Throughout April, 2011
The Planetarium Working Group is dedicated to gathering, sharing and creating activities in planetariums. The project Planetarians Without Borders, launched during Global Astronomy Month, April 2011, and focuses on bringing together planetarium professionals around the globe in ongoing programs and events meant to be sustainable even beyond GAM. Suggested Events for Your Planetarium
- Cosmic Concert: Your audience can enjoy an online “Cosmic Concert”— a live piano solo performance and have it broadcasted in your planetarium. On April 28, 19.00 U.T., it will be live streamed here
- Astropoetry Sessions: Transform your planetarium, freely combining images, video, stars, and music—while reading poetry under a starry dome.
- Searching for New Skies: A chance for the audiences to experience whole new skies, in faraway places where, during this global celebration, other people are also discovering their sky. Show everyone that we are, in fact, “one people, one sky.”
- Dark Skies Awareness: How is your sky? An event comparing the sky inside the planetarium with the real sky, creating awareness of the need to preserve night skies—especially in big cities—as the public goes to the planetarium and looks at the “perfect sky,” then goes outside and looks at the “real sky.” Ask your audience: “How do you perceive your sky now, after seeing the potential and the beauty it could really have?
- SunDay: Promote, during Sun Day, a planetarium show dedicated to the Sun. Get to “Know your Star”.
- Lunar Week: During Lunar Week, have a live show regarding Moon and Culture—how our Moon is seen through different cultures.
- Finally, here’s an example of a planetarium program for the visually impaired: Together with Astronomers Without Borders, the Astronomical Observatory at University of Valencia will offer a planetarium show titled “El Cielo en Tus Manos,” (The Sky in Your Hands) based on a project developed during IYA in Spain. For more information on how you can adopt the program, please go the "The Sky in Your Hands" webpage.
These are only a few of the ways you and your planetarium can celebrate Global Astronomy Month - we’d like to hear more. Planetarians around the world are already doing so many creative initiatives and doing them so well. Share with us your GAM. This is a chance to see your ideas implemented around the world. You can become an inspiration to the community.
If you have some interesting ideas please share them with us and send to: Lina Canas or Sotira Trifourki
