‘Imiloa 3D Hitchhikers Guide to New Worlds: The Exoplanets

09/02/2009

Program to start September 3

Hilo, Hawai‘i – ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center brings back its popular Thursday evening program “A 3D Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe,” this time focusing on New Worlds: The Exoplanets, for a six-week run starting September 3, 2009 at 7:30 pm.

The live planetarium program, hosted by Shawn Laatsch, ‘Imiloa planetarium manager, uses the 3D stereoscopic projection capability in the ‘Imiloa planetarium to “fly” off Earth. Exploring the local neighborhood of our solar system, the planets and their moons, and then traveling to the newest worlds beyond our own solar system that astronomers are now discovering in our Universe.

The 3D Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe program will be offered weekly, starting on September 3, on Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. through October 8, 2009. Admission is $10 for non-members, special member discounts apply. Pre-purchase tickets available at the ‘Imiloa front desk or by phone, Visa and MasterCard accepted, call (808) 969-9703.

Wearing special 3D glasses, the audience will take a journey outward to visit other star systems with planets, including ones recently imaged by Gemini Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope. “Exoplanets, planets beyond our own solar system, are the hottest topic in astronomy. There are currently 373 exoplanets known beyond our own solar system, and this number is growing. As our technology gets better and better we might even find ones similar to Earth that harbor life.” says Laatsch. This program promises to entertain, and educate the audience with imagery that can be seen only in Hilo. ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center’s 3D stereoscopic capability is the first fulldome system with this capability.

Shawn Laatsch serves as an executive officer in the International Planetarium Society, the world’s largest organization of planetarium professionals and is actively involved in astronomy and science education outreach, and is a NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador. He is the lead on a multinational planetarium program called Two Small Pieces of Glass which currently is in distribution around the globe for the International Year of Astronomy in 2009.

Prior to his positions at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i, he served as the director of the Gheen’s Science Hall & Rauch Planetarium at the University of Louisville and the Arthur Storer Planetarium in Prince Frederick, Maryland. In 1998 he was inducted as an International Planetarium Society Fellow for his work in promoting astronomy education.

Over the past 25 years he has been actively involved in planetarium program development and astronomy education in museum, university, and K-12 settings. He has taught astronomy at the University of Louisville, East Carolina University, and Pitt Community College. He has a passion for cultural and historical astronomy.

Audience may wish to add dinner to their evening at ‘Imiloa’s Sky Garden Restaurant, open Thursday nights for dinner starting at 5 p.m. The restaurant, which specializes in Chinese cuisine in the evenings, is also open on Friday and Saturday nights.

The ‘Imiloa Museum Store will be open during these evening shows, as will the restaurant. The exhibit hall will not be open to the public.

Opened in 2006, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center celebrates both Hawaiian culture and Maunakea astronomy. Through its exhibits and program, ‘Imiloa strives to share inspiring examples of science and culture together advancing knowledge, understanding and opportunity. The Center is a part of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i is located at 600 ‘Imiloa Place in Hilo, off Komohana and Nowelo Streets at the UH-Hilo Science and Technology Park. For more information, go to www.imiloahawaii.org, or call (808) 969-9700.