Getting tired of the political name calling yet? Take a break and vote for something extra terrestrial for a change! Fifteen stars and 32 planets will be up for official naming from now until the end of October. Brought to you by the same group that reclassified Pluto (from a Planet to a Dwarf Planet), the International Astronomical Union (IAU) is giving the public a chance to vote on the official names for these candidates from a selected list. People have been naming stars and planets for centuries, but this is the first time that these bodies will be named by popular vote, replacing their current scientific designations. 
The IAU is the recognized authority among the astronomical community to officially name planets and celestial objects, and should NOT to be confused with the businesses that take payment to "name a star". These star naming fads are the equivalent of selling the Brooklyn Bridge, and are only useful if you don't mind spending your hard earned cash for a piece of paper that won't be recognized officially.
The current ExoWorlds campaign is now up on the IAU website and voting will be open until Oct. 31, 2015. The website contains the 247 proposed names that were submitted from astronomy clubs and other non-profit organizations around the world. More information and links can be found here, as well as on the official voting site. 
            
                                          Map of candidate ExoWorlds - click to enlarge      

Calling on Mars
The next "naming opportunity" is a bit different. This NASA sponsored activity is open to folks that want to go to Mars--virtually. NASA is inviting you to go along with a mission to the Red Planet. Called InSight, the Mars lander is scheduled to launch in 2016, and will carry a microchip with the names of registered participants to the planet. InSight is the first mission dedicated to the investigation of the planet's deep interior. 
There have been similar activities from NASA previously, and this particular opportunity comes with "frequent flier" points that will reflect your participation in this voyage as well as in future NASA missions. Unfortunately, these miles won't be transferable to terrestrial airlines (you can imagine the perks), but you will have the satisfaction of being a part of the journey and exploration through our solar system.
Go to http://go.usa.gov/3Aj3G to submit your name. Don't miss the flight--this offer ends on September 8. I've got my boarding pass!

Fall Preview
It's here! A new season of programs at the Hokulani Imaginarium, including a dinosaur show and a Halloween bash, is underway. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we wanted to invite you to a special, free showing of two planetarium programs--one from Argentina and one from Hawaii. 
On Thursday, August 6 (see poster below), the Imaginarium will be hosting Malargue Planetarium's premiere of Cosmic Rays, translated into English by the producers. Cosmic Rays is an compelling overview of the high energy particles forged in the cataclysmic aftermaths of supernovae, and the relevance of cosmic ray research done at an Argentinian observatory.
In addition, the Imaginarium will offer one of our signature programs, Maunakea Between Earth & Sky, immediately after Cosmic Rays. We hope you have the opportunity to take advantage of this special offerings and experience these two programs from separate parts of the world. We will NOT be taking reservations for these two programs, but will accommodate those attending on a first come, first served basis. 
Representatives from the Malargue Planetarium are in town to attend the International Astronomical Union (IAU) conference this month. There are several other opportunities for the public to participate in talks and star parties--see the IAU Conference website for more information.

Regarding the Fall 2015 schedule, there is a small change in our programs this season. Saturday programs are now an hour earlier. Otherwise, look for regular Stargazing on the 2nd Wednesdays of the month and the double feature Friday programs with the concert shows, Led Zeppelin and Sounds of the Underground. 

Previewing the rest of the semester, October will be a busy month. On October 3rd, Windward Community College will again host the annual Windward Ho'olaulea. On this day we will have a blockbuster lineup of programs at the Imaginarium, from Sesame Street's One World, One Sky to the premiere of Flying Monsters. Flying Monsters is produced by National Geographic and explains the rise of the pterosaurs, ancient winged creatures that dominated the prehistoric skies.
Also coming up this season is a big Halloween event on October 30, and Season of Light during the holidays. 
                                       

Thursday, Aug. 6 @ 7:30 & 8:00PM  FREE programs at the Imaginarium 
(No reservations for these two special programs)
 

WCC in Space
Maybe you've noticed recently that Windward Community College, along with Kauai CC, Honolulu CC, and Kapiolani CC, have been highlighted in the news. The four campuses have partnered on a unique project that will launch a payload into space. PROJECT IMUA is a joint faculty-student enterprise that designed, fabricated and tested its first payload called PIP, which is scheduled to launch on August 11. 
The primary launch window is between midnight -12:30AM HST and is scheduled to stream live via the NASA Wallops website.
For more information on Project Imua, see this UH News link.