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Twenty Seven Planetarium Shows
1. Star Patterns: Pre-K and K
Kindergarteners are directly addressed by planetarium programs, although concepts
such as "near and far," "large and small," and similar comparisons certainly apply.
Suggestions from imaginative teachers are welcome. However, many kindergarten
children are afraid of the dark unless the number of hand-holding adults is at least one
for two children. (Most first graders are not afraid of the dark if warned in advance.)
If you have a kindergarten class that you would like to bring to the planetarium,
please give me a call. Children at this age are very good at learning and recognizing
patterns in the sky.
2. Sun Shadows: 1Grade
Universe in Change: "Identify that the position of shadows cast by objects in the sun
changes during the day.'' An equatorial sundial made of a card with a drinking straw
as a gnome illustrates this well. Both students and teachers can build this simple
object. The students will need help in installing the soda straw at the correct angle.
However, even if the angle is wrong and the gnome is not oriented close to true
geographical north, the shadow change throughout the day is apparent. In the first
grade clock reading is generally also an objective, and a correctly made and pointed
equatorial sundial is readable directly in hours, just like a clock face. Of course, it will
read local apparent solar time, not zone mean solar time.
3. Sun-Earth-Moon Dance 2-4 Grade
4. Measure’s of the Solar System 3-14 Grade
“Walk of the Planets”
“The Earth as a Peppercorn”
“The thousand Yard Model of the Solar System”
5. Star Navigators 4-14 Grade
“Simbad the Sailor uses a Kamal to reach his destination”
6. Star Light, Spectra of Stars: 5-14 Grade
How the spectra and the color of stars reveal their properties. We shall look at the
discrete emission spectra of hydrogen, helium, and neon gas discharge tubes by using
hand-held diffraction gratings. We shall discuss the elemental composition of the
universe, learn why hot stars are bluer and cool stars redder, and look at the
absorption spectra of stars to determine their properties.
7. Living in Space 7-14 Grade
8. Searching for Extraterrestrial Intelligence 7-14 Grade
9. Viking and Path Finder, Spacecraft’s on Mars 7-14 Grade
10. Origins of the Solar System 8-14 Grade
11. Is Most of the Universe Missing? H.S. and above Physics
What evidence do astronomers have that 90% of the universe is dark? This traveling
talk requires that the audience be familiar with physics and algebra at the high school
level. This is an ideal talk for high school physics classes after they have learned
about circular motion with a radial acceleration of a = v^2/R and understand Newton's
law of universal gravitation F=GMm/R^2. This is the only traveling talk that requires
the audience to understand equations.
12. Creation of the Elements: H.S. and above Chemistry
This program is an explanation of how nucleosynthesis in stars created the elements
in the universe out of hydrogen and helium which were created during the big bang.
The iron in your blood was created in a supernova explosion.
13. The Whisper of Creation: 9-14 Grade
“The Big Bang”
The initial explosion creating the universe can be listened to in microwave
frequencies. This program is suitable for all school age groups and has been delivered
in Vacation Bible School as well as other school groups. The level can be adjusted for
the audience for religious groups Genesis and Psalm will be used.
14. Astrolabes: Astronomy Classes that understand something about celestial coordinate
systems
An astrolabe was the most important astronomical instrument before the telescope
was invented, and the most important astronomical calculator before the digital
computer was invented. Geoffrey Chaucer of Canterbury Tales fame wrote the
earliest work of science education in 1387, The Treatise of the Astrolabe, for his 10year-old son Lewis. A Star Finder/plainsphere is a partially functioning astrolabe. A
real astrolabe does what a plainsphere does and much more. Is it history or science?
http://Astrolabes.org is a URL that I own and is rated by http://Britannica.com as the
best source of information on Astrolabes on the web.
15. Solar Eclipses: 5-14 Grade
Solar Eclipse in general and the eclipse of 11 July 1991 and the eclipse of 26 February
1998 in particular are the subject of this talk and slide presentation.
16. The Sun Our Star 3-7 Grade
17. Solar Cycles 8-14 Grade
18. Solar Flares, HESSI, High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager, a spacecraft 7-14
Grade
19. Light Pollution, How Seeing the Stars Will Save You Money: 7-14 Grade
We can not see the Milky Way from the Washington Metro area anymore, but this
spectacle could return. In fact, it can be done in such a way as to save millions of
dollars-for towns, county, and state government-while putting more light on the
ground where we humans need to see at night and in the spectral band (color) at
which humans have our peak visual acuity. IDA, International Dark Sky Association,
URL is http://www.darksky.org.
20. African Skies 3-14 Grade
“Follow the Drinking Gourd”
21. Black Holes, Gravity to the Max 8-14 Grade
22. When the Sky Falls: 7-14 Grade
“Death from Asteroids and Comets”
23. How are Stars Born? 8-14 Grade
24. The Causes of the Seasons: 5-14 Grade
25. Phases of the Moon, Phases of the Earth: 4-14 Grade
26. Splendors of the Universe: Adults
“The Astronomical Zoo”
Eighty slides of the universe, starting with the sun and the planets, then moving to
star-forming regions within our Galaxy, to galaxies outside of the Milky Way (our
Galaxy), and finally to clusters of galaxies. Sixty of the slides are the most beautiful,
correct-color photographs of astronomical objects that have ever been taken. All of
these pictures are presented with relevant explanations as to their meaning and
significance, with questions solicited from the audience as the talk progresses.
27. Space-craft Tour of the Solar System: Adults
? Slides covering from the sun to the outer parts of the solar system.
28. Mesoamerican Observers of the Sky Hispanic show
“Aztec, Mayan, and Olmec
29. Chesapeake Bay Crater 35.5 ± 0.6 million years ago, when Washington, DC and
Richmond VA were on the coast, an object hit the earth on the continental shelf in the
Atlantic ocean, N 37° 17' W 76° 1', causing a crater 85 km in diameter. After sea level
fell, this crater would help form the Chesapeake Bay. The impact site is now called the
lower Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay Bolide: Modern consequences
of an Ancient Cataclysm.