Flaunt-a-Friend Friday!

Today I am excited to promote some new friends who proudly declare "We're making Austin the Center of the Universe!". Naturally, many people in Austin already believe that...lol.

A Proposal Toward the Development of a Planetarium for Central Texas

Background
The Friends of the Austin Planetarium (FOTAP) was incorporated in December 2003, and received 501(c)(3) nonprofit approval in February 2004. Our objective is to build a planetarium facility in the Austin area for the primary purpose of enriching the science curriculum for the school children of our metropolitan area. This facility will also provide a laboratory environment to support hands-on learning experiences for primary and secondary school students, and support college and university level studies. Evening and weekend programs will serve to educate and entertain the general public with astronomy and space science shows. Because a planetarium displays a clear simulation of the night sky in the comfort of a domed theater, it would serve to educate and entertain both school children and the general public with astronomy and space sciences shows.

What is a Planetarium?
* A planetarium is a building that houses an instrument for projecting the constellations, planets and other astronomical phenomena onto a domed ceiling. A variety of projectors display a high definition simulation of the night sky.
* Unlike an observatory, which contains telescopes and requires clear skies to view the night sky, the planetarium brings the sky inside, independent of time of day and weather.

While Austin is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States and prides itself on being a high-tech city with a well-educated workforce, it is also now the 16th largest city in the U.S., and the only one of the top 50 that does not have a planetarium ( See Data ). Many students who pursue careers in science, engineering and technology begin with an interest in astronomy and space exploration. Our goal is to nurture that passion for science and to assist in our students’ quest for knowledge about their universe. They deserve the best education we can provide; and, as Texas raises the standards for state-mandated test passage, we believe that any curriculum enhancement that excites and inspires our children is a worthwhile cause.

Click Here to Learn How you Can Become a Part of This Important Venture!