Time's Up

It’s hard to believe that 2007 is already here. It seems like just yesterday when we were having to make certain to write 2006 on our checks. Time flies when you’re having fun... or preparing to build a new planetarium. In case you have not heard, our last day of public operation is January 7, 2007, so construction can begin on a new, state-of-the-art Sudekum Planetarium and Sky and Space Wing to be filled with exciting exhibits; set to open in May, 2008.

The groundwork for this project was begun almost five years ago. On one hand, it feels like an eternity getting to this point. On the other hand, those years have passed in the blink of an eye. It’s scary, exciting, and surreal, all at the same time.

Planetarium Show Marathon

To celebrate the countless programs that have been presented in the current dome since 1974, we are planning a Planetarium Marathon on our last two days of public operation, January 6 and 7, 2007. Imagine 32 hours of non-stop planetarium excitement including favorites such as Rusty Rocket’s Last Blast, Hubble: Images of the Infinite, and others. Intermixed will be some oldies but goodies and even a few classic laser shows.

See Ya 'Round The Galaxy

It doesn't matter when in January you're reading this, the planetarium staff is going to be busy. Maybe we'll be scurrying around trying to move, store, give away or trash 30-plus years worth of accumulated stuff in our offices, the dome, the back storage rooms, and other nooks and crannies. We may be fighting sleep in the midst of a 32 hour show marathon. Or we'll be sweating bullets as we strip the theater of all its equipment in just one week. Late in the month, we'll probably be outside, curled up on the grass, crying as the yellow bulldozers reduce our domed home to a pile of rubble.

Our temporary offices will be much smaller and ‘cubicle’ in shape. That’s gonna take some getting used to, along with not working in the dark. Much of the equipment we have been using for more than 30 years is moving on to new homes at other planetariums across the country, in Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and California. We will continue to distribute our original shows to other planetariums, even while we have no dome of our own. Over the next seventeen months, we’ll be writing text to accompany the 12,000 square feet of cool new astronomy and space exhibits. And there are new shows to produce for the new planetarium, taking advantage of the advances in technology we will have at our disposal. Anyone who thinks we will be taking sixteen months off is sorely mistaken.

Wth all the activity going on this month, we mustn't forget to thank YOU for visiting us, whether today was your first visit ever, or your thirtieth. It is more rewarding than a paycheck when adults leaving the planetarium stop to comment on what they learned about the universe. We’ll miss the hugs around our legs from kindergartners who just had their first exciting visit to our funny round room with the upside down bowl ceiling. There is nothing we love more than to turn on the stars and hear a chorus of "ooooooh, aahhhhhhh." Except maybe for those same sounds heard underneath the real sky.

So thank you for your time, your attention, your questions and your comments good and bad. We know we'll hear more oohs and ahhs when the new planetarium is open, and we can hardly wait.

Ten Best Astronomy Pictures of 2006

Dr. Phil Plait, also known as "The Bad Astronomer", has posted what he considers to be the Ten Best Astronomy Pictures of 2006. Check out the list and see if you agree!

Is Pluto A Planet?

On the November and December star charts, we mentioned that Dr. David Weintraub of Vanderbilt University would present a talk on the planetary history of Pluto. The current plan is to have this presentation on Astronomy Day, May 5, 2007. Watch our site for more details soon to come.

Dr. Weintraub has written a book exploring that very question. Obviously, with the International Astronomical Union's decision to demote Pluto, there has been a lot of interest in the definition of a "planet" and a "dwarf planet". Along the way to defining planethood, Weintraub touches upon major astronomical discoveries ranging from Uranus, Neptune, and Ceres to the Kuiper Belt and beyond.

Star Parties

The next FREE public star party is Saturday, January 20, 2007, from 7:30 to 9:30 PM at the Special Events Field at Edwin Warner Park. If the weather is clear, observers should have a lovely view of the winter constellations: Orion and friends. Members of the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society will set up their telescopes to provide stunning views of the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades star cluster, and other winter wonders. Be sure to dress WARMLY as you can start to feel cold in no time at all. Visit our web site for more details, tips for attending star parties, and a list of future events.