400 Years of the Telescope | Planetarium Program | A Journey of Science, Technology and Thought

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TWO SMALL PIECES OF GLASS

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OUTREACH

SIR ISAAC NEWTON

England (1643 - 1727)

English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist and theologian, his Philosophæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, published in 1687, is considered to be the most influential book in the history of science. In this work, Newton described universal gravitation and the three laws of motion, laying the groundwork for classical mechanics, which dominated the scientific view of the physical universe for the next three centuries and is the basis for modern engineering.

Planetaria Team

Two of the nation's most advanced planetariums and their producers have partnered with Interstellar Studios, with 'Imiloa as the lead planetarium, to produce a companion full dome program to this series. This collaboration will produce a visual experience of the history of the telescope that will be shown in planetaria throughout the country and the world. Free distribution of this program will be provided to hosting planetariums.

Buhl Planetarium

For 70 years, the Buhl Planetarium has served as a state-of-the-art facility and a model for planetariums around the world.

Buhl Planetarium was the fifth planetarium to open in the United States back in 1939. In 1988, it merged with the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh to create Carnegie Science Center, which opened in 1991. The “new Buhl” has served as a state-of-the-art facility and a model for planetariums around the world.

The Buhl Planetarium has established itself internationally as a leading creator of quality planetarium programs with innovative content. The planetarium has created and distributed more than 400 shows that are seen throughout the United States and on four other continents. Buhl shows have been translated into 18 languages.

James Hughes

Kris Koenig James Hughes has been a member of the staff of Buhl Planetarium since 1982. He has been the planetarium producer for the last 8 years. James coordinates the many aspects of Buhl’s astronomy based multimedia productions including scriptwriting, computer graphics and illustration, music selection and show installation. His productions include: The Search for Life In The Universe, narrated by Leonard Nimoy; On Orbit, a virtual training mission to the International Space Station using Buhl’s 5 button interactive audience response system; Circus In the Stars, one of the first full length all dome educational shows; and The New Cosmos, an exploration of the past 100 years of astronomy – narrated by Arthur C. Clarke. James also had the opportunity to create a preschool program, The Sky Above Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood with fellow Pittsburgher Fred Rogers.

For the past 12 years James has coordinated the sale and distribution of Buhl Planetarium shows to nearly 400 planetarium facilities in 39 US states and 22 countries on 5 continents. He has seen these programs translated into 19 foreign languages.

In 2006, James oversaw the installation of a new DigitalSky 2 full dome video system from Sky Skan Inc. featuring the first permanent installation of Sony SXRD projectors. James production and programming skills have also been requested by others in the international planetarium community and he was made a Fellow of the International Planetarium Society in 2000.

Dan Malerbo

Dan Malerbo Dan Malerbo is the education coordinator for the Buhl Planetarium and Observatory. He is also a planetarium lecturer and staff educator at the Carnegie Science Center. He has presented hands-on astronomy and aerospace programs for educators and students for the past 20 years. Dan has written some of the Buhl’s most popular shows and currently writes a weekly “Stargazing” and science column for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Frank Mancuso

Frank Mancuso Frank Mancuso is a production specialist and DigitalSky programmer for the Buhl Planetarium. Since the installation of the planetarium’s full-dome projection system in 2006, Frank has worked to showcase the visual impact of the new system in the planetarium shows. Frank is also a planetarium presenter and lecturer, and expert guide at the Buhl Observatory.

Shawn Laatsch - Executive Producer
'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii

Mr. Shawn Laatsch is Planetarium Manager for the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii where he installed the world’s first 3D stereoscopic planetarium. He serves as an Executive Officer in the International Planetarium Society, the world’s largest organization of planetarium professionals. Shawn is actively involved in astronomy outreach and education and is a NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador. He has presented several thousand planetarium shows, and numerous lectures on a variety of astronomical topics – including being an invited guest speaker in Moscow, Hamburg, and Athens. In 2008 he received the International Planetarium Society’s Service Award for dedication to the planetarium field.

Over the past 24 years he has been actively involved in planetarium program development and astronomy education in museum, university, and k-12 settings. He has taught astronomy at the University of Louisville, East Carolina University, and Pitt Community College. He has a passion for cultural and historical astronomy.

Prior to his positions at Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii, he served as the Director of the Gheens Science Hall & Rauch Planetarium at the University of Louisville and the Arthur Storer Planetarium in Prince Frederick, Maryland.

Kris Koenig - Interstellar Studios

Kris Koenig Kris Koenig is a 2005 Emmy® Award-winning writer for the 10-hour public television telecourse “Astronomy: Observations & Theories”. He is a lecturer at California State University of Chico, and the founder and director of the Kiwanis Chico Community Observatory and the Shoemaker Open Sky Planetarium. He is also an associate member of the American Astronomical Society.