You need to build a story. You need to develop content
I found this quote in an article, of all things, on getting a job in todays hyper competitive job market - extreme interviewing if you will .. but it hit home for planetariums at home too ..... it hit home that no matter how many gadgets I built, collected etc, people would probably say 'thats nice' and surf on to the personals on Craigs List ..
What compels us? Compel is my new favorite word, its been the subject of our sermon series at church these past weeks, and stories compel us. Content compels us. I realized that I have a tendency to just go on building forever, when I should be writing and performing in my vehicle. Its like building a record player then having a 1 record collection. A TV with only one channel .
I know, just when Im done I knock out a wall .. I turn a visitor center into a stage theater, I push aside my pyramids and start on a castle ..
Youve got to build a story - but there are many stories about these planetariums, about these stars, about these people who look at them. It should be easy right?
But its not .. there are so many stories out there in the ocean, I tend to stay on the beach ...
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
HPA Makes a Video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy1eKmyq1w0
It came about not because I always wanted to, or I even had a video camera. Sitting looking at my ancient digital camera one day, I found that it had a 'movie' setting I'd never tried. This only worked for a few minutes, but then it occurred to me that I had another better camera unused I'd won in a contest, and it took longer videos! So I did this in one take after having done a version of it the day before. Most of it was coincidental - the CD playing had just been done of the Big Bang, something I generated with music software 2 years previous, edited onto the beginning of a show tape. It was Tuesday and I was off. The Nasa stickers were from Owen and his museum of planetariums. This isnt even my planetarium, its in the barn proper and I just love theaters so made one with my egyptian theme. The light bulb at the end just happened to be there. The voice seemed like Hitchcock meets Masterpiece theater. Very strange but fun.
It came about not because I always wanted to, or I even had a video camera. Sitting looking at my ancient digital camera one day, I found that it had a 'movie' setting I'd never tried. This only worked for a few minutes, but then it occurred to me that I had another better camera unused I'd won in a contest, and it took longer videos! So I did this in one take after having done a version of it the day before. Most of it was coincidental - the CD playing had just been done of the Big Bang, something I generated with music software 2 years previous, edited onto the beginning of a show tape. It was Tuesday and I was off. The Nasa stickers were from Owen and his museum of planetariums. This isnt even my planetarium, its in the barn proper and I just love theaters so made one with my egyptian theme. The light bulb at the end just happened to be there. The voice seemed like Hitchcock meets Masterpiece theater. Very strange but fun.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
From WOW to WIN
How do dreams get accomplished? First of all, do we have dreams? Pipe dreams, sleeping dreams, or waking goal oriented dreams, they all flit in and out of our minds eye like butterflies. But do we realize them?
Planetariums are like that for a few .. half remembered trips .. WOW like memories, but how can they go from WOW to WIN .. in other words, how can we realize these half glimpsed urges, visions today?
As much as we like to be eccentric backroom hermits, celebrating our oddities and workshops and tattered old catalogs, we really cannot do it alone.
The secret of going from WOW - remembering the wonderful feelings that the stars and planetariums evoke in us .. to WIN, holding these things in our waking lives .. is to surround ourselves with supportive people.
So that when I build an aurora projector out of a coke bottle, I do not get the blank stares, or apathy or even negativism (why are you wasting your time with this) . I get positive vibes, enouragement, more dreams and suggestions ..
It seems to me the only path from WOW to WIN is through others .. for a passion shared is a passion that will endure.
Planetariums are like that for a few .. half remembered trips .. WOW like memories, but how can they go from WOW to WIN .. in other words, how can we realize these half glimpsed urges, visions today?
As much as we like to be eccentric backroom hermits, celebrating our oddities and workshops and tattered old catalogs, we really cannot do it alone.
The secret of going from WOW - remembering the wonderful feelings that the stars and planetariums evoke in us .. to WIN, holding these things in our waking lives .. is to surround ourselves with supportive people.
So that when I build an aurora projector out of a coke bottle, I do not get the blank stares, or apathy or even negativism (why are you wasting your time with this) . I get positive vibes, enouragement, more dreams and suggestions ..
It seems to me the only path from WOW to WIN is through others .. for a passion shared is a passion that will endure.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
the hunger
i have a hunger.
i want to sit beneath a projected sky and forget about all my troubles.
i want to sit and look at a horizon like adler had .. imagine the city i live in
i want to see stars as i would from the amazon basin. i want to see what i would see from the top of everest
i want to see what increasingly its hard for me to see
i have that hunger. to see what magellean saw as he sailed south along the s. america coast
i have that hunger. to see the southern cross like
i have that hunger.
i dont know why i am even to type this into a computer. it must be a strong hunger
what do YOU have a hunger for in astronomy ? planetariums?
it defies categories.
its just a HUNGER ...
its ok. we have it too gare
i want to sit beneath a projected sky and forget about all my troubles.
i want to sit and look at a horizon like adler had .. imagine the city i live in
i want to see stars as i would from the amazon basin. i want to see what i would see from the top of everest
i want to see what increasingly its hard for me to see
i have that hunger. to see what magellean saw as he sailed south along the s. america coast
i have that hunger. to see the southern cross like
i have that hunger.
i dont know why i am even to type this into a computer. it must be a strong hunger
what do YOU have a hunger for in astronomy ? planetariums?
it defies categories.
its just a HUNGER ...
its ok. we have it too gare
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Nothings the Same except (the Stars)
I read the Time Machine as a kid in the 60s, and unlike HG Wells grim depictation of time travel, I thought it to be the ultimate fantasy. And somehow, alot of it has come true for me!
The internet is a time machine. Pining for that old neighborhood, golf course, baseball field - Google Maps takes me there, albeit from above. Wishing I'd seen Uriah Heep in concert in the summer of 72? Youtube takes me there, front row. Wondering about that longlost Jr High friend? You can probably find him. I've done all three of these things in the last week. Time travel.
But what was it REALLY like? What can we see that is virtually unchanged since Cromwell saw it - the stars really (I know, sky phenomena change, pollution dims, some stars change positions quicker than others) .. but for all practical purposes, I can see the stars the same as Cromwell did.
This I admit is part of the fascination of the plaetarium for me .. I can go to the north pole and look up, I can get in a lifeboat and paddle out northeast from the Titanic . and see the same stars. We are bonded with the past by that. Yet who bothers to wonder?
Time machines are now on the screen before me. But theyve always been in the sky above me.
The internet is a time machine. Pining for that old neighborhood, golf course, baseball field - Google Maps takes me there, albeit from above. Wishing I'd seen Uriah Heep in concert in the summer of 72? Youtube takes me there, front row. Wondering about that longlost Jr High friend? You can probably find him. I've done all three of these things in the last week. Time travel.
But what was it REALLY like? What can we see that is virtually unchanged since Cromwell saw it - the stars really (I know, sky phenomena change, pollution dims, some stars change positions quicker than others) .. but for all practical purposes, I can see the stars the same as Cromwell did.
This I admit is part of the fascination of the plaetarium for me .. I can go to the north pole and look up, I can get in a lifeboat and paddle out northeast from the Titanic . and see the same stars. We are bonded with the past by that. Yet who bothers to wonder?
Time machines are now on the screen before me. But theyve always been in the sky above me.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Its 2015 .. and in the past 5 years I've ....
Recently I've learned that an adventurer, and thats what we're SUPPOSED to be in life among other things, should start with the end in mind. A vision. A goal, but a detailed one .. in focus. It doesnt mean it cant and wont change, but you are more likely perhaps to stay on course if working towards a detailed picture. So here goes
Its 2015 - and in the past five years I've ....
become somewhat of a well kept secret in the Nashville area among school and scouting groups. I began in late 2010 with a standing ad in the local paper which at first attracted only a few random calls of interest, but once word of mouth took hold I get a couple calls a month for show appointments. This I had to keep flexible due to my shifting retail schedule, and at first I underdid it, with only 1 per month or so. The following summer I tried an advertising blitz and found I overdid it, I couldnt run this as anything more than a hobby and I've since found I have to be comfortable for it to be enjoyable, and found about 1-3 shows a week to be optimal for me.
At first I had grandios plans for workshops, planetarium kits, souvenirs, cd sales etc but found after about a year of failed experiments that I was basically in the EXPERIECE business - give visitors an experience they could only get in my barn. It was all about something different, and that wasnt hard if I followed my own heart, played to my own strengths, and had no expectations. After some time trying to emulate commercial shows I'd seen, shows Id watched, I finally settled on just being me
I found I needed some prerecorded things I could 'play' for visitors - some times I was too tired to talk, some times I imagined people viewed this more as an event or 'show' since I billed myself as a theater with stars just as much as planetarium. I also found I needed to talk and improvise every time too to keep it fresh and unique. I found I really couldnt know what to expect, some times questions were everywhere and sometimes the silence was deafening, with the adults obviously waiting for it to be over.
I ran it year round the past five years, most people could sit in an unheated place for 30 minutes without too much discomfort. I ran into things I hadnt bargained for - people needing to use the house bathroom .. people parking all over the yard .. kids running round the property in the dark ... I had to safety proof as much as possible I never charged admission, being fearful of 'business' liabilities and taxes etc ..
I continually developed new shows, going against my first impulse to develop a couple elaborate shows and 'run them into the ground' .. this got boring quickly and it was essential over the years to keep ME interested, this couldnt be a job. I was much happier when I completely divorced money from all my thoughts.
I found the public side of this weird hobby to be hard to balance with my previous, private 'HPA' side, building, writing about planetariums etc .. but over the years I thought both were worthy of attention and so kept them both as valued things in my life and hopefully the life of some others.
I didnt build what I thought I'd build .. I got lazy in that regard .. I built one other projector and was sortof happy with that .. never say never though
Over the past five years I've tried to remain philsophical about it all - Ive never rekindled the amateur astronomy thing, I never developed an interest in a portable planetarium traveling around, and I never really pursued my publishing dreams. Perhaps I am saving them .. its 2015, Im only 63, theres time yet (I hope)
Ive currently no plans to escalate this into a fulltime 'retirement' job, but I plan right now to keep it going indefinitely, as long as I can 'see' stars the thrill is still there, and I think right now it always will be
written Sept 30, 2010
Its 2015 - and in the past five years I've ....
become somewhat of a well kept secret in the Nashville area among school and scouting groups. I began in late 2010 with a standing ad in the local paper which at first attracted only a few random calls of interest, but once word of mouth took hold I get a couple calls a month for show appointments. This I had to keep flexible due to my shifting retail schedule, and at first I underdid it, with only 1 per month or so. The following summer I tried an advertising blitz and found I overdid it, I couldnt run this as anything more than a hobby and I've since found I have to be comfortable for it to be enjoyable, and found about 1-3 shows a week to be optimal for me.
At first I had grandios plans for workshops, planetarium kits, souvenirs, cd sales etc but found after about a year of failed experiments that I was basically in the EXPERIECE business - give visitors an experience they could only get in my barn. It was all about something different, and that wasnt hard if I followed my own heart, played to my own strengths, and had no expectations. After some time trying to emulate commercial shows I'd seen, shows Id watched, I finally settled on just being me
I found I needed some prerecorded things I could 'play' for visitors - some times I was too tired to talk, some times I imagined people viewed this more as an event or 'show' since I billed myself as a theater with stars just as much as planetarium. I also found I needed to talk and improvise every time too to keep it fresh and unique. I found I really couldnt know what to expect, some times questions were everywhere and sometimes the silence was deafening, with the adults obviously waiting for it to be over.
I ran it year round the past five years, most people could sit in an unheated place for 30 minutes without too much discomfort. I ran into things I hadnt bargained for - people needing to use the house bathroom .. people parking all over the yard .. kids running round the property in the dark ... I had to safety proof as much as possible I never charged admission, being fearful of 'business' liabilities and taxes etc ..
I continually developed new shows, going against my first impulse to develop a couple elaborate shows and 'run them into the ground' .. this got boring quickly and it was essential over the years to keep ME interested, this couldnt be a job. I was much happier when I completely divorced money from all my thoughts.
I found the public side of this weird hobby to be hard to balance with my previous, private 'HPA' side, building, writing about planetariums etc .. but over the years I thought both were worthy of attention and so kept them both as valued things in my life and hopefully the life of some others.
I didnt build what I thought I'd build .. I got lazy in that regard .. I built one other projector and was sortof happy with that .. never say never though
Over the past five years I've tried to remain philsophical about it all - Ive never rekindled the amateur astronomy thing, I never developed an interest in a portable planetarium traveling around, and I never really pursued my publishing dreams. Perhaps I am saving them .. its 2015, Im only 63, theres time yet (I hope)
Ive currently no plans to escalate this into a fulltime 'retirement' job, but I plan right now to keep it going indefinitely, as long as I can 'see' stars the thrill is still there, and I think right now it always will be
written Sept 30, 2010
Institutionalize!
(From HPA Newsletter Issue 20)
We've all heard the old saying.. whether its a million dollar shortstop, the orchestra conductor of 30 years, or the guy who mops the floor for time immemorial... they're an institution. But how the word has changed.. museums are on thing, but its not the Smithsonian Museum, its the Smithsonian Institution. Colleges, Universities, they are ongoing institutions of higher learning, not fixed in a point of time, but preserving and growing at the same time. But theres a dark side..we placed him in an institution... A dead end.
So which is it?
What do you want to be with your planetarium? A hobby maybe, thats just you and invited guests - private. A shrine? Thats a static display with no living parts. A business? That invokes endless repetition of a formula designed to milk dollars. No I say, be the good kin of institution! Be the kind that has both ivy on the walls and children running in the doors. The kind that has generated lasting memories, and is planning future ones as well. One that has annual records on the shelf going back decades and also exciting visions to come. One that shares a legacy of joy, learning, and great times will go a long way towards your own satisfaction when you're hopefully rocking on that porch some day. Knowing you were involved. Knowing you were there.
Knowing you were an institution.
We've all heard the old saying.. whether its a million dollar shortstop, the orchestra conductor of 30 years, or the guy who mops the floor for time immemorial... they're an institution. But how the word has changed.. museums are on thing, but its not the Smithsonian Museum, its the Smithsonian Institution. Colleges, Universities, they are ongoing institutions of higher learning, not fixed in a point of time, but preserving and growing at the same time. But theres a dark side..we placed him in an institution... A dead end.
So which is it?
What do you want to be with your planetarium? A hobby maybe, thats just you and invited guests - private. A shrine? Thats a static display with no living parts. A business? That invokes endless repetition of a formula designed to milk dollars. No I say, be the good kin of institution! Be the kind that has both ivy on the walls and children running in the doors. The kind that has generated lasting memories, and is planning future ones as well. One that has annual records on the shelf going back decades and also exciting visions to come. One that shares a legacy of joy, learning, and great times will go a long way towards your own satisfaction when you're hopefully rocking on that porch some day. Knowing you were involved. Knowing you were there.
Knowing you were an institution.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Stories and Myths and Facts, oh MY! Stories and ..
It occurs to me, now that I have three places I can give 'shows' to the public, that there are roughly three categories of 'show' to give ..
Stories .. fictional or science fictional voyages concerning the stars
Myths .. the stories handed down from those cave paintings and Chaldean shepards and greek/roman dudes
Facts ... as Elton sang, and all the science I dont understand, its just my job five days a week (from Rocket Man)
Most planetarium shows I suppose mix and match these elements. Little of this, little of that .. Heres Cygnus the Swan of antiquity, Deneb is a blue supergiant, and kids, imagine the swan getting its tailfeathers wet in the milky way!
Im almost leaning towards using my 'childrens' dome for the stories - my own stories, I once wrote my own starmyth concerning the bears .. myths and history in another .. pyramids, castles, dragons, sinking ships in another .. with the stars as background and inspiration .. and facts, science etc in the third ..
a tripod if you will of interests, creative outlets, educational opportunities, inspirational venues ..
stories and myths and facts, oh my! stories and myths and facts, oh my!
Stories .. fictional or science fictional voyages concerning the stars
Myths .. the stories handed down from those cave paintings and Chaldean shepards and greek/roman dudes
Facts ... as Elton sang, and all the science I dont understand, its just my job five days a week (from Rocket Man)
Most planetarium shows I suppose mix and match these elements. Little of this, little of that .. Heres Cygnus the Swan of antiquity, Deneb is a blue supergiant, and kids, imagine the swan getting its tailfeathers wet in the milky way!
Im almost leaning towards using my 'childrens' dome for the stories - my own stories, I once wrote my own starmyth concerning the bears .. myths and history in another .. pyramids, castles, dragons, sinking ships in another .. with the stars as background and inspiration .. and facts, science etc in the third ..
a tripod if you will of interests, creative outlets, educational opportunities, inspirational venues ..
stories and myths and facts, oh my! stories and myths and facts, oh my!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Serendipity
MM asked 'why do we do this'. Thoughftul answers have ensued. It strikes me that the few of us here, that have STUCK here are thinkers as well as tinkerers. Collectors but doers. Writers as well as engineers. Poets really in addition to opticians and electricians. Teachers in addition to artists. Musicians and scientists. Each in our own way, doesn't matter what we do for a living.
So why do I do it? I've seen Ron and Owen and Ken eloquent on this question, I see MM and Charlier equally eloquent. Recently someone new asked a similar question.
I keep coming back in my own mind to word I head George Martin use in his biography of recording the Beatles. Serendipity. A Blue Nun bottle left on a Leslie speaker cabinet begins vibrating at the end of a White album cut and they leave it in .. that sort of thing
Serendipity is a propensity for making fortunate discoveries while looking for something unrelated.
Coined by Horace Walpole (1717-92) in a letter to Mann (dated Jan. 28); he said he formed it from the Persian fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip," whose heroes "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of."
I wasnt in quest of any of this when I went to Adlier in 1964, or the Abrahms in 74 and heard the band in the starchamber. Those same weeks I probably went to movies, plays, classes, stores etc. When I projected stars in the closet I wasnt in quest of writing and giving shows, stuffing barns full of strange objects. When I bought a plant light I wasnt in quest of an aurora projector, it was just a yardsale trinket. When I had a Sky and Tel in my hand reading about a star cylinder in Arizona I wasnt in quest of HPA, I was looking at telescopes and planning on seeing M42.
Its like I'm exploring a cave and new undiscovered chambers keep opening up, dark at first but filled with wonders if I but shine in a light. Its like everything I do links in.. everything I remember. everything I ever loved or wanted to do keeps popping up
Why do I do it? Its my lifestyle now. I cant NOT do it.
So why do I do it? I've seen Ron and Owen and Ken eloquent on this question, I see MM and Charlier equally eloquent. Recently someone new asked a similar question.
I keep coming back in my own mind to word I head George Martin use in his biography of recording the Beatles. Serendipity. A Blue Nun bottle left on a Leslie speaker cabinet begins vibrating at the end of a White album cut and they leave it in .. that sort of thing
Serendipity is a propensity for making fortunate discoveries while looking for something unrelated.
Coined by Horace Walpole (1717-92) in a letter to Mann (dated Jan. 28); he said he formed it from the Persian fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip," whose heroes "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of."
I wasnt in quest of any of this when I went to Adlier in 1964, or the Abrahms in 74 and heard the band in the starchamber. Those same weeks I probably went to movies, plays, classes, stores etc. When I projected stars in the closet I wasnt in quest of writing and giving shows, stuffing barns full of strange objects. When I bought a plant light I wasnt in quest of an aurora projector, it was just a yardsale trinket. When I had a Sky and Tel in my hand reading about a star cylinder in Arizona I wasnt in quest of HPA, I was looking at telescopes and planning on seeing M42.
Its like I'm exploring a cave and new undiscovered chambers keep opening up, dark at first but filled with wonders if I but shine in a light. Its like everything I do links in.. everything I remember. everything I ever loved or wanted to do keeps popping up
Why do I do it? Its my lifestyle now. I cant NOT do it.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Do Not Fear the Birthing Broth
After spending 3 days with my retired father in Florida, I returned to my farm and drew comparisons. His is a pristine house, after losing mom 7 years ago he has functioned with signature frugality that I admire in so many ways. Returning to my farm (we've both been in the same place 25 years), I noticed a complete difference. Being a boomer, I don't know the meaning of 'frugal'. I have sheds full of stuff, and when they filled up I built lean tos onto lean tos, new sheds rose up .. and filled .. Now its true my father has his garage with an odd mixture of his fishing, hunting, mining (geodes, saphires) gear .. lawn care .. washer/dryer - typical garage fare .. but neatly arranged. Contrast the tiny covered work area I built onto the back of my planetarium - junk is piled in random piles .. and this despite innumerable trips to the landfill, a dozen yardsales .. the problem may be I keep bringing it IN ...
But I've come to call my junk 'the birthing broth' .. for where else can I find exactly the strange part I need to hold up a pyramid, or clamp on a twilight lamp. I gaze in awe at the cast metal fittings on commercial planetariums - I'd have used a coat hanger there, and a hose reel there .. but out of my stuff comes dreams.. they are birthed by ideas that lie in the woodpile so to speak
So whether you live in suburban pristine-ness .. or on an old country estate .. a friend of mine has stuff in airplane hangars .. another in an old tire shop .. or an apartment with a storage cage .. do not fear the birthing broth. Who knows what lurks there, what idea will see light .. today.
But I've come to call my junk 'the birthing broth' .. for where else can I find exactly the strange part I need to hold up a pyramid, or clamp on a twilight lamp. I gaze in awe at the cast metal fittings on commercial planetariums - I'd have used a coat hanger there, and a hose reel there .. but out of my stuff comes dreams.. they are birthed by ideas that lie in the woodpile so to speak
So whether you live in suburban pristine-ness .. or on an old country estate .. a friend of mine has stuff in airplane hangars .. another in an old tire shop .. or an apartment with a storage cage .. do not fear the birthing broth. Who knows what lurks there, what idea will see light .. today.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Dare to be Boring
A friend the other sent a planetarium program he had written and produced on DVD .. I praised it, but he responded .. it was a bit boring, I'll do better next time. But shouldn't.. mustn't education be at least a LITTLE boring? Can education always be riveting?
If we accept education and entertainment as one in the same, boring is a problem. But reality all too often IS boring, and if we as planetarium builders arent a little geeky, we probably are in denial. Perhaps its time to embrace a little bit of our inner geek, and dare to be boring sometimes. Will this not lend a little dignity to the proceedings? Make clear this is education too, not just thrill a minute.
Include some arcane details in your show .. not too much, but for those present who are looking for deeper waters, an invitation to dive in cannot be such a bad thing.
If we accept education and entertainment as one in the same, boring is a problem. But reality all too often IS boring, and if we as planetarium builders arent a little geeky, we probably are in denial. Perhaps its time to embrace a little bit of our inner geek, and dare to be boring sometimes. Will this not lend a little dignity to the proceedings? Make clear this is education too, not just thrill a minute.
Include some arcane details in your show .. not too much, but for those present who are looking for deeper waters, an invitation to dive in cannot be such a bad thing.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Console-ation or the Odd Ballet
To console is to make feel better - and I'm definitely needing some consolation in my home planetarium as my first show laboriously comes together - an hour to write and 5 years to produce! To wit - I dont have a console .. a control console, a place where all my switches may be conveniently switched. Surely this is universal in live performance - how do they see in orchestra pits. behind stages .. in the dark... but surely all their dimmers and faders and such are marching in glowing rows in front of them, ripe for the tweaking.
Not so the home planetarium such as me. For each effect - from the star projector on down .. has been home built. Some are electric .. some battery .. and they are mounted everywhere. Some are in the center on the projector support, where they hang like my parakeets to the side of their cage .. others are off to the side, precarious and hopefully pointed to where they will need to show a ghostly Orion etc .. some are not mounted at all - they will need to be grabbed by me at the opportune moment
And where are those switches? Some are on the side of duct taped flashlights .. one is inside a blackened tin can .. commercial laser levelers have tiny switches on the bottom.. some are knife switches .. some are 50's vintage variacs .. at points in my show I must reach in between five other effects to flip on a power strip which the whole star cylinder rotates upon ..
Is it any wonder the creation of these things took X time, now the placement is taking Y time, and then the actual smooth operation will take Z time. X plus Y plus Z = ?
So the next time we admire modern commercial anythings, let us take a moment to admire that organizing console - or better still, that remote control .. every at our fingertips.
I dont have console-ation.. rather I will be performing a rather odd ballet in the dark. Excuse me, for I must go now .. its time to hit the next switch .. and its way in ............. HERE ...
Not so the home planetarium such as me. For each effect - from the star projector on down .. has been home built. Some are electric .. some battery .. and they are mounted everywhere. Some are in the center on the projector support, where they hang like my parakeets to the side of their cage .. others are off to the side, precarious and hopefully pointed to where they will need to show a ghostly Orion etc .. some are not mounted at all - they will need to be grabbed by me at the opportune moment
And where are those switches? Some are on the side of duct taped flashlights .. one is inside a blackened tin can .. commercial laser levelers have tiny switches on the bottom.. some are knife switches .. some are 50's vintage variacs .. at points in my show I must reach in between five other effects to flip on a power strip which the whole star cylinder rotates upon ..
Is it any wonder the creation of these things took X time, now the placement is taking Y time, and then the actual smooth operation will take Z time. X plus Y plus Z = ?
So the next time we admire modern commercial anythings, let us take a moment to admire that organizing console - or better still, that remote control .. every at our fingertips.
I dont have console-ation.. rather I will be performing a rather odd ballet in the dark. Excuse me, for I must go now .. its time to hit the next switch .. and its way in ............. HERE ...
Monday, May 17, 2010
Where Time Disappears
I've noticed a new Einsteinian effect when I'm working in my planetarium - time disappears! This is counter intuitive at first, for if I am master of my stars, my season, with the very night and day at my command, how can there BE no time?
Shut off from the outside world, hours don't seem to pass. Perhaps we have such easy access to time in the outer world .. we are never far from cellphones, watches, computers, the very sun itself in the sky .. that we always have an innate sense of what TIME IT IS, or at least how much time has passed .. its getting dark.. morning is wearing on .. the mailman just went by ..
But in the pristine chamber of our secret theater .. time stands still. I will go in to fiddle with a speaker or try a new effect .. and emerge after an imagined 10 minutes to find 2 hours in fact slipped by!
This is neither good nor bad in itself I suppose. But .. are we not happiest when we detach from time? Is that not the floating suspension of sleep .. the universal feeling of love, of having FUN .. the best times of our lives seemed to be timeless. Thus it is in my planetarium.
Therefore .. it is good!
Shut off from the outside world, hours don't seem to pass. Perhaps we have such easy access to time in the outer world .. we are never far from cellphones, watches, computers, the very sun itself in the sky .. that we always have an innate sense of what TIME IT IS, or at least how much time has passed .. its getting dark.. morning is wearing on .. the mailman just went by ..
But in the pristine chamber of our secret theater .. time stands still. I will go in to fiddle with a speaker or try a new effect .. and emerge after an imagined 10 minutes to find 2 hours in fact slipped by!
This is neither good nor bad in itself I suppose. But .. are we not happiest when we detach from time? Is that not the floating suspension of sleep .. the universal feeling of love, of having FUN .. the best times of our lives seemed to be timeless. Thus it is in my planetarium.
Therefore .. it is good!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
It Really Is All About You
What is a home planetarium?
Nobody KNOWS, because its undefined really, perhaps thats part of the charm. In my current introduction, I say something to the effect
Anybody here have hobbies? passions?
Anybody have more than 1?
Well, youre sitting in a combination of ALL of mine I wanted to share!
planetariums. history. astronomy. modeling. drama. music. construction. special effects. making things yourself. writing .
Picture the old one man band, with cymbals between his knees .. sortof that image
I think if I defy expectations, then its impossible to fail expectations. Maybe one group is silent and I feel lousy .. another is bouncing and want to hold the laser pointer and pass it around . thats why I keep insisting to myself you HAVE to pick up a guitar and play something during a show - alot of preachers down here in the bible belt even do that .. show people who you are ..
Its not supposed to be about US in life .. but somehow in a home built planetarium .. I kind of think theres no escaping that it IS about us
Because nobody else is this crazy
Nobody KNOWS, because its undefined really, perhaps thats part of the charm. In my current introduction, I say something to the effect
Anybody here have hobbies? passions?
Anybody have more than 1?
Well, youre sitting in a combination of ALL of mine I wanted to share!
planetariums. history. astronomy. modeling. drama. music. construction. special effects. making things yourself. writing .
Picture the old one man band, with cymbals between his knees .. sortof that image
I think if I defy expectations, then its impossible to fail expectations. Maybe one group is silent and I feel lousy .. another is bouncing and want to hold the laser pointer and pass it around . thats why I keep insisting to myself you HAVE to pick up a guitar and play something during a show - alot of preachers down here in the bible belt even do that .. show people who you are ..
Its not supposed to be about US in life .. but somehow in a home built planetarium .. I kind of think theres no escaping that it IS about us
Because nobody else is this crazy
Friday, March 19, 2010
IPS Recognition!
There has been a remarkable resurgence of the "Home Planetarium Association". The Home Planetarium Association (HPA) is the world’s first organized group of Home Planetarium builders, collectors, and enthusiasts! Founded in the mid 90s, HPA helps keep the dream alive of having your own star theater at home through a combination of how to tips, networking, and archiving. The main supporters are Ron Walker, a film producer, (walkprod@att,net) and Gary Likert who began this group. (mrgare5050@hotmail.com) Members communicate through an electronic magazine with a readership of over two hundred or more. http://www.planetariumsathome.com/
HPA has been somewhat detached from IPS for the past few years as our remarkable Observatory Central based resurgence has been a 3 year juggarnaut of activity, which has seen the rise of the Planetarium and Science Museum (to which HPA donated the first and only homemade planetarium, the Emmons/HPA projector made from one of Dick Emmons hand drilled starballs. As we look into the future, perhaps IPS looms larger again in our writings and networking!
HPA has been somewhat detached from IPS for the past few years as our remarkable Observatory Central based resurgence has been a 3 year juggarnaut of activity, which has seen the rise of the Planetarium and Science Museum (to which HPA donated the first and only homemade planetarium, the Emmons/HPA projector made from one of Dick Emmons hand drilled starballs. As we look into the future, perhaps IPS looms larger again in our writings and networking!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Home Planetarium Quotes
All my life I had dreamed of it, but it was absurd - nobody had the stars in their garage, their basement, their barn. But people do. Now I do too, and so can you. Dream. Dream BIG
For what is a dome really, an impossible yet impossibly graceful construct of curved nothingness that must be strong to contain the bowl of night, yet support only the unfathomably tiny pressure of the myriad starpoints
The HPA Philosophy: Make it don't buy it, convert it don't throw it away. Some junk is good junk. Upon dusty shelves may lurk treasures. Blessed is the messy back workroom. Its all about the gasp when someone whispers.. I see stars!
Ah good Professor! Its almost as if we spent so much time in the archives, we looked up one day and were amazed to find that we now WERE the archives....
Objects to be used in the Dark can be of fantastic and unlikely shape and hue, for they aren't really there anymore when they open thir portals onto infinity
quotes by gary likert
For what is a dome really, an impossible yet impossibly graceful construct of curved nothingness that must be strong to contain the bowl of night, yet support only the unfathomably tiny pressure of the myriad starpoints
The HPA Philosophy: Make it don't buy it, convert it don't throw it away. Some junk is good junk. Upon dusty shelves may lurk treasures. Blessed is the messy back workroom. Its all about the gasp when someone whispers.. I see stars!
Ah good Professor! Its almost as if we spent so much time in the archives, we looked up one day and were amazed to find that we now WERE the archives....
Objects to be used in the Dark can be of fantastic and unlikely shape and hue, for they aren't really there anymore when they open thir portals onto infinity
quotes by gary likert
Home Planetarium Specs
Drill Bit/Needle Sizes
mag hole size bit number
0-1 .076 - .089 48 - 45
1-0 .046 - .063 57 - 55
2-1 .040 - .033 68 - 60
3-2 .028 - .025 71 - 70
4-3 .0225 - .020 76 - 72
5 .0125 80
Lense your Star pinholes
The 9mm by 265mm lense sold by Anchor Optics
is currently the best lense for pinhole stars,
provide these for at least your 1st magntitudes for best results!
How Many Stars?
Mag Number
-27 1 (the big yellow one)
1 20
2 58
3 82
4 530
5 1600
6 4800
Starball Size
Fair 10 inch globe
Good 12 inch
Better 16 inch
Best 20+ inch
Light Source for starballs
Good 2.47 Volt Flashlight
Better Minimag LED
Best Stinger Streamlight LED
mag hole size bit number
0-1 .076 - .089 48 - 45
1-0 .046 - .063 57 - 55
2-1 .040 - .033 68 - 60
3-2 .028 - .025 71 - 70
4-3 .0225 - .020 76 - 72
5 .0125 80
Lense your Star pinholes
The 9mm by 265mm lense sold by Anchor Optics
is currently the best lense for pinhole stars,
provide these for at least your 1st magntitudes for best results!
How Many Stars?
Mag Number
-27 1 (the big yellow one)
1 20
2 58
3 82
4 530
5 1600
6 4800
Starball Size
Fair 10 inch globe
Good 12 inch
Better 16 inch
Best 20+ inch
Light Source for starballs
Good 2.47 Volt Flashlight
Better Minimag LED
Best Stinger Streamlight LED
Monday, March 1, 2010
A Brief Planetarium Show - Act 3
Act 3 - The Sun
Now that we've seen a few of the classical constellations of antiquity in our skies, we gracefully set the stars in motion as they wheel past and the night wears on. The later the hour becomes, the more we begin to see the evening constellations in the seasons to come - by dawn, we are seeing a preview of evening constellations almost 6 months from right now. Lets stop now just before dawn's light begins interfering with our starlight. Before we see our own star at close up range after its nightly absence, an experience we more commonly know as 'morning', lets stop to consider for a moment, what exactly is a star? Many people don't realize the sun is a star, and the stars are suns. There are many variables in why the two seem different - the most obvious being distance. Our sun is 93 million miles away - most stars we see are dozens or hundreds of light years away. Light can travel around the Earth 7 times in one second, so imagine how far it travels in a year! Though the stars may be far larger and brighter than our own sun, and most are, they are so far away they appear as tiny bright pinpoints sparkling in our sky.
Most people also don't realize that many many 'stars' we see in our sky are actually the combined light of double or multiple stars. These cosmic partner revolve around each other in an endless dance, having formed together in the distant past. Mizor and Alcor are just such a pair in the Big Dipper. Watch now as a red dwarf star dances around its yellow giant partner - its a sight seen only in telescopes and in slow motion - imagine how majestic such a sight would be from a nearby planet, as depicted here.
What is a star? We go back to the creation of the universe. The elemental building block of nature is the simplest of atoms - the hydrogen atom. The most elemental force of the universe is gravity, the attraction of two bodies together. Albert Einstein proved early in the 20th century that a body, or mass, creates a distortion in the very fabric of space which causes objects to be attracted, much like a ball rollilng down into a drain - this is how gravity works. Gravity attracts hydrogen atoms together - if there are enough of them, they compress and heat up. If enough heat builds up, nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium begins, which releases tremendous amounts of heat and light, then a star turns on and burns millions or billions of years. Each star you see in the sky is a giant nuclear furnance, turning hydrogen into helium and releasing heat and light. Einstein's famous formula tells us how much energy, E=MC squared. The E, or energy released will be equal to the enormous product of the Mass itself, in a stars case the hydrogen atoms, times the huge number C squared, the speed of light times itself! The bottom line is this - nuclear fusion releases enormous amounts of energy, and a chain reaction like this in a star can last billions of years. And so the stars burn on, revolving in their galaxies, as their spinning galaxies fly ever further apart from the Big Bang.
Now, without further facts or science or cosmology, perhaps the next time you witness the most predictable event in our very lives, the sun coming up, you will appreciate that which made our planet and our lives possible - the sun! And hopefully you'll remember where it came from, what family it belongs to, and where it is headed. The next time you see our sun come up, appreciate it! It is the founder of our feast here on Earth. We are its children. Hopefully it gives a whole new perspective to the well known phrase . good morning!
Now that we've seen a few of the classical constellations of antiquity in our skies, we gracefully set the stars in motion as they wheel past and the night wears on. The later the hour becomes, the more we begin to see the evening constellations in the seasons to come - by dawn, we are seeing a preview of evening constellations almost 6 months from right now. Lets stop now just before dawn's light begins interfering with our starlight. Before we see our own star at close up range after its nightly absence, an experience we more commonly know as 'morning', lets stop to consider for a moment, what exactly is a star? Many people don't realize the sun is a star, and the stars are suns. There are many variables in why the two seem different - the most obvious being distance. Our sun is 93 million miles away - most stars we see are dozens or hundreds of light years away. Light can travel around the Earth 7 times in one second, so imagine how far it travels in a year! Though the stars may be far larger and brighter than our own sun, and most are, they are so far away they appear as tiny bright pinpoints sparkling in our sky.
Most people also don't realize that many many 'stars' we see in our sky are actually the combined light of double or multiple stars. These cosmic partner revolve around each other in an endless dance, having formed together in the distant past. Mizor and Alcor are just such a pair in the Big Dipper. Watch now as a red dwarf star dances around its yellow giant partner - its a sight seen only in telescopes and in slow motion - imagine how majestic such a sight would be from a nearby planet, as depicted here.
What is a star? We go back to the creation of the universe. The elemental building block of nature is the simplest of atoms - the hydrogen atom. The most elemental force of the universe is gravity, the attraction of two bodies together. Albert Einstein proved early in the 20th century that a body, or mass, creates a distortion in the very fabric of space which causes objects to be attracted, much like a ball rollilng down into a drain - this is how gravity works. Gravity attracts hydrogen atoms together - if there are enough of them, they compress and heat up. If enough heat builds up, nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium begins, which releases tremendous amounts of heat and light, then a star turns on and burns millions or billions of years. Each star you see in the sky is a giant nuclear furnance, turning hydrogen into helium and releasing heat and light. Einstein's famous formula tells us how much energy, E=MC squared. The E, or energy released will be equal to the enormous product of the Mass itself, in a stars case the hydrogen atoms, times the huge number C squared, the speed of light times itself! The bottom line is this - nuclear fusion releases enormous amounts of energy, and a chain reaction like this in a star can last billions of years. And so the stars burn on, revolving in their galaxies, as their spinning galaxies fly ever further apart from the Big Bang.
Now, without further facts or science or cosmology, perhaps the next time you witness the most predictable event in our very lives, the sun coming up, you will appreciate that which made our planet and our lives possible - the sun! And hopefully you'll remember where it came from, what family it belongs to, and where it is headed. The next time you see our sun come up, appreciate it! It is the founder of our feast here on Earth. We are its children. Hopefully it gives a whole new perspective to the well known phrase . good morning!
A Brief Planetarium Show - Act 2
Act 2 - the Basic Constellations
Welcome to Sumner Skies Planetarium! Hows that for an entrance. Nothing like retracing the birth and evolution of the whole universe to set the stage for the stars in all their beauty and glory. We're looking at the sky you can see tonight from middle Tennessee, gorgeous isn't it? But actually, this is the sky you could see if everything was perfect outside after dark - no clouds, no moon, and no light pollution. Everyone knows you can't see through clouds, and the brightness and romance of the moon are actually hindrances to seeing the multitude of faint objects we see here. But clouds and the moon can be avoided. Its the third enemy of the stars, light pollution, that not many people know about. Its easy to understand though when you consider how much development there has been around these parts. As brightly lit cities sprawl outwards unchecked, as lights shine not only down where they're needed but up where they're not, the horizon glow gets brighter and brighter until our beloved sars are all but lost in the glare. This sadly is the state of affairs in all metropolitan areas now, including here in Gallatin. There is a movement towards low sodium, top shielded outdoor lighting, but it may be a losing battle. Still, we can drive to the country far away from the city and see the stars as they were truly meant to be seen.
The sky we see above tonight is virtually unchanged from the sky seen by our distant ancestors 2,000 years ago - stars move ever so slowly across our skies not because they themselves move slowly, but because they are so distant. So tonight here in the planetarium you are looking at virtually the same stars the cavemen saw as they struggled for survival. Today of course we have the thousands of yearold legacies of the constellations, or star pitctures - patterns in the sky in which the anicents thought they saw all manner of legendary and everyday beasts, birds, and objects from their world and myths. The beautiful cards encircling the walls of the planetarium depitc thse trantastic imaginings. More recently, we have star classifications applied to the brightness of the stars we can see above - from the brightest zero magnitude stars to the faintest 5th magnitude stars. We see the famous Milky Way, a faint band of light that one must have truly dark skies to even see at all - sightings from Gallatin now are reserved for the darkest, clearest nights. This is our own galaxy seen from within, the one we saw born out of the Big Bang when we began. The Milky Way is not milk at all, it is the co-mingled light of billions of stars too far and numerous to be seen with the naked eye. Ancients referred to the Milky Way as the 'backbone of the night', and its easy to see why.
The stars at night appear to move from east to west across our dark sky, much as the sun does across the brilliant skies of daylight. This of course, as in the case of the sun, is the result of the earth's rotation, not the stars movement. The stars do appear to rotate about the north celestial pole in the sky, a point directly over the North Pole of Earth. Marking the North Pole is the famous pole star, Polaris, tail star of the Little Dipper. The Little Dipper is faint, in the dead north of the sky, and it takes a clear night to make out. More famous is her big brother, the Big Bear, circling nearby. You may know her by her most famous portion - the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper is visible most nights of the year - note how the so-called pointer stars of the Big Dipper point to the North Star. Joining the stately Dippers of the North are the King and Queen of the night sky, King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia of mythology. Cepheus looks like a house shaped figure skirting the Milky Way. Cassiopeia is shaped like an M or W flying round the pole. Need help seeing these four famous figures? Now can you see them? (at this point utilize constellation projectors and demonstrate other seasonal points of interest)
Welcome to Sumner Skies Planetarium! Hows that for an entrance. Nothing like retracing the birth and evolution of the whole universe to set the stage for the stars in all their beauty and glory. We're looking at the sky you can see tonight from middle Tennessee, gorgeous isn't it? But actually, this is the sky you could see if everything was perfect outside after dark - no clouds, no moon, and no light pollution. Everyone knows you can't see through clouds, and the brightness and romance of the moon are actually hindrances to seeing the multitude of faint objects we see here. But clouds and the moon can be avoided. Its the third enemy of the stars, light pollution, that not many people know about. Its easy to understand though when you consider how much development there has been around these parts. As brightly lit cities sprawl outwards unchecked, as lights shine not only down where they're needed but up where they're not, the horizon glow gets brighter and brighter until our beloved sars are all but lost in the glare. This sadly is the state of affairs in all metropolitan areas now, including here in Gallatin. There is a movement towards low sodium, top shielded outdoor lighting, but it may be a losing battle. Still, we can drive to the country far away from the city and see the stars as they were truly meant to be seen.
The sky we see above tonight is virtually unchanged from the sky seen by our distant ancestors 2,000 years ago - stars move ever so slowly across our skies not because they themselves move slowly, but because they are so distant. So tonight here in the planetarium you are looking at virtually the same stars the cavemen saw as they struggled for survival. Today of course we have the thousands of yearold legacies of the constellations, or star pitctures - patterns in the sky in which the anicents thought they saw all manner of legendary and everyday beasts, birds, and objects from their world and myths. The beautiful cards encircling the walls of the planetarium depitc thse trantastic imaginings. More recently, we have star classifications applied to the brightness of the stars we can see above - from the brightest zero magnitude stars to the faintest 5th magnitude stars. We see the famous Milky Way, a faint band of light that one must have truly dark skies to even see at all - sightings from Gallatin now are reserved for the darkest, clearest nights. This is our own galaxy seen from within, the one we saw born out of the Big Bang when we began. The Milky Way is not milk at all, it is the co-mingled light of billions of stars too far and numerous to be seen with the naked eye. Ancients referred to the Milky Way as the 'backbone of the night', and its easy to see why.
The stars at night appear to move from east to west across our dark sky, much as the sun does across the brilliant skies of daylight. This of course, as in the case of the sun, is the result of the earth's rotation, not the stars movement. The stars do appear to rotate about the north celestial pole in the sky, a point directly over the North Pole of Earth. Marking the North Pole is the famous pole star, Polaris, tail star of the Little Dipper. The Little Dipper is faint, in the dead north of the sky, and it takes a clear night to make out. More famous is her big brother, the Big Bear, circling nearby. You may know her by her most famous portion - the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper is visible most nights of the year - note how the so-called pointer stars of the Big Dipper point to the North Star. Joining the stately Dippers of the North are the King and Queen of the night sky, King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia of mythology. Cepheus looks like a house shaped figure skirting the Milky Way. Cassiopeia is shaped like an M or W flying round the pole. Need help seeing these four famous figures? Now can you see them? (at this point utilize constellation projectors and demonstrate other seasonal points of interest)
A Brief Planetarium Show - Act 1
Act 1 the Big Bang
In the end, the question of where the universe came from, in the beginning, is a matter of belief. What came before the universe is impossible to view with our own eyes, and what happened at its actual birth happened billions of years ago. All we can see and wonder at is what the universe shows us today, not the end produce but the evolving form of the universe at this particular moment of its history. But even what we see out there is misleading, for we see each object as it was when the light reaching our wondering eyes left on its journey to Earth - in the case of distant galaxies that may be millions of years ago. Looking out into space is looking into the past. Observing what has happened since the brief dawning of our own astronomical observations, we can only project back to the beginning. Back to what the evidence supports might have happened. Back to the origin of the space/time/mass/energy mix we find ourselves in on Earth, and in our beautiful night sky.
Most scientists today believe in the Big Bang Theory of the creation of the universe. They believe that everything that was to be was originally compressed into a single point, a singularity containing the very basic building blocks of all that came afterwards. We represent that singularity here with a single point of brilliant light. What happened next happened with inconceivable speed and power. The singularity, say scientists, must have exploded in an unimaginable outpouring of energy and subatomic particles in every direction - and the universe was born. The outward bound particles began combining according to the ingrained laws of nature, growing ever larger and cooling as they sped apart at unbelievable speed. Gradually the universe began cooling, leaving a swarm of outbound proto-galaxies as hydrogen atoms formed, grouped, and turned on as the first stars, pinwheeling about themsevles in clumps to the eternal song of gravity, the most pervasive of the underlying forces. The galaxies were born as the expansion wore on towards infinity, their combined starlight shifting to the red end of the spectrum as they receded.
In the vast collection of galaxies was one typical spiral member, a huge pinwheel of stars we know as the Milky Way galaxy. Our galaxy. A spiral of billions upon billions of stars. Far outside in the flar-flung reaches of one spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy a smallish, normal yellow dwarf star was born about 8 billion years ago. Around this star revolved gas and dust, which over endless time grouped together to form planets, most importantly to us the Earth upon which we stand. LIghting our skies by day, this star enabled life itself to spring forth, including us. At night though we can still see, from within, our glorious spiral galaxy and a few of its innumerable stars as we continue our outward journey from the ancient Big Bang to we know not where.
Behold the stars!
In the end, the question of where the universe came from, in the beginning, is a matter of belief. What came before the universe is impossible to view with our own eyes, and what happened at its actual birth happened billions of years ago. All we can see and wonder at is what the universe shows us today, not the end produce but the evolving form of the universe at this particular moment of its history. But even what we see out there is misleading, for we see each object as it was when the light reaching our wondering eyes left on its journey to Earth - in the case of distant galaxies that may be millions of years ago. Looking out into space is looking into the past. Observing what has happened since the brief dawning of our own astronomical observations, we can only project back to the beginning. Back to what the evidence supports might have happened. Back to the origin of the space/time/mass/energy mix we find ourselves in on Earth, and in our beautiful night sky.
Most scientists today believe in the Big Bang Theory of the creation of the universe. They believe that everything that was to be was originally compressed into a single point, a singularity containing the very basic building blocks of all that came afterwards. We represent that singularity here with a single point of brilliant light. What happened next happened with inconceivable speed and power. The singularity, say scientists, must have exploded in an unimaginable outpouring of energy and subatomic particles in every direction - and the universe was born. The outward bound particles began combining according to the ingrained laws of nature, growing ever larger and cooling as they sped apart at unbelievable speed. Gradually the universe began cooling, leaving a swarm of outbound proto-galaxies as hydrogen atoms formed, grouped, and turned on as the first stars, pinwheeling about themsevles in clumps to the eternal song of gravity, the most pervasive of the underlying forces. The galaxies were born as the expansion wore on towards infinity, their combined starlight shifting to the red end of the spectrum as they receded.
In the vast collection of galaxies was one typical spiral member, a huge pinwheel of stars we know as the Milky Way galaxy. Our galaxy. A spiral of billions upon billions of stars. Far outside in the flar-flung reaches of one spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy a smallish, normal yellow dwarf star was born about 8 billion years ago. Around this star revolved gas and dust, which over endless time grouped together to form planets, most importantly to us the Earth upon which we stand. LIghting our skies by day, this star enabled life itself to spring forth, including us. At night though we can still see, from within, our glorious spiral galaxy and a few of its innumerable stars as we continue our outward journey from the ancient Big Bang to we know not where.
Behold the stars!
A Brief Egyptian Module
Themed Module 1 - Under Egyptian Skies
It is a leap of many years from our own backyard skies to those of the ancients, yet here is a time machine like no other available to us. Though the skies change slowly, we can still see the stars mostly as our ancient human ancestors saw them, linking us to them. And among those who left monuments and writings behind so that we may see what they saw, none may be better than the ancient Egyptians. For what monuments have stood the test of time like the Great Pyramids? Behold the pyramid of Khufu, largest of the three outside Cairo that hold so many mysteries of the ages. Mysteries of burial customs yes, for the pyramids were tombs, burial chambers for Egyptian royalty .. The pyramids were engineering marvels - we find evidence of whole towns housing laborers, who may have been slaves but may have been paid workers.. who seemingly somehow built these enormous lasting structures. But prolonged study of the pyramids provide many clues of the skywatching practices of the ancient Egyptians, who literally merged earth with sky for all eternity/
The Great Pyramid of Khufu is part of a three pyramid chain of lesser tombs on the plain of Giza, guarded by the famous Sphinx. The resemblance of their layout to the three belt stars of Orion is well documented, Orion represented one of Egypts most powerful gods, Osiris, god of death, rebirth and the afterlife. It is easy to see why, since Orion is such an imposing celestial figure then and now. But there is more ... two thin shafts connect Khufu's actual burial chamber with the outside of the structure ... originally thought to be airholes, they roughly align with Orions belt, and the then pole star Thuban in the Constellation Draco. In 2550 BC when Khufu ruled, the earths skies appeared to revolve around Thuban as they do today around Polaris, our own North Star. The building of these shafts is an engineering marvel in itself given the huge size of the stones .. how they were aligned so precisely to important stars compounds the wonder!
The most famous star in ancient Egyptian skies was Sirius, the dog star, brightest still in our heavens of today. Sirius would rise in the dawn at the beginning of the Nile River flooding season - the Nile was vitally important to Egyptian life, agriculture, and trade. Egptian priests who learned to site Sirius first appearance in the dawn sky could predict the flooding, giving them considerable power and influence. Sirius follows Orion in the sky, and first appears at dawn during late summer. When we view our sun rising with Sirius gleaming fitfully on the horizon, think back about what it must have meant to these ancient, intelligent people.
The Egyptians had many star myths and legends just as we do today. In addition to Orion being Osiris, the Milky Way represented the sky goddess Nut, giving birth to the sun god Re. The stars were represented by the goddess of writing, Seshat, and the moon by Thoth, the god of wisdom. Even the horizon, something we today never think of, had significance to the ancient Egyptian skywatchers. The rising sun was associated with Horus, child of Osiris and Isis. Re was the strong noontide sun - think of the incredible heat and light of the noonday sun in the Egyptian desert and its easy to see why this was their most powerful god. The setting sun however was named Atum, the creator god. It was he that lifted the pharohs from their Pyramid tombs into the stars - the redness of the setting sun was his blood as he died. Egyptian immortality was tied together with this daily birth and rebirth of the sun and sky.
They Egyptians called the northern circumpolar stars 'the Imperishable Ones', for they never set .. but in truth their entire culture is Imperishable for us since they preserved so much legacy and history. Like the stars, their monuments, writings, and memory seem to linger on into eternity.
It is a leap of many years from our own backyard skies to those of the ancients, yet here is a time machine like no other available to us. Though the skies change slowly, we can still see the stars mostly as our ancient human ancestors saw them, linking us to them. And among those who left monuments and writings behind so that we may see what they saw, none may be better than the ancient Egyptians. For what monuments have stood the test of time like the Great Pyramids? Behold the pyramid of Khufu, largest of the three outside Cairo that hold so many mysteries of the ages. Mysteries of burial customs yes, for the pyramids were tombs, burial chambers for Egyptian royalty .. The pyramids were engineering marvels - we find evidence of whole towns housing laborers, who may have been slaves but may have been paid workers.. who seemingly somehow built these enormous lasting structures. But prolonged study of the pyramids provide many clues of the skywatching practices of the ancient Egyptians, who literally merged earth with sky for all eternity/
The Great Pyramid of Khufu is part of a three pyramid chain of lesser tombs on the plain of Giza, guarded by the famous Sphinx. The resemblance of their layout to the three belt stars of Orion is well documented, Orion represented one of Egypts most powerful gods, Osiris, god of death, rebirth and the afterlife. It is easy to see why, since Orion is such an imposing celestial figure then and now. But there is more ... two thin shafts connect Khufu's actual burial chamber with the outside of the structure ... originally thought to be airholes, they roughly align with Orions belt, and the then pole star Thuban in the Constellation Draco. In 2550 BC when Khufu ruled, the earths skies appeared to revolve around Thuban as they do today around Polaris, our own North Star. The building of these shafts is an engineering marvel in itself given the huge size of the stones .. how they were aligned so precisely to important stars compounds the wonder!
The most famous star in ancient Egyptian skies was Sirius, the dog star, brightest still in our heavens of today. Sirius would rise in the dawn at the beginning of the Nile River flooding season - the Nile was vitally important to Egyptian life, agriculture, and trade. Egptian priests who learned to site Sirius first appearance in the dawn sky could predict the flooding, giving them considerable power and influence. Sirius follows Orion in the sky, and first appears at dawn during late summer. When we view our sun rising with Sirius gleaming fitfully on the horizon, think back about what it must have meant to these ancient, intelligent people.
The Egyptians had many star myths and legends just as we do today. In addition to Orion being Osiris, the Milky Way represented the sky goddess Nut, giving birth to the sun god Re. The stars were represented by the goddess of writing, Seshat, and the moon by Thoth, the god of wisdom. Even the horizon, something we today never think of, had significance to the ancient Egyptian skywatchers. The rising sun was associated with Horus, child of Osiris and Isis. Re was the strong noontide sun - think of the incredible heat and light of the noonday sun in the Egyptian desert and its easy to see why this was their most powerful god. The setting sun however was named Atum, the creator god. It was he that lifted the pharohs from their Pyramid tombs into the stars - the redness of the setting sun was his blood as he died. Egyptian immortality was tied together with this daily birth and rebirth of the sun and sky.
They Egyptians called the northern circumpolar stars 'the Imperishable Ones', for they never set .. but in truth their entire culture is Imperishable for us since they preserved so much legacy and history. Like the stars, their monuments, writings, and memory seem to linger on into eternity.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A Cakebox Full of Stars
Its Built .. On With The Show
It strikes me as odd that most endeavors in life are not like this .. we fly the airplane as we built it mostly, jobs dont stop as we train .. if we switch jobs/careers there is urgent pressure to get back in the game .. some game... any game like I had to .. I didnt grow up wanting to sell cell phones... most things the signposts come hot and heavy .. exit one mile! college in September! the baby is here in December .... you'll be 70 in X year s...
so into the midst of this built it as you fly it world we seem to live in .. comes this leisurely thing called home planetariums ... and look at me.... i need another year to get my power cords organized ... give me another 3 years and i'll write a show ..
NO MORE! March 1st .. Its BUILT. its refreshing really ... i wonder if broadway productions are like that .. still painting scenery opening night . oh well
somewhere in the back musty corner of whats left of my mind I keep hearing this description of the universe that may fit this pursuit .. maybe it was carl sagan in cosmos who said it
somebody said it .. the universe is finite, but unbounded ...
ive been living in an infinite, unbounded illusion .. time to come to grips with the finite part. Ive still got unbounded to built gegenschien projectors .. but at least I'll have something concrete at last ..
We need markers in our lives, some are given to us .. birthdays, anniverseries.. milestones .. last weekend I visited my son away at college and was stopped in my tracks .. in his dorm room was MY SIGN .. dream big ... I liked that so I stole it! said he .. and then I realized some kind of torch had been passed .. my kid is showing the dream big sign to the future while I sit here on my farm ..
i dug up this picture .. the future, and the past .. the little starbox not only the museum inspired, but that cakebox that started me when I was his age.. the past and the future, taken root in today .. a cakebox full of stars.
It strikes me as odd that most endeavors in life are not like this .. we fly the airplane as we built it mostly, jobs dont stop as we train .. if we switch jobs/careers there is urgent pressure to get back in the game .. some game... any game like I had to .. I didnt grow up wanting to sell cell phones... most things the signposts come hot and heavy .. exit one mile! college in September! the baby is here in December .... you'll be 70 in X year s...
so into the midst of this built it as you fly it world we seem to live in .. comes this leisurely thing called home planetariums ... and look at me.... i need another year to get my power cords organized ... give me another 3 years and i'll write a show ..
NO MORE! March 1st .. Its BUILT. its refreshing really ... i wonder if broadway productions are like that .. still painting scenery opening night . oh well
somewhere in the back musty corner of whats left of my mind I keep hearing this description of the universe that may fit this pursuit .. maybe it was carl sagan in cosmos who said it
somebody said it .. the universe is finite, but unbounded ...
ive been living in an infinite, unbounded illusion .. time to come to grips with the finite part. Ive still got unbounded to built gegenschien projectors .. but at least I'll have something concrete at last ..
We need markers in our lives, some are given to us .. birthdays, anniverseries.. milestones .. last weekend I visited my son away at college and was stopped in my tracks .. in his dorm room was MY SIGN .. dream big ... I liked that so I stole it! said he .. and then I realized some kind of torch had been passed .. my kid is showing the dream big sign to the future while I sit here on my farm ..
i dug up this picture .. the future, and the past .. the little starbox not only the museum inspired, but that cakebox that started me when I was his age.. the past and the future, taken root in today .. a cakebox full of stars.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Art of Being Subtle - (and Bulb Busting)
I've noticed in my own planetarium a few things .. actually everytime I sojourn in there I notice more things. Im at the years long tweaking stage now .. its all about being subtle (or is it suttle). And this is first taught when we note once again (I think I mention this in It is a Feeble Light) .. that a real tendency for home planetarians is to bust bulbs regularly. Because we go in there and look at our stars not for an hour at a time .. but in and out .. and this does not allow our eyes sufficient time to dark adapt . therefore, we tend to forget how subtle starlight is .. and turn it up! Turn it up to 11. Thats better, innit. If we were but to wait the proper time, we'd see that the stars arent supposed to BLAZE. And blazing stars lead to busted bulbs.
Where have subtle pleasures gone? I find myself overlooking so much beauty because I dont look. I wait to be hit over the head. I do this constantly in my little woods out back. Instead of walking round wishing it was 20 acres instead of 5, I determine I havent looked at any of the trees I DO have .. looked at the immeasurably subtle bark on any given tree .. subtle pleasures overlooked waiting for the next bigger and bigger bang.
I do not believe people have lost the art of subtle. I believe it merely sleeps, and can easily be reawoken. Ah what pleasures then await.
Astronomy used to be about self-managing expectations. I was always happy with whatever I could see. The past 20 years brought so much innovation however, it seems easy NOT to be happy anymore with those subtle pleasures.
But we still can be.
Where have subtle pleasures gone? I find myself overlooking so much beauty because I dont look. I wait to be hit over the head. I do this constantly in my little woods out back. Instead of walking round wishing it was 20 acres instead of 5, I determine I havent looked at any of the trees I DO have .. looked at the immeasurably subtle bark on any given tree .. subtle pleasures overlooked waiting for the next bigger and bigger bang.
I do not believe people have lost the art of subtle. I believe it merely sleeps, and can easily be reawoken. Ah what pleasures then await.
Astronomy used to be about self-managing expectations. I was always happy with whatever I could see. The past 20 years brought so much innovation however, it seems easy NOT to be happy anymore with those subtle pleasures.
But we still can be.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Why Atmospherium?
Atmospherium is a term that never took off, but if one wishes to build the sky, why do it only half way? A planetarium depicts (or used to) the night .. the starry realm, and wondrously effectively. This is of course back when planetariums majored in stars. They've long since relegated the stars to the background - we can see black holes revolve, we can go to alpha centauri or see the Earth being born. But no child anymore will strain to recognize that star pattern rising over the coop .. is that Cepheus or Cassieopiea? But we look up in the daylight too . the sky is never idle .. I thought and thought and decided, I liked my sky busy
Pristine darkness - the deep blue of that rare cloudless day were appealing yes. but most of my life there were other things happening .. overlooked .. the moon .. airplanes .. clouds .. glows on the horizon .. rainbows . who's even heard of zodiacal light and the gegenshein . no two snowflakes alike? try no two sunsets are alike .
So an atmospherium shows everything in the atmosphere or above it.. satellites .. vapor trails.. meteors . raindrops .. thunder and lightning
Much more difficult to reproduce? In some ways, but in some ways easier -
but just as universal to the human experience.
So why Atmospherium?
Because thats whats really UP there.
Pristine darkness - the deep blue of that rare cloudless day were appealing yes. but most of my life there were other things happening .. overlooked .. the moon .. airplanes .. clouds .. glows on the horizon .. rainbows . who's even heard of zodiacal light and the gegenshein . no two snowflakes alike? try no two sunsets are alike .
So an atmospherium shows everything in the atmosphere or above it.. satellites .. vapor trails.. meteors . raindrops .. thunder and lightning
Much more difficult to reproduce? In some ways, but in some ways easier -
but just as universal to the human experience.
So why Atmospherium?
Because thats whats really UP there.
Friday, January 15, 2010
What No One Else Is Doing (Between the Cracks)
I long struggled with WHY.. WHY I like to build and show home planetariums, in fact this was the subject of my very first essay, Issue 1, of the HPA (where 'wanting it, we turn it on', just like our stars. The only answer I could come up with at the time was 'because it will be fun', and that resonates still today 16 years later. This internalizes as I age, for now two mothers have been lost, and when one sifts through the lifetime belongings of someone so close, many of the things were personal in nature, and one can only conclude 'mom had this collection of plates, or this ballroom jewlry from the 30s, because IT MADE HER HAPPY. Nobody else. But her.
So home planetariums make me happy. And others too, or potentially so. But theres another reason behind all of this. Im a Beatles freak - and I was reading George Martin, their famous producer, got started and got where he was because in the beginning, he couldnt make it in regular music producing. Those bases were all covered. He decided he wanted to do something 'between the cracks' .. something NO ONE ELSE WAS DOING .. so he began to produce comedy records (Peter Sellers, the Goon Squad) which no one thought would sell. And eventually they did.
Im not thinking eventually Home Planetariums will sell like the Beatles! No, but I like them even more because at least HPA's brand of build everything and tie in every passion imaginable fits with this - nobody else is doing it like we do.
And it makes us happy. So if you are bored, if the paths seem too well trodden, find something no one else is doing that makes you happy. Something between the cracks. You wont regret it.
As my son entered college, we sat in the schools theater and the President strode among us, nervous freshmen and parents alike and said two words ... over and over
He looked at all of us and said .. no regrets .. no regrets.
GO for it.
So home planetariums make me happy. And others too, or potentially so. But theres another reason behind all of this. Im a Beatles freak - and I was reading George Martin, their famous producer, got started and got where he was because in the beginning, he couldnt make it in regular music producing. Those bases were all covered. He decided he wanted to do something 'between the cracks' .. something NO ONE ELSE WAS DOING .. so he began to produce comedy records (Peter Sellers, the Goon Squad) which no one thought would sell. And eventually they did.
Im not thinking eventually Home Planetariums will sell like the Beatles! No, but I like them even more because at least HPA's brand of build everything and tie in every passion imaginable fits with this - nobody else is doing it like we do.
And it makes us happy. So if you are bored, if the paths seem too well trodden, find something no one else is doing that makes you happy. Something between the cracks. You wont regret it.
As my son entered college, we sat in the schools theater and the President strode among us, nervous freshmen and parents alike and said two words ... over and over
He looked at all of us and said .. no regrets .. no regrets.
GO for it.
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