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Science Friday > Archives > 2002 > November > November 22, 2002:
Hour One: Planetariums / Amateur Astronomy

Have you been to a planetarium lately? Planetariums are increasingly going digital, replacing those quaint sky tours of our elementary school field trips with slick productions that blend art and science into fantastic tours of the universe.

In this hour of Science Friday we'll take a look at the new planetarium shows. Plus, how to look at the real night sky, how amateur astronomers are contributing to the science...and some tips on buying telescopes.

Call in with your comments and questions at 1-800-989-8255, and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required)

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Guests:
Derrick Pitts
Chief Astronomer and Director of Planetarium Programs
Fels Planetarium, The Franklin Institute
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Timothy Ferris
Science writer, Author of "Seeing in the Dark" (Simon and Schuster, 2002)
San Francisco, California

Kevin Beaulieu
Head of Graphic Production
Sky-Skan Incorporated
Nashua, New Hampshire

Books/Articles Discussed:

"Seeing in the Dark: How Backyard Astronomers are Probing Deep " by Timothy Ferris. Simon and Schuster, 2002.

Austen, Ian. "The Sky, Up Close and Digital" New York Times. Nov. 7, 2002

(find more SciFri books here)

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Related Links:
Timothy Ferris
Sky-Skan Incorporated

Downing Planetarium
Space Theater, Rose Center for Earth and Space, AMNH
National Air and Space Museum - Albert Einstein Planetarium
Morrison Planetarium
Transitsearch.org
California & Carnegie Planet Search
Heavens-Above
Abrams Planetarium - Sky Calendar

This segment produced by Annette Heist.

 


 

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