WORKSHOPS..................................18

solar system (out to Mars). We will then, using human planets, demonstrate the motions of the planets. Then this human powered model will show how the close approach of Mars will happen this summer. Then we will create a human powered star field and our selected team of astronomers will observe the star field looking for possible exoplanets. Finally, we will construct the exoplanet system of Trappist 1. Participants will receive electronically everything they need to repeat this activity at their home institution. (2 hours) – Conducted by David Dundee

Location: Tennessee Ballroom (2nd floor Holiday Inn University)

Duration: 2 hours (10:15 am – 12:15 pm)

Targeting Different Learning Styles - This workshop will briefly introduce attendees to the seven basic learning styles identified by The Institute for Learning Styles Research. After the overview of the seven learning styles, attendees will work in small groups to create a set of planetarium activities targeting each learning style. These activities will be compiled after the conference and emailed to all workshop participants for use in their domes. – Conducted by Karrie Berglund of Digitalis

Location: Overton Room (2nd floor Holiday Inn University)

Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes (11:00 am – 12:15 pm)

(laser) focused on education

Introducing SciDome IQ 2400 Laser and SciDome IQ 4K Laser - high resolution laser-illuminated projection designed specifically for educational planetariums.

Laser fulldome display brings stunningly bright display to your dome (6,000 lumen 2.4K and 12,000 lumen 4K) and a 24,000 light-source lifetime. No other systems combine superior image quality with the education features of SciDome.

Paper Sessions

Paper Session #1 Wednesday, June 6

9:00am Jon Bell - Star names, Asterisms and Obscure Constellations

Why is there a head of hair in the sky? Whatever happened to Bufo the Toad? How come Sagittarius aims at Scorpius, but an arrow ends up lodged over in the Summer Triangle? Why do so many star names start with the letters, “AL?” And where exactly is Wasat? Find out the answers to these and many more stellar mysteries in a friendly little contest to see who knows the most about some of the more esoteric stories about the sky. Prizes will be awarded!

9:15am Terry Johnson - Finding a New Niche

When my university opened a new digital planetarium with free school shows, my portable dome was no longer viable. However, I found a mutually beneficial arrangement between local schools and my university that kept the portable in use and provided us with some valuable resources. This talk explores what teachers actually wanted in outreach from us, what we got in exchange, and the future of this program at UCA.

9:30am Adam Thanz - The New iMac Pro and Show Production

Find out how the new iMac Pro performs with modern planetarium show production. Learn about what equipment and specs were employed to create a fun and speedy workflow for content creation!

9:45am David Dundee - Kinetic Activities on National Astronomy Day

This paper will describe the NASA funded kinetic activities done at the Tellus Science Museum this past April. I will show how our human powered solar system demonstrated the planetary motions of the inner planets. Also this activity demonstrated how the close approach of Mars will happen in July. I will show how we built a human powered exoplanet system and how our junior astronomers detected possible exoplanet systems in our human powered star field.

Paper Session #2 Wednesday, June 6

4:45pm Dave Hostetter - An Aerospace Lobby for Fun and Non-Profit

With the help of Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium, the Lafayette Science Museum changed its rather ordinary building entrance into an aerospace lobby.

5:00 pm Bob Bonadurer - Dealing with Dark Dome Discipline

Every planetarium educator tries to maintain some semblance of “law and order” under their dome. This paper will look at some recent initiatives here in Milwaukee to combat smart phone use, talking, clueless parents (when child crying) and flashing shoes.

5:15 pm Brad Herring - National Informal STEM Education (NISE)

Learn more about the free Explore Science: Earth and Space Toolkits and how planetariums can benefit from these valuable resources. In this presentation, participants will learn about the National Informal STEM Education (NISE) Network’s new Space and Earth Informal Science Education project and how their organization can get involved. In collaboration with NASA, the NISE Network is currently assembling a new set of free engaging, hands-on Earth and space science toolkits with connections to Heliophysics, Earth Science, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics, and their social dimensions. A total of 350 toolkits will be awarded to eligible organizations through a competitive application process in the fall of 2018. In this presentation, we’ll present a general introduction to the project and provide an overview of the Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkits, including information about how to apply.

The bulk of any discussion surrounding planetarium production will be centered on the visual side of things, i.e. how can we better communicate science with our own animations. But, of course, there’s the audio side as well. Getting started in audio production can be an intimidating prospect… but it’s not as bad as you may think. Here, we will go over how to build your own audio production PC, how to choose the best digital audio workstation software to suit your needs and budget, and how to get the best out of your audio project.

9:15 am Dave Hostetter - A Hunka, Hunka Burnin’ Rock

Meteorites are among the few tangible connections a planetarium visitor can have with the cosmos. A meteorite exhibit can be popular and educational, but there are many things to consider to make it effective.

9:30 am Jim Greenhouse - iPhones and Eyes Kiosks

Two unrelated topics will be covered. In a quest to find endless uses for old cell phones, the planetarium staff discovered a procedure for getting videos onto an iPhone app and then playing them in a loop for temporary displays. In some circumstances, iPhones can also be used to show Power Point presentations with an Apple Watch as the remote. Find out what equipment is needed, which apps work, and details for transferring the presentations. Additionally, my museum received a Smithsonian Affiliate grant to develop an exhibit kiosk which will allow visitors to explore the resources of the NASA Eyes software. This project is in progress, so any information gathered by the time of the presentation will be shared.

9:45 am Jack Northrup - Hyperspheric to Hemispheric Camera Tricks

Ways to convert and correct hyperspheric fisheye images to hemispheric dome masters. Also tricks in Blender to manipulate these images.

Paper Session #4 Thursday, June 7

1:30 pm Dr. William Gutsch - Creating Planetarium Programs for a Wide Variety of Styles and Formats Including Multi-lingual Productions

A look at the unique needs of scripts and corresponding production requirements for a variety of program formats including: planetarium voice over documentaries, dialogue using famous characters with lip synch, live theater in a planetarium setting, integrating video of actors on sound stages with animation… and special considerations for writing and producing shows to be adapted to different languages and cultures.

2:00 pm Patrick McQuillan - Dome of Doom: The Art of Avoiding Errors When Renovating Your Planetarium

Even when you have a very detailed vision of what your final renovated theater should look like, physical and operational defects can force their way into your completed project. Spend some time looking at areas to focus attention on when renovating from the perspective of a theater that got most everything right. But...on somethings...missed it by that much!

2:15 pm Jason Dorfman - 3D Printing a Solar Filter

Bays Mountain Park received a 3-D printer as a donation in 2016. As we were in production on our new eclipse show, the printer sat unused for several months. Once we finished our production, I took on the task of learning how to use the printer. I began to look for something to model myself and print. With the solar eclipse coming up in August, creating a solar filter for my telescope was already on my mind. In my presentation I will explain how I designed and modelled the filter using our 3-D modelling software. I’ll cover some of the design flaws that became evident after the printing process. Finally, I’ll present the final product, which we also now use on a different scope for solar observations at Bays Mountain Park.

2:30 Break

2:45 pm Lindsie Smith & Duke Johnson - Maintaining Relevance

What are you doing to keep audiences coming back? Is the experience you’re offering garnering new audiences? What evidence do you gather to inform your approach and strategic planning to ensure that your planetarium remains a relevant and impactful member of your community? Please join us for a brief overview of conversations and approaches that have made a difference for Clark Planetarium in recent years both pre and post renovation. Please join us for a brief overview of conversations and approaches that have made a difference for Clark Planetarium in recent years both pre and post renovation.