Ian’s Year-End Review 2019 Snapshots of some of the people (and events) in my world. One of the first events of the year… Looking in on a spectacular exhibition of Aboriginal women artists from Australia – at the Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia – with Kaoru Kimura A.A.S. “Dinner for Dome-heads” American Astronomical Society Planetarium nerds descend on Seattle January, 2019 < Alumni from Calgary Centennial Planetarium meet every month. Andrew Findlay, Bill and Celeste Peters, me, Rob Marich, Bob Nelson - and Bob’s yer uncle. Kaoru tracks a partial eclipse of the sun on a remotely-controlled telescope. > Bill and Celeste show off Bill’s big contribution to Calgary culture, TELUS SPARK – Science Centre. > < My friend, John Hanson - CFRN-TV Historian in Edmonton (taken at TELUS World of Science - Edmonton). At Kanes Harley Diner, Calgary.> Three museum veterans… Me, David Rodger and Wes Wenhardt – at the North Vancouver Museum. Wes is the director. My Albanian friend Elvira Hoxha visiting Vancouver… We are trying to get a planetarium built in Tirana, capital of Albania. Noted science fiction writer Robert Sawyer - Three friends of mine all after a pleasant dinner, addressing the connected through our Vancouver Centre, Royal Astronomical support of Seva Canada Society of Canada. > overseas assistance charity. Lunch whenever possible (not often enough)… Michel Maurer, Susan Erdmann and Peter Nash. A good friend, Gil Biderman – my technical guru – and his special and wonderful partner, Shelley Twist. Me - arriving for an event marking the 50th anniversary of the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium in Vancouver. 2019 was also the 50th anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon. Gil’s 50th > On a trip through the Rocky Mountains, Kaoru and I drop in on my long- time treasured friends, Heather Walter and Pat McCloskey, in Canmore, Alberta. Jim & Hope Marchbank visiting Vancouver… Lunch with Ron Pears, me and Phil Aldrich. < Lunch with extended family and interesting friends is always an event to look forward to - at Leigh and Evelyn Palmer’s lakeside home in Burnaby, suburban Vancouver. Visiting here are Frank and Patricia Potter from California. With Ryan Wyatt – Director, Morrison Planetarium, SFO. < Meeting in Vancouver – with George Jacob, museum guru & author. < What are the chances? Meeting in the vast Tokyo subway system… J-Walt & Margaret Adamczyk and Masaru Hirohashi. A slightly raucous Japanese evening out - with Mie Kosaka, Kaoru, Ryan Wyatt, Hiromitsu Kohsaka, Carter Emmart, Eric Aron and Keiko Owatari. With Mie Kosaka. On another trip to Japan later in the year, I look in on an IAU Commission on Diversity and Inclusiveness at NAOJ – National Astronomical Observatory of Japan – at Mitaka. At the closing banquet, astronomer Hitoshi Yamaoka, gave a spirited NOH Theatre performance. At a special pre-conference planning session in Edmonton (in anticipation of the IPS International planetarium conference in 2020) a group of vendors meets in front of the old Queen Elizabeth Planetarium – which is being renovated in time for the big event. Steve Savage, Frank Florian, Ursula Pattloch, me, Volkmar Schorcht, Kaoru Kimura (President-Elect of IPS!), Mark Webb, Kevin Scott, Scott Huggins, Mark SubbaRao (current IPS President) and Karrie Berglund. < A summer picnic at Jericho Beach in Vancouver with the Ballantynes – Robert, Elizabeth, Cimarron, Morgan – and Morgan’s two little ones, Rafe and Wrenna. Played frisbee for the first time in 20 years. With scientist and noted author, Chris Gainor, National President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC). He conducted an interview with me at Simon Fraser University about early days of planetarium history in Canada. IMERSA gal Monica Bolles visiting Vancouver. Lunch with Michel Maurer. We volunteered together At a party at Michel’s house, fellow amateur with SEVA Canada – and have remained friends. astronomer Ron Jerome with his friend Dale; Michel yaks with doctor/ artist Linda Harth. Shawn Laatsch with Dexter and Luna. Hardly spoiled! Dinner guests Laura and John Meader. John and I both admire each other’s nature photography. On our way – this time, to Bangor, Maine. On the wonderful Orono Boardwalk. Visiting Shawn Laatsch at home - in Maine. Shawn cooks up a marvellous lobster & pasta dinner. Shawn’s planetarium – at University of Maine at Orono (designed by Bill Chomik). > It doesn’t get much more restful and relaxing than this! At Acadia National Park, State of Maine < Bangor, Maine. The Maine seashore; at the same time, daughter Heather and family were at the seashore in Prince Edward Island, also eating lobster. So near and yet so far! Swooping into New York at dusk – heading for the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Long Island, N.Y. – for this year’s edition of LIPS (Live Interactive Planetarium Symposium). Cradle of Aviation Museum < Dani LeBlanc. Mark SubbaRao > Keith Davis, Dayna Thompson and Rabbi Sheeya Hertz Ostreicher. Andy Kreyche. > Mark Webb. > < Patty Toth Seaton. Lower right, Sharon Ryba-Pertz, Bridget Nice reunion. Browne, Kaoru and me. > Karrie Berglund conducts… Human H-R Diagram. We are all connected. > < My friend Robin Sip and I play hooky from the GSCA conference in Victoria, B.C., and attend a special Arctic presentation at the Bateman Centre. Tim Archer - sound man. > GSCA President – Alan Nursall Industry veteran Mary Jane Dodge. Party gathering in the Fairmont Derek Threinen – in from the cold. EmpressKitsonas, Hotel, Victoria right). (Manos “Big Shoe” Award: Mike Lutz! Dianne Carlson - with Mike Lutz. Bob Perkins with Paul Wild. Kai Santavuori and Manos Kitsonas. Not exactly a private jet… but a good way to get to and from Victoria; Alan Nursall emerges from Harbour Air. Lisa McIntosh at H.R. MacMillan Space Centre We arranged for Mike to sit “up front” – hosted a visit from Estelle Pacalon, Kai Santavuori Three amigos & aviation buffs… Alan Nursall, Mike Lutz and me. We all survived. and myself. With Estelle and Kai at YVR Vancouver International Airport. A post-GSCA international dinner at one of my favourite Thai restaurants in Vancouver… Toshi Yasuda from Japan, Kai Santavuori from Finland, me (Canada), Estelle Pacalon from France, Robin Sip from Holland, Manos Kitsonas from Greece – and our token American, Mike Lutz. In October, we inaugurated the Giovale Open Deck Observatory on Designer Juan Tanus, Bill the Lowell campus, Flagstaff, Arizona - first phase of a $40 million Peters and I have worked on expansion in their educational and outreach program. Lowell’’s Master Planning for the past three years. Jim Cole with specially designed Planisphere. Edna Chan is with Kei Space Design, Vancouver. Lowell’s Deputy Director of Education, Samantha Gorney – and “Moki.” < Dinner with Jenn Bentz, Tammy Martin Seldon, Kelly Germain, Ian C. McLennan and Eileen Woods Pheiffer at the Sandbar, Granville Island Vancouver. The group was in town for the GSCA, Giant Screen Cinema Association. One of my close consulting associates, architect Bill Chomik from Calgary. > < The CASC recognized my dear friend, Amanda Smedley, with its Career Achievement Award. The dress helped. Ha ha. Amanda works with Tracy Calogheros at the Exploration Place, Prince George, B.C. I attended a special showing of SUPERPOWER DOGS (IMAX film produced by Daniel Ferguson) – seen here with Andrea Durham of Science World Vancouver. > < Among those attending the preview were Douglas Welch and his wife, Elizabeth Ball. Rahim Sajan is an energetic and visionary citizen of Calgary – heavily involved in community Nora Weber and I attended a special development. Along with preview of the newly upgraded Britannia Gordon Linden, Bill Chomik and Mine Museum in Squamish, BC. Randy David Hall, Rahim has asked me Ormston (here talking with Nora and Ron to look into prospects for Pears) was hired to produce the new Calgary (and other Alberta cities) exhibition experience. to host a world exposition in the next decade. Randy worked with his associate Scott Webber – as well as museum director Kirstin Clausen. Just look at that wonderful face… Denbigh is one of my important canine friends. He is aging (who isn’t?) and is going blind and deaf – a dreadful combination – but that hasn’t dulled his unwavering sense of loyalty or the anticipation and joy of hiking Rahim Sajan around Trout Lake. > On a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, this virtual butterfly landed squarely on my projected silhouette. I didn’t feel a thing. Visiting with Scott Mitchell, Manager of Orange Coast College Planetarium in Southern California. > George Jacob at Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco. At Palomar Observatory – With Dr. Ed Krupp and Dr. Jeffrey Hall. A lovely visit with Betty Reynolds in Long Beach, George Jacob shows Expo expert Gordon Linden a model of California… Becky was travelling overseas. his Ecotarium expansion for the San Francisco waterfront. Driving up into the San Gabriel Mountains to the famous Mt. Wilson Observatory. Ed Krupp and I pay homage to a great astronomer and pepper-loving friend, George O. Abell. Our home - the Monastery. The 100”Telescope. Hooker Jeff Hall and Founding meeting of the Alliance of Paul Gabor Historic Observatories at Mt. Wilson Observatory. Sam Hale (grandson of George Ellery Hale). Tim Thompson, Rachel Freed, Scott Roberts, Ed Krupp, Jeffrey Hall & John Briggs (Antique Telescope Society). Solar Telescope. Tom Meneghini. A visit to the remarkable ORBIT PAVILION at the Huntington Library and Art Collection in Los Angeles. The pavilion captures signals from earth orbiting satellites – and translates them into etherial sounds wafting in and outside the pavilion structure. Jeff Hall (Lowell Observatory) and I meet up at Palm Springs Airport – and take a scenic drive to the world famous Palomar Observatory for the Alliance of Historic Observatories. The iconic Palomar Dome – housing the 200” Hale Telescope. Jeff invites the group to Lowell Observatory for its next conference. The Hale Day at Palomar Exhibition Area.