research on Teaching Astronomy with a Planetarium .... Torbj0rn Urke 21 Folklore of the "Blue Moon" ........................................... Philip Hiscock 24 Countdown to '94 ....................................................... Michael Hutton 27 Stephen Hawking is Coming ..................................... Kathryne Johnson Features 32 Mobile News Network ...................................................... Sue Reynolds 37 Focus on Education: Distances to the Stars ..................... Stu Chapman 43 Book Reviews ...................................................................... April Whitt 44 Treasurer's Report ............................................................ Keith Johnson 47 Planetechnica: All Dome Environment Projector .... Richard McColman 51 Gibbous Gazette .............................................................. Donna Pierce 54 Opening the Dome: Best/Worst Skywatching Experiences ... Jon U. Bell 57 Regional Roundup ............................................................ Steven Mitch 61 What's New ..................................................................... Jim Manning 64 All-Sky Circle: Unconventional All-Skies . Coleen Rowe & Ervin Bartha 70 Jane's Corner .................................................................... Jane Hastings EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE True-To-Nature Space Exploration with Carl Zeiss Jena Planetariums Imagine traveling to the outer limits of the universe - the brilliance of the White Nights at the North Pole - the mythical mystery of the constellations - the beauty of Saturn s ri ngs. For thousands of years we have tned to discover the nature of the universe. but never has this science been more exciting than today. The new projectors from Carl Zeiss Jena don't just bring you the universe. they thrust .... .: ... .--.-;.. you into it. True-la-nature ',. - .~:":- - presentations illustrate the beauty and complexity of our cosmic home. In schools, universities. science centers, and navigational training centers. our p lan­ etariums ore unlocking the mysteries of the universe, Updated with the latesl in electronic and computer technology. Zeiss Jena projectors are user-friendly for easy programming and operation. For more information about Carl Zeiss Jena planetariums. contact our planetarium specialists. ~ E IL ER If you re replacing your star projector, or planning a I NSTALJIVlEI-.......JT ZEISS new facility. give us a call. Seiler call assist you in 170 E. Kirkham Avenue coordinating your entire planetarium package St. louis. MO 63 119 including domes. seating arrangements. auxiliary New Orleans Sales Office projectors. lighting and elevators. Our trained staff is 1-800-726-8805 Germa ny Fax: 504-764 -7665 available for technical assistance and service. The Planetarian (ISN 0090-3213) is published quarterly by the International Pl~me:tal:bllm Society. ©1993, International Planetarium Society. Inc .. all rights reserved. Opinions eX1Dn~ssed The netarian by authors are personal opinions and are not necessarily the opinions of the Injterna:Uo:nal Planetarium Society. its officers. or agents. Acceptance of advertisements. announ.celmentl!l. Vol. 22, No.4 other material does not imply endorsement by the International P~etarium Society, cers or agents. The Editor welcomes items for consideration for Please December 1993 request) "Guidelines for Contributors," last printed in the June 1992 issue. The Editor the right to edit any solicited or unsolicited manuscript to suit this publication's Executive Editor L S. ]ohnMosley Griffith Observatory President Treasurer and Membership Publlcatlou William Gutsch Chairman Undine Concannon 2800 E. Observatory Road Hayden Planetarium Keith Johnson Planetarium Adim1Il1strat,or Los Angeles, California 90027 USA American Museum Fleischmann Planetarium London Pianetm1um 213-664-1181 Central Park West at 81st St. University of Nevada MaLlYI,ebclne Road 818-708-7314 fax New York. NY 10024 USA Reno. Nevada 89557 USA NW15LR. Internet [email protected] 212·769·5900 702·784·4812 (44) 011-486·1121 212-769-5007 fax 702·784-4822 fax (44) 071-465-0862 [email protected] Advertising Coordinator President Elect Election. Co:mmmititee Sheri Trbovich Jim Manning 1994 Conference Chairman C~ Hansen Planetarium Taylor Planetarium (July 10-16. 1994) Thomas Stec 15 South State Street Museum of the Rockies Michael Hutton Central Bucks Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 USA Bozeman MT 59717 USA B.C.C, Planetarium School 406-994-6874 Brevard Community College 801-538-2104 x249 406·994·2682 fax 1519 Clearlake Road 801-538-2059 fax Cocoa, Florida 32926 USA 18912 CompuServe 76300,2027 Past-President 215·794-7481 John Pogue 1996 Conference Chairman 1410 Paris Drive (July 11·15. 1996. tentative) Membership Grand Prairie. Texas 75050 Dr. Tadao Nakano. Director Individual: $40 one year; $70 two years USA The Science Museum of Osaka Institutional: $150 first year; $75 annual renewal Nakanoshlma, Klta·Ku Library Subscriptions: $24 one year Executive Secretary Osaka 500. Japan Direct membership requests Katherine Becker 5103 Burt Street Hgtonan/Photo-AI'chl'\IDt and changes ofaddress to the Omaha. Nebraska 68132 USA John Hare Treasurer!Membership Chairman 402·556·0082 Bishop Planetarium 402-280-2140 fax 201 lOth Street West I. P. S. Job Information Service Bradenton, Florida 34205 USA To receive word of new position openings 813·746-4132 in the planetarium field, send up to six self-addressed stamped envelopes to: L Donald Hall, Director ANoclation of French-8peaking GrClllt PlUI'UI PlanetariWD ~WD AIMllOCilllUclft Strasenburgh Planetarium PlanetariumIII ANociaUon ~ P.O. Box 1480 Agnes Acker Bruce Daniel Ian D. Cameron Planetarium Strasbourg Pittsburg State Lockhart Planetarium Rochester, New York 14603 USA Universite Louis Pasteur Kansas 500 Road Rue de L'Observatoire Back Issues of The Planetarian 6700 Strasbourg. France 88361251 Italian ~tuia'sa Friendllll 204-414-9785 Available from: AMoclaUon 204-261-0021 fax Charlene Dukes ANoclation of Mexican Loris [email protected] IPS Back Publications Repository Planetariums c/o Clvid de Scienze Ignacio Castro Pinal ViaOzanam 4 Strasenburgh Planetarium Museo Technologico C.F.E. 25128 Breads. Italy P.O. Box 1480 Apartado Postal 18-816 CP 11870 Mexico City, D.P'. Mexico Rochester, New York 14603 USA 277-5779 Bozeman Montana 406-994-6814 "".L.L.!I..L"-A..I..... .I..l.1b Mailing Planetariumll 406-994-2682 fax International Planetarium Society Undine Concannon c/o Hansen Planetarium London Planetarium Marlybone Road 304-242-7800 fax 15 South State Street London, England Salt Lake Utah 84111 USA United Kingdom NWl 5LR Lars Broman Broman Planetarium A cumulative index of major articles that have Plalilcumum ANociation f1AclerhwvlHl81 appeared in The Planetarian from the first issue Dennis S1mOPOUI08 Eugenides Planetarium Sweden through the current issue is available on paper Avenue-Amfithea +46-2310111 ($10 ppd) or disk ($5 ppd) from the Exec. Editor. Greece +46-2310131 (fax) 94-111·81 hcUk ~u.rtum AIMloclJlUCl~n Great LakClil Planetarium Lonny Baker March:January 21; June: April 21 AMoclaUon Morn80n Pianetarlum September: July 21; December: October 21 Dayle Brown. Pegasus Productions California of Sciences 713 Cushing Golden Gate South Bend. Indiana 46616 USA San FranciSCO. California 941 18 Produced at the Griffith Observatory 219-282-1885 USA Los Angeles, California 415-750-7325 Vol. December 1993 m the dito EX F ER First, I'd like to thank Scott Niskach for although this might BMG years of faithful service as Advertising change with the Castle Coordinator. !t's an almost invisible, but appointment of a important, job that makes it possible to pub­ Publications Chair. lish The Planetarlan.. Sheri Trbovich of the But I do have fre­ Hansen Planetarium assumes his duties fol- quent informal the completion of this issue. If you contact with mem­ have a product that you think other plane­ bers and tartans would like to know about, please con­ and I hear an in­ tact her. Welcome aboard, Sheri. creasing sense of Sheri may soon have a Adver- frustration over (a) Coordinator to assist. If you live in lack of an IPS Mem­ Miami and would like to coordinate adver­ Directory tisements with someone local, contact Sheri and (b) lack of com­ Minolta .................................................................... for details. munications from I don't have regular, formal contact with the society's officers the officers of the International Planetarium to the members to (I'm the editor, but not an officer)- explain what (if anything) the soci- ety is doing. With the notable exception of Treasurer/Member­ ship Chairman Keith Johnson, who submits moon on or after li,p}"1I'11!:l111"V Jon U. Bell regular reports that are published in The who use electronic mail Planetarian, there seems to be essentially zero ~theDome note that my Internet address communication from the officers (and com­ I Jeffrey H. Bowen mittee chairpeople, if any committees are email Sound-Advice still active) to the members. Council meet­ Stu Chapman ings are held periodically; should the mem­ FOOWII OD EducatiOD bers expect to be informed
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