Workshop Descriptions

Session #1 (Thursday, 3:30-5:00 PM, Hotel)

1. World in Motion
Karrie Berglund, Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc. 

(45 minutes)   Limit: 25 participants     Free!
This is a presentation of Digitalis' 6th-8th grade lesson plan by the same name. "World in Motion” explores the following concepts: that objects are in motion in our solar system; that Earth's movements give us the concepts of a day and a year; that gravity keeps planets in orbit around the sun and the moon in orbit around the earth; how to recognize a planet in the night sky; and retrograde and prograde planetary motion.

2. Colors of Light
Dayle Brown, Pegasus Productions

(45 minutes)     Free!
Participants will examine the information to be learned from stars by the color of their light. We will examine the eye's reaction to light and color. Rods and cones will be explained. Participants will experiment with colors of light, using diffraction gratings and "color analyzers" to predict the true colors on our "mystery cloth" and mixing the primary colors of light to create white light.

3. The Hunt for Dark Energy
Randall H. Landsberg, Tom Plagge, Mark SubbaRao, Fredrick W. High
(90 minutes)    Free!
Dark Energy dominating the composition of the Universe (72%) has become an accepted story. However, no one knows what this strange stuff is, as it is really different then anything that we are familiar with.  Join us for an insider’s view of on going experiments that seek to characterize Dark Energy.  Learn the gritty and amazing details of a multipronged approach to get a handle on this weird stuff and take away visuals, stories, and science that you can use back at your home institution.

4. No workshop:  if you choose not to attend a workshop during this time period, the vendor area is open.
 

Session #2 (Thursday, 5:30-7:00 PM, Hotel)

5. Introduction to Production with Free Software
Waylena McCully, Chris Janssen, Daniel Tell

(90 minutes),   Limit:  15 participants (must bring a laptop computer).   Free!
This is a workshop to teach beginners how to use free software programs to produce content for planetarium theaters. While the focus will be on using the free software package Blender for 3D image production and video animation, other free programs will also be introduced. These techniques should prove useful for both classical planetarians and those who have converted to fulldome. Advanced registration is required. Participants must bring their own laptops, and will be contacted to install the needed software prior to the start of the workshop. Previous year participants should contact the presenters before registering: wmccully@parkland.edu, cjanssen@wausau.k12.wi.us, dtell@grmuseum.org.

6. Modern Instructional/Event Presentation Technologies for Immersive/Planetarium Theaters
Jeff Bowen & Mike Grznar,  Bowen Technovation   

(45 minutes)    Free!
The modern design for a domed theater should include extensive audio-video-control capabilities for instruction, special events, and other multimedia uses. This package is one of the most overlooked parts of theater upgrade or new construction design and is typically poorly done.  Jeff Bowen and Mark Trotter have designed dozens of such modern packages and will address such subjects as:  On what date the VGA output will disappear from computers?  On what date analog outputs will be disabled on BuRay players?  Where to locate computer and video inputs?  How to network the theater into the LAN?  When to use HDMI...when not.  Inclusion of HDTV tuners.  5.1 audio from HDTV tuners and DVD.  Modern LED, LCD and DLP projectors...how to select for Powerpoint, HDTV, etc.  What is the best way to get live audio mics, keyboards, instruments, etc into the system?  Why install widescreen projectors.  A workbook will be handed out with exercises.

7. Build a Sun Funnel and Other Activities for the Transit of Venus
Chuck Bueter 

(90 minutes) Fee: $25
The 2012 Transit of Venus on Tuesday, June 5, demands safe solar viewing techniques.  You will make-and-take a rear screen projection device that allows a group of observers to view the sun concurrently with one telescope.  Venus and sunspots will show up crisply.  Also get the latest ToV phone app, if available yet, and some transit-related activities for multiple ages. Telescope eyepiece included in workshop fee. Read Chuck's article regarding eyepiece selection, and contact him with your choice.

8. No workshop:  if you choose not to attend a workshop during this time period, the vendor area is open.