The International Year ofAstronomy in Germany:The Role of Planetaria

CAP 2007Athens

October 8th, 2007

Susanne Hüttemeister

Planetarium Bochumand

Astronomical Institute, Bochum University

The Structure of German Astronomy

Rat deutscher Sternwarten (RdS)- Council of German Observatories

Professional Astronomy

37 member institutes (voting members: directors) - Universities - Max-Planck-Institutes - State observatories Current president: Prof. Dieter Reimers, Hamburg

Astronomische Gesellschaft (AG)- Astronomical SocietyAbout 800 individual members, most Germanprofessional astronomers, a few teachers/amateursCurrent president: Prof. Gerhard Hensler, Vienna

Complicated structure, responsibilities not always clear,e.g.: AG has no budget to finance any IYA activity, is not entirely a German organisation…

The amateursCurrent registry (probably incomplete): 148 astronomy clubs and public observatories in Germany

Umbrella organisation

Vereinigung der Sternfreunde‚Association of Friends of Astronomy‘~ 4000 individual and institutional membersin principle excellent resources

Activities● 18 sections, some very active e.g. meteors, comets, deep sky, planets, sun, spectroscopy, stellar occultations, variables…● A journal● Organisation of national ‚Astronomy Day‘ … with very mixed success

Problem: Without exceptions volunteers with other obligations

The IYA 2009: PreparationsMany ideas and plans in various states of completeness

● Astronomical Society: - Only coordinating role is possible - Idea (Committee for the Teaching of Astronomy): Encourage all professional institutes to approach local schools and do ‚Astronomy weeks‘, use schools as addtitional multipliers (see poster Scorza for great examples)

● RdS – appointed ‚Single Point of Contact‘ resigned – - Replacement will be found very soon (urgently needed)

● VdS (amateurs) are acknowlegded as very important partners by the professionals, but may lack coordination

● Popular Astronomy Journals (three major ones exist) may be important partners

● Planetaria : Joint effort planned

National Structure?

Federal Ministry of Education and Researchdeclares national ‚Scince Years‘

International Year ofPhysics 2005in Germany ‚Einstein Year‘ was a verysuccessful example

Joint planetarium programm 2005:Trial run for the IAY 2009?

2009 may be ‚Year of Light‘(probably not ‚Year of Astronomy‘),but subject is related: Inclusionin infrastructure (and financialsupport) seems possible and ishighly desirable (SPC)

Planetaria in Germany

Stuttgart

Bochum

Hamburg

Berlin -Archenhold

Jena

Mannheim

Yet another council:RdP ‚Rat deutscher Planetarien‘- Council of German planetaria

24 members (3 in Austria)- at least one full-time staff member- at least 10000 visitors/year

LocationsOperated by:● most often cities, directly or indirectly● sometimes astronomy clubs● rarely universites● sometimes museumsCommercial operationusually not possible, Public financial supportneededNo ‚standard‘ structure

About as many non-RdPsmall planetaria (often in the former GDR)Often in difficult financialsituation

VisitorsRdP-Planetaria:Roughly 2 million vistors per year (1.6 – 1.95 Millionen 2002 – 2006)Fairly constant● Hamburg (~ 340000) to● Cottbus (~ 19000)

By far the most visited locations of astronomical outreach and education

Bochum

Obvious important participant in IAY 2007

Heterogeneous Technology…

Optomechanical Projektors

Full Dome Video Systems(plus optomechanical projectors)

So far: 4 RdP planetaria

So far: The vast majorityThis will change in thenext 10 years, but nottill 2009

A joint programm must work on both systems!Possible, but requires flexibility and ‚good will‘

… and Philosophy

Large planetarium(20m-dome, 200 – 300 seats, 8 in Germany)

- Often preproduced shows- Technically advanced- (Sometimes) truly immersive- But perceived as ‚movies‘ by visitors, no ‚personal‘ touch

Small planetaria(~ 60 seats)

- Many live programmes- ‚charming‘ and individual, but limited capabilities

Plans for a IYA cooperationGoal: A joint planetarium show for all German language planetaria

Joint nationwide promotion very high visibility

Spring 2007:

European Space Agency approaches RdP

Intent: ● Production (by ESA) of planetarium show for IYA ● ESA missions featured, but no ‚ESA commercial‘ ● Advancing consciousness of European astronomy ● Emotional impact, spirit of discovery ● Almost all RdP planetaria signal interest● Working groups (content / visualisation) constituted● Content group met several times – storyboard developped

The Show: From Galileo…

…to Multiwavelength Space Astronomy

Focus: Missions Herschel and PlanckThe depth of time and space

… and Planetary Exploration

Focus onpresent and future

Teaching material and an exhibition

Leader of the exhibition part of the project:Planetarium Laupheim(experienced in designing exhibitions)

Material for schools anda travelling exhibition should accompany theshow.

Teaching material: ESA

Will it happen?

Potential problem(s)

● Individualistic nature of German planetaria (and large number of different internal structures) makes cooperation difficult

● ESA requires significant financial contribution from all participating planetaria

Crucial RdP meeting:November 5th,Committment requiredshortly thereafter

An additional focus: Light pollution

German initiative ledby Andreas Hänel (Planetarium and science museumOsnabrück)

● Museum-quality exhibition● Public events

Light pollution map of central Europe

Think global – act local?

IYA in Germany

Success will verylikely depend onmany local activities- Professional institutes- Planetaria- Schools- Astronomy clubs- Individuals

Despite (hopefully)common planetariumshow

National umbrella probably limitedto information / coordination