Big Astronomy: Finding Synergy with a Planetarium Show, Website, Live Events, and Educational Toolkits
Abstract
"Big Astronomy in Chile Through Dome+" is an NSF-funded project that brings together experts in astronomy and STEM education, resource development, and planetarium show production to share the story of the people and places that make big astronomy possible. A high-quality, bilingual planetarium show exploring remote telescopes and introducing diverse observatory professionals will be distributed for free or at very low cost, with a proposed global premiere on Saturday, 2 May 2020. A complementary web portal with resources for formal and informal educators, including planetarians, will also feature two years of live events with observatory staff to continue engagement after viewers see the planetarium show. Educational kits created by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for amateur astronomers and informal educators will provide an opportunity for outreach that works in tandem with the planetarium show. Finally, the efficacy of the entire effort, referred to as the "Dome+" model, which leverages a planetarium show synergistically with other content, will be researched by Michigan State University. The project is a collaboration between Associated Universities Inc., Michigan State University, California Academy of Sciences, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #235
- Pub Date:
- January 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AAS...23523902W