Version 2

NASA E/PO Training

Summer 2010

Jeff Adkins NASA Astrophysics Educator AmbassadorDirector, DVHS Science Research Academy

Jeff AdkinsDeer Valley High School Science Research Academy

http://www.cccoe.net/starshttp://www.ESPACEacademy.com

How to Build a Classroom Planetarium

Business

Tickets

Evaluation instructions

5 extra people - flash drives?

Business

Agenda“Obstacles are opportunities.” - story

Let’s make a small a 1-f geodesic dome

How to build a 5 m diameter, 2-f dome from cardboard; build a 2 m dome here

Buying a Planetarium

Projectors Demonstrated

Resources, curriculum, standards

Activity: 1-f dome1-f: means 1 kind of triangle

Start with 15 circles

Fold into equilateral triangles

Make ONE 5-cap

Arrange the others into an alternating row

Connect ends of row to make a hoop

Decide: flaps in or out

Attach the cap

Activity: 1-f domeDiscussion

What’s it good for?

Celestial Sphere

Zenith, Horizon, Meridian, NSEW

Star mapping

Ecliptic

Interlacing 2 of different sizes

Coordinate systems (equatorial vs. alt-az)

Getting LargerGrant from County office of education and Lesher Foundation

Goal: Build an enclosed dome large enough to hold a normal sized class

Project the stars on the interior of the dome

Keep expenses low

Create a web site to share the instructions

Overview of web sitehttp://www.cccoe.net/stars

This site was funded by a grant from the Dean and Margaret Lesher foundation and the Contra Costa County (CA) Office of Education

Funds provided to develop site and disseminate information

OverviewBuilding a Dome

Desktop2 Meter5 Meter

Paint Your Project

Making a ProjectorCylinderBuilding a Projector

Using the Planetarium

Curriculum

AssessmentsResourcesSafety

 

Feedback

Celebration Checklist page

Send your dome building report to us!

Credits

Quick Links

Deer Valley High School Science Department

Antioch SPACE Academy

AstronomyTeacher's web site

The 2 meter Dome

www.desertdomes.com

Provides formulas and interactive calculator for geodesic domes

Our instructions are based on these formulas

2m DomeObtain large sheets of cardboard from crating or from paper manufacturer

Create two master triangles shaped like these. (using string and old-school geometry)

A Geometric Construction

Leave a “flap” along each edge about 2 inches wide for connecting triangles

Add flaps

Assembly

Make 10 A-type, 30 B-type

Begin by assembling six ”caps” of 5 type B triangles each

Close the “gap”

How big will it be?1 triangle per poster-board

Design will eventually use 10 triangle bases in a circle.

Circumference = # of triangles along base x length of bottom

0.618 m x 10 = 6.18 m

Circumference = π diameter

diameter = 6.18/π

d = 1.96 meters

5B

5B 5B

5B5B

5B

A A

A

A

AA

A A

A

A

Connecting Segments

Use tape to hold segments together

Tape the corner intersections

Prevent light leaks

Use of clamps, staples, etc.

The ProjectorPrices run from $30 - 30,000 depending on what you need

Simplest projectors are negative images (need white dome with sealed joints)

Pinhole projectors make white on black stars

requires light-tight dome

eyes must be dark-adapted

Star Theatre IIhttp://www.hobbytron.net/product1615.html

Spitz Junior Planetarium ca. 1950’s - Ebay

More advanced

Need a projector that can simulate a spherical distribution of stars.

Pinhole projectors OK for small domes

Learning Technologies STARLAB projectors

MMI Corporation GOTO projectors

Prices range from $10-30K

Going Digital

www.elumenati.com

Hal 1200a (originally cost $7900)

Projects 180 x 145 degrees

Combine with Stellarium to make a digital planetarium

www.stellarium.org

That’s right, free

Do It YourselfBuild a small, bright light source on a stand

Construct a cylinder with holes punched with constellations

Plans for a prototype are on www.cccoe.net/stars/

Total expense: $1.98

The BIG Dome

www.desertdomes.com

Provides formulas and interactive calculator for geodesic domes

Our instructions are based on these formulas

Dome TemplateObtain large sheets of cardboard from crating or from paper manufacturer

Create two master triangles shaped like these.

Leave a “flap” along each edge about 2 inches wide for connecting triangles

Make 10 A-type, 30 B-type

1 4’x8’ sheet makes 2 triangles full-scale

1.31.36666

1.31.36666

Painting

Paint prior to assembly

Interior should be painted white or off-white for projection dome

Interior should be painted black if you intend to paint the stars into place

Assembly

Begin by assembling six ”caps” of 5 type B triangles each

Close the “gap”

Binder Clips for temporary structure

Glue/reinforcing for permanent structure

Connect “caps”

Hold “caps” vertically and attach with clipsTakes 3+ people

...or lots of chairsRule: You can’t have too many clips

Make the lid

Arrange the final “cap” with 5 B-type triangles in a starfish layout

This becomes the “lid” which requires several people on the inside and outside to attach...

Base Wall

10 rectangular segments

Each as wide as a triangle

Assemble into a ring

Almost Done!

Except for...

...things we figured out later

...how do you get in?

...what about light leaks?

...how do you breathe?

...safety?

Examples of domesWillow Glen Elementary School

Mystic River Learning Center

not pictured:

Whitford Middle School

Mountlake Terrace Middle School

CurriculumTeach basic astronomy concepts

National Standards

Science

Math

Service and Outreach

If the sun is the size of a 5 meter dome, the earth would be about 5 cm across, andit would be located roughly 6 football fields away

Planetarium Activities for Student SuccessThis is the basis for the curriculum used at Deer Valley High School's Planetarium Production class. http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu/pass

Basic AstronomyBasic astronomy lessons for a classroom planetarium

Stars rise in the east and set in the west.

Circumpolar constellations never set.

The position of sunrise changes throughout the year.

Altitude and Azimuthal coordinates.

Moon phases and planetary retrograde loops.

The ecliptic and the zodiac.

Effect of changing latitude.

The seasons are caused by the earth’s tilt.

Uncle Al’s Sky WheelUse it to

identify stars

Using an overhead, it can even be your projector!

More AstronomyScale of the Solar System

Constellation names, legends

The analemma and the design of sundials

Eclipses of the sun and moon

Astronomy from another planet (such as Mars)

Star magnitudes (apparent and absolute)

Star colors -- Star temperatures -- Stellar Evolution

...the possibilities are endless!

National StandardsScience

Origin and Evolution of the Earth System

Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Nature of Science

Math

Properties of Three Dimensional Shapes

Apply Transformations and Use Symmetry

Measurement and Scaling

OutreachStudents produce and conduct planetarium shows at elementary schools

Manage a schedule and “business”

Organize transportation and timing

Represent school and program

Public shows at open house and special events

Provide role models for younger students

Generate future excitement for the program

Recruit students for the ESPACE Academy

Outreach

Our Astro-Tech Planetarium Permanent 15-foot

fiberglass dome with digital projector

Funded by Specialized Secondary Program Grant

Astro-Tec fiberglass dome

Support & Funding

This project was supported by:

The Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation

The Contra Costa County Office of Education (CA)

The California Department of Education’s Specialized Secondary Grant Program

www.DesertDomes.com

Deer Valley High School ESPACE Academy

Gaylord Manufacturing

SSP

Resources/LinksAstronomyTeacher.comhttp://www.AstronomyTeacher./comDesert Domes-provided original plans this site's design for a planetarium is based on. http://www.desertdomes.com Deer Valley High School's Planetarium Production Classhttp://homepage.mac.com/astronomyteacher/dvhs/planetarium.htmlPlanetarium Activities for Student SuccessThis is the basis for the curriculum used at Deer Valley High School's Planetarium Production class. http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu/passPlanetarium.net hosts the Dome-L mailing list for planetarium workers, and maintains this site as a resource for planetariums of all sizes. http://www.planetarium.net/Astro-Tec manufactures small domes for school planetariumshttp://www.astro-tec.comElumenati corporation sells the most inexpensive spherical digital projector on the market.http://www.elumenati.com/main.htmMMI Corporation sells planetarium projectors and domes, observatories, and much more. Also has a link list and free image downloads.http://www.mmicorporation.com/So you Want to Build a Planetarium?http://www.ibiblio.org/ips/sywtbap3.html Planetarium suppliers from projectors to domes to shows. http://www.lochness.com/pltref/pltrel.html

CreditsDome design - Jeff Adkins (based on a design from www.desertdomes.com, adapted from a similar project by Dr. Louis Finsand)

Scale model of 5 m dome - Matt Epperson and Michelle Medina

Web page construction - Jeff Adkins and Cheryl Domenichelli

Dome measurement and construction - James McDougall, Jovina Chagas, Daniel Wasson, Jon Busuttil, Ramon Hannon--also the first team to do a planetarium show in a cardboard dome...

Dome Assembly Team - Angelica Domenichelli, Melanie Maher, Alisha Dawson, Vanessa Domenichelli, Carrie Hurtado

...and many thanks to Kirsten DeNoyelles and the original crew that built the first prototype of this project around 1990 in Lexington, Kentucky when attending Henry Clay High School.