From Veneration to Verite

I watched with a somewhat strange mixture of emotions as a giant banner was draped from the roof over the side of the Moorehead Planetarium, Chapel Hill, NC. Several new shows were beginning the next day, the day I was to make my first commercial planetarium visit in over 30 years. The planetarium world I had left so long ago was etched firmly in my mind, and I wondered if I would find it still waiting for me so many years later. I had my doubts as I noticed Big Bird featured prominently on the banner. So I asked myself a question. Planetariums in the intervening years had become entertainment emporiums surely, but were visitors learning anything? I went to one of the oldest planetariums in the USA looking for veneration. Ivied walls, impossibly complex optical monsters defiantly shining forth their analog splendor. I craved the hushed corridors with dim backlit spiral arms gleaming in fondly remembered night of my own past. I was all 50's and 60's Adler, visiting the Moorehead in the summer of 2012. Looking for the past, veneration, I found verite, or the candid truth in planetariums today. I think both can live. I started with what was still there from my old cherished memories of planetariums gone by. The building, it was old and classic. The gift shop full of wonders. So far so good. Traveling into the dome itself gave that same breathless feeling - and the Moorehead had a BIG BIG dome - moreso, this was a surprise because unlike alot of planetariums, you could not see the dome from the outside. The dome was not tilted to my relief. Tilted domes were too much for me, a symbol of our faint arrogance to alter nature to suit OUR comfort. But the chairs were not round the chamber, but oriented in a semi circle, implying a clear 'stage' area. Gone was that quirky 'ballpark' feeling where different seats had different views. A depressing 'no bad seat in the house' feeling always comes over me, insanely. I grew up going to shows in arcane old theaters - ballparks with posts, odd corners - here there was no feeling of .. I HAVE to go back and get a seat next time off third base, these rightfield seats are just arent that good! Here was dull uniformity. to be continued But back to my question, did they learn anything? 'Theres the Big Dipper', shouted a young girl as we walked post-show down the sidewalk outside, pointing up at seven stars on the giant banner draped over the building. I had my answer.