Mueller Planetarium to host planetarium professionals Sept. 13-16

Mueller Planetarium at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will host the Western Alliance Conference of Planetariums Sept. 13-16.

This conference has become the annual meeting for four different planetarium professional organizations: the Southwestern Association of Planetarium, the Great Plains Planetarium Association, the Rocky Mountain Planetarium Association and the Pacific Planetarium Association. Conference attendees will see demonstrations of new technologies, hear presentations devoted to astronomy education and developments in the field, and engage in an exchange of ideas and techniques.

In addition to being able to experience four different versions of full-dome video technology on the Mueller dome, conference attendees will be treated to a live performance by "AstroJazz," a quartet of musicians from Boulder, Colo., led by the Space Science Institute's Cherilynn Morrow (www.astrojazz.org).

The week's events will culminate in a banquet address by James Rice Jr. of Arizona State University, a member of the Mars Exploration Rover science team. The conference will also travel to Omaha to visit the King Science & Technology Magnet Center School Planetarium to highlight the educational uses of a planetarium in a high school setting.

"We are extremely gratified to be hosting this meeting," said Jack Dunn, coordinator of Mueller Planetarium and president of the Great Plains Planetarium Association. "The developments in full-dome technology, in particular, are changing the vision of the modern planetarium. It is not just the largest cites that will benefit from this revolution, but the technology is rapidly evolving to permit all sizes of facilities to offer new and dynamic presentations."

The conference is not open to the general public.

For examples of full-dome technology see: Konica/Minolta MediaGlobe Evans & Sutherland Digistar 3 or Sky-Skan Definiti

Contact: Jack Dunn (402) 472-2641.