2025-05-30 Chat

2025 May 30. Astronomy and Planetariums for Peace led by Ken Brandt and Dave Weinrich. 

Video: LINK

Below you can find the list of attendees, a copy of the chat, and a slightly edited version of an AI Summary for the Ken and Dave's talk. 

Emails: 

• Ken Brandt <ken.starsabove@gmail.com>

• Dave Weinrich <dave.L.weinrich@gmail.com>

To see a description and schedule of upcoming Planetarians' Zoom Seminars, visit

https://www.ppadomes.org/events/online-seminars/pzs-schedule

Below:

• Attendees

• Chat

• AI Summary

Attendees

1. (Co-host) Rosemary Walling, Marie Drake Planetarium, Juneau, AK

2. (Co-host) Alan Gould, Lawrence Hall of Science Planetarium, University of California Berkeley, USA

3. Hillary Stephens - Pierce College Science Dome in Lakewood, Washington

4. Amie Gallagher, Raritan Valley Community College Planetarium, Branchburg, NJ

5. Dário Fonseca, Hemispherium @ Exploratório Science Center, Coimbra - Portugal

6. Ron Proctor, NSF NOIRLab

7. Dave Weinrich,Minnesota State University Moorhead, Retired

8. Cal Powell, Alexandria, VA, USA

9. Julieta: Julieta, former Adler and ‘Imiloa Planetariums, currently in Hawai’i

10. Jeremy Amarant SAGE Plantarium, Palmdale, CA PPA President

11. Romee Gaoiran, Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI

12. Karl von Ahnen, Santa Cruz Mountains

13. Marco Ávalos: Good day, from Costa Rica.  🙂

14. John Gus Erickson: John Erickson, Richmond, CA

15. Reza Morin-Dayani: Reza - Imiloa Center, University of Hawaii, Hilo

16. Katie Iadanza: Katie Iadanza, Pierce College Science Dome, Lakewood WA 

Chat

00:35:11 Cal Powell: MAPS/SEPA is kinda local for me.

00:54:31 Alan Gould: For the chat record: A lot of astronauts and mission specialists have commented on the spectacle of a live view of Earth with no  borders and how their feelings about our place on Earth changed.

01:02:42 Reza Morin-Dayani: Our free full dome One Sky Project highlights that despite varying names and stories we all share one sky. https://oneskyproject.org/

• Amie Gallagher: Reacted to "Reza - Imiloa Center..." with 👍

• Rosemary Walling: Replying to "Reza - Imiloa Center..." They are really nice and well done.

• Marco Ávalos: Reacted to "Reza - Imiloa Center..." with ❤️

• Hillary Stephens (she/her): Reacted to "Reza - Imiloa Center..." with ❤️

• Julieta: Reacted to "Reza - Imiloa Center..." with ❤️

01:06:10 Alan Gould: "Astronomers for Planet Earth"? (A4E) https://a4e.org/

01:12:35 Alan Gould: Here's a link for Columba-Hypatia: Astronomy for Peace  https://astro4dev.org/columba-hypatia-astronomy-for-peace/

01:24:42 Dave Weinrich: Anyone interested can contact me at dave.L.weinrich@gmail.com

01:32:28 K. Brandt Robeson Planetarium: ken.starsabove@gmail.com for more information and sharing ideas.

AI Summary

Quick recap

The meeting focused on the concept of "Astronomy and Planetariums for Peace," an initiative aimed at using astronomy and planetarium shows to promote global unity and understanding. Participants discussed strategies for creating and implementing programs that highlight the "Overview Effect" and foster peace, particularly in schools and conflict-affected areas. The group explored various approaches to address cultural differences, religious conflicts, and political divides through astronomy-based projects, emphasizing the importance of local involvement and interactive activities to encourage dialogue and mutual understanding.

Summary

Planetariums for Peace Initiative

Ken Brandt and Dave Weinrich discussed the concept of "Teaching for Peace," an initiative born from a brainstorming session at a NEREID conference. Inspired by the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, they aimed to use planetarium shows as a tool for promoting peace and understanding, particularly in schools. Ken emphasized the importance of incorporating the "Overview Effect" in their programs, which involves showing the Earth from space to foster a sense of global unity. The initiative seeks to shift the focus from glorifying war to teaching cooperation and coexistence, aligning with the vision of figures like Francis of Assisi and Edgar Mitchell.

Overview Effect" Planetarium Project

Ken proposed a project where planetariums and science on a sphere institutions would create 5-7 minute programs focusing on the "Overview Effect" to provide audiences with a broader perspective beyond local issues. The initiative would culminate in a larger broadcast featuring multiple institutions, with proceeds from ticket sales donated to gun buyback agencies near regions affected by violence. Ken invited participants to email him with interest in joining the project, and discussed the potential for adapting the concept to science on a sphere installations.

Planetarium Show for Global Peace

The meeting focused on a collaborative project to create a planetarium show that highlights the "Overview Effect" and promotes peace through astronomy. Ken and Dave discussed the technical aspects of producing a full-dome movie file that can be played on various systems, with Ron offering support for the technical requirements. They emphasized the goal of making the show accessible to planetariums worldwide to support peace initiatives. Dave shared insights from Frank White's work on the Overview Effect and mentioned a weekly Zoom session he hosts. The discussion concluded with Dave presenting his concept of "Astronomy for Peace," which aligns with Ken's "Planetariums for Peace" initiative, and he highlighted how such projects are timely and can unite people globally.

Astronomy for Global Unity

Dave shared his experiences from living overseas, emphasizing the commonalities among people despite cultural differences. He discussed how astronomy can be used to bring people together, citing examples from Sri Lanka and Cyprus where children from different communities were brought together through astronomy-based projects to foster understanding and peace. Dave highlighted the success of these initiatives in promoting unity and coexistence among previously divided groups.

Astronomy for Peace Initiatives

Dave shared insights from the experience of Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, in Kenya, highlighting how astronomy can unite people and foster peace, especially among children from different communities. He discussed two astronomy for peace projects: one with refugees in Western Sahara and another in Colombia, both aimed at promoting reconciliation and preserving cultural astronomical knowledge.

Astronomy for Peace Initiatives

Dave presented on the concept of "Astronomy for Peace" projects, emphasizing the importance of local involvement and resource support rather than direct implementation by international organizations. He plans to discuss this further at the East Coast Planetarium Conference and has already arranged for Marco to present the idea to the IPS Board in Chile. Marco expressed support for making this a global IPS project, particularly highlighting the potential for mobile domes to reach underserved communities and teach astronomy.

Promoting Peace Through Common Ground

The group discussed strategies for promoting peace and understanding, particularly in the context of gun control and political divides. Ron expressed concerns about how disarmament messages might be received in red states and suggested finding common ground before addressing differences. Katie emphasized the importance of concrete actions and suggested developing activities that encourage interaction between people from different political backgrounds. Alan proposed teaching conflict resolution techniques in planetarium programs, while Katie suggested using the shared experience of Earth and space to foster a sense of global community. The group agreed on the value of interactive activities that promote dialogue and understanding among audience members.

Expanding the Definition of Peace

The group discussed the concept of peace, moving beyond the absence of violence to include a broader perspective on human character and responsibility towards the planet. Dave shared insights from a book and a Neil Armstrong quote emphasizing the need for a shift towards interconnectedness and similarity, while Alan highlighted global hotspots such as Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Gaza, and Syria. Ken raised concerns about religious conflicts and the difficulty of discussing such topics in certain communities, while PPA focused on using planetariums to encourage broader thinking about global issues. The conversation ended with an open discussion on how to address these challenges and the importance of using platforms like planetariums for peace.

Religious Unity and Cultural Understanding

The group discussed the commonalities between different religions and cultures, with Dave sharing insights from Aldous Huxley's "Perennial Philosophy" about the shared themes across faith traditions. They explored how celebrating both similarities and differences can foster understanding, with Jeremy highlighting the unique perspective that everyone shares the same space and time. The conversation ended with plans to post the chat transcript and recording on the website, and participants expressed appreciation for the discussion and the opportunity to connect.