Video Description
Audience members gaze up at a simulated night sky projected onto the dome of a dimly lit planetarium theater. Stars, a galaxy, aurora and constellation imagery appear across the dome.
Connecting the community to the beauty of the night sky and the wonders of the cosmos.
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Dear UWM Planetarium friends,
Any International Planetarium Society conference is a stimulating experience that makes me consider new ideas and examine how we do what we do. To make it even more exhilarating, this year the conference was held in Fukuoka, Japan. This was my first visit to Japan! I loved the Japanese gardens that seemed to have every sight line curated to be as beautiful as possible. Many dishes that food was served in were works of art. Here are some key points from my Fukuoka conference:
(1) One of the keynote speakers wondered about the role of planetariums over the next 100 years now that we live in the age of answers all around us. His conclusion? A planetarium is “a place where people encounter questions worth pursuing.”
(2) Another idea that resonated with me is to give people time to be present in the planetarium and observe the projected night sky. There are so few opportunities for people to focus on the here and now with others.
(3) I gave a talk about the planetarium program we developed for 3rd grade students in MPS. The co-chair of the Education committee approached me and said I was one of the people who talked about what really matters: the value of learning and challenging students and the pride they have when they understand a concept. I was very pleased.
(4) Icing on the cake? We saw a Noh Theater performance that connected a solar eclipse with important Japanese mythology.
I look forward to seeing you under the stars,
Jean