Starry Heavens Newsletter
January 2016
Bonne année, Frohes neues Jahr, Feliz año nuevo,
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou; whichever language you use to express it in, the Hokulani Imaginarium staff want to join in English to wish all of our readers a Happy New Year! Did you know that several of our planetarium shows are available in up to six languages? Here are the shows and their language options:
Cosmic Rays (English, Spanish) 20min: These highly energetic particles, which come from outer space, are found in chemical elements like hydrogen and helium. Learn where, when, and by whom these particles were first measured in Earth's atmosphere.
The Secret of the Dragon (English, Korean) 11min: Take a ride on the back of a dragon and explore the mysteries of t
he universe. This magical story whisks two youths through the Universe at great speed. From their perch on the back of a secretive dragon, the youths learn about worlds beyond theirs and a bit about themselves in the process. Secret of the Dragon touches on fundamental astronomical science while remaining entertaining enough for children and makes for a wonderful family-oriented show.
Maunakea Between Earth and Sky (English, Japanese) 23min: Th
is locally-produced program connects the culture, mythology and science of the sacred mountain. From high above sea level, gaze into the night sky - back to the beginning of the universe to witness the breathtaking science taking place on this great peak of Hawaii Island.
Tales of the M
aya Skies (English, Spanish) 35min: Tales of the Maya Skies immerses audiences in the fascinating world of the ancient Mayan people — their culture connected to the Universe through science, art and mythology.
Back to the Moon for Good (Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish) 25min: This show begins with
the first days of Space exploration in the late 1960s and early 1970s. We see what that era of landers and orbiters taught us about our nearest neighbor including the discovery of the Moon’s origin, composition, structure and the accessibility of raw materials on its’ surface.
If you’d like information for arranging a viewing of one of these shows in a specific language for a group please call (808) 235-7321.
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Early 2016 Meteor Shower
Welcome in the new year by viewing the Quadrantids meteor shower, which runs annually from January 1-5; the peak in 2016 is on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. The shower is thought to be produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, which was discovered in 2003. The second quarter moon may block out many of the smaller meteors from view this year, however if you are patient you may see some of the larger brighter ones. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes (close to the North Star) but they can appear anywhere in the sky. Although the Quadrantids shower will pass by Earth from January 1-5 the peak viewing will be from a dark location after midnight on January 3rd.
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Benefiting Life On Earth
Have you ever wondered what you might be reaping on a personal level from the exploration of Space? Each year NASA publishes a list of spinoffs - technologies that are benefiting life on Earth in the form of commercial products. As well as improving living conditions, many of the spinoffs contribute to U.S. economic growth by generating billions of dollars in revenue and creating thousands of jobs. Some product examples in Spinoff 2016 include:
- A kiln that turns waste plastic into useful petroleum products.
- Suits used to help pilots and astronauts withstand extreme acceleration being adapted to save women suffering from postpartum hemorrhage.
- A system designed to transform the Martian atmosphere into rocket fuel is helping microbreweries recapture carbon dioxide and carbonate their beer.
- Software that uses satellite data to help stabilize global food prices by tracking and predicting rice crop yields.
- A rocket-powered fire suppression systems that extinguishes flames fast using very little water.
- NASA-developed foam that saves large marine customers 90 percent in labor costs for piping insulation.
Free print and digital copies of Spinoff 2016 are available via the NASA website at:
http://spinoff.nasa.gov
Spring 2016 Imaginarium Schedule
Watch for the February 2016 edition of Starry Heavens newsletter in which we will announce some exciting additions to our lineup of shows for Spring; three premieres and three special events. Keep these points in mind when joining us for a show:
Reservations
Due to limited seating, we recommend making reservations for our programs.
Call (808) 235-7433 between 8am-4pm, Monday-Friday.
(Reservation phone line is not available on weekends.)
CASH & CHECK ONLY. An ATM is located on campus behind the Imaginarium building, next to The Hub coffee shop.
Please arrive at the Imaginarium at least 30 minutes before showtime. Reserved tickets must be picked up at the Imaginarium box office
at least 15 minutes prior to start of program. Unclaimed tickets are released for sale to walk-in customers on a first come, first served basis.
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As always, we welcome your feedback or questions, feel free to phone (808) 235-7350 or email to wiss@hawaii.edu. if you would like information regarding our
Adopt-a-Show sponsorship program please
click here.
