The Prodigal Poster's Potential Planetarium Pratfalls

Written by Skyjim

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 (0) Comments posted about this in the forum