Still no relief on the starlight front--it's been an overcast weekend--but I DID get the chance to do some astronomy outreach last night at the VLM. It was the monthly star party/laser show event in the Abbitt Planetarium, so I crated-up the orrery and assorted other educational props and set-up my table in the planetarium lobby.
Quite a crowd, actually! At least one of the showings sold out, and I'd estimate a hundred-odd people came through to watch 'Floyd' in coherent light.
Quite a crowd, actually! At least one of the showings sold out, and I'd estimate a hundred-odd people came through to watch 'Floyd' in coherent light.
I kept busy with a steady stream of folks curious about the brass-plated clock-work device I was tending. I talked about orreries, tellurions and other pre-planetaria means of visualizing the motions of our solar system's worlds and answered questions about my favorite subject.
Also on display; a die-cast rocket miniature, a sporty red toy car, and a tiny metal astronaut (this is Lucy's keychain, borrowed for the evening). Any guesses as to what recent event THIS collection might be alluding to?
My favorite question of the night: "If the Earth is flat, how do time-changes happen?" Where to begin?
Also on display; a die-cast rocket miniature, a sporty red toy car, and a tiny metal astronaut (this is Lucy's keychain, borrowed for the evening). Any guesses as to what recent event THIS collection might be alluding to?
My favorite question of the night: "If the Earth is flat, how do time-changes happen?" Where to begin?
