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The Prodigal Poster's Potential Planetarium Pratfalls |
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Written by Skyjim
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Dec 13, 2005 at 02:22 PM |
Well, my friends at ES are used to me popping in, then not posting for
awhile. Part of it is simply having lots of other things going on
in life, but occasionally it is something interesting.
I've been spending lots of time over the last 5 weeks or so learning
how to operate a new planetarium in addition to the mini-planetarium I
operate at the Griffith Observatory satellite. This one is
located at a local Junior College, Santa Monica College, and is quite
different from the Griffith Mini. I'm the new K through
12th grade planetarium lecturer, playing to my affinity for working
with children.
I've admittedly been spoiled by the intuitive interface we have at the
Mini - basically, it's the Starry Night interface. Drescher
Planetarium at SMC uses sort of a layered approach - A Digistar
projector for stars, planets (no zoom), and meteors, but a large bank
of slide and video projectors for everything else. In addition,
you've got a big bank of sound and video boxes behind you, leading to a
concern that I'd wind up looking like the character in "The Wizard of
Oz" (You know - "Pay no attention to the man behind the
curtain!") as I attempted my first shows on this system. That is
a nightmare scenario for one who feels deeply obligated to present
students with an entertaining, informative show presented without major
hiccups...
(Operate, narrate, operate, narrate, and be smooth! OOPS! Sorry kids... I don't really know how to run this thing!)
Anyway, I wound up spending a lot of time speaking to an empty dome
during afternoons when I'd finished up at Griffith. Lots of very
frustrating commute time on the choked LA freeways at rush hour,
something I've been able to largely avoid since starting at
Griffith. General fatigue, plus some major projects at home that
need to finished before Christmas, all contributed to my seldom looking
in on ES.
Still busy, but I've started doing actual programs at SMC, I've
survived, and the kids and teachers so far have been happy.
Whew! Now I just have to finish the den so I can move stuff out
of the living room and go get a Christmas tree this week! Then
back to work on the diesel truck project, and finish up that 10"
dobsonian in the garage so I can get back to work on my 18" truss scope
project.
Life is busy, but good!
Jim
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