Planetarium and its Significance I

On a public holiday, I decided to visit the Planetarium in Bangalore, but unfortunately found it closed as it was too observing the public holiday. While walking back home, I wondered how many planetariums are there in India and what is its significance in today's world of Malls, Fast Food Corners and Amusement Parks? Does it still help an average Indian both in the urban and rural area admire the natural wonders and phenomena or we have begun to take nature and universe for granted? This prompted me to ask this question to members of social media site: LinkedIn and following are the responses:

• Shumit Das, Aerospace Engineer, France: Planetariums... or Planetaria should in my view be a launching pad for outreach projects that enlighten children and adults alike to the benefits of space technology and aerospace research into peoples' lives. It should have the usual night sky and educational films, but it should also host knowledge days run by volunteers from aero societies and university degrees (maybe with sponsorship from engineering companies like TATA and Infosys) where people get to do hands-on practical tasks such as building and launching water filled rockets and learning about basic astro physics and maths using games and practical displays. This could also be the hub for lectures or space nights (e.g. In Toulouse France, they have a yearly night of the stars where astronomers gather in the Cité de Éspàce (space city) which is a big space centric theme park, and have lectures, free entry for all, and also themed displays and events purely to encourage people to learn and appreciate space and the world around them). Free interesting events will encourage the future generations of children to want to go to work in aerospace and push forward the nation's technology when the time comes in 15 years or so. Investing in their future now will result in massive return at the right moment in 10-15 years or so and may put India at the top of the space race.
• Mark Strauss, President/CEO at TOGO Media, LLC, U.S.A.:As, in the United States, the majority of facilities (such as planetaria and museums) receive little if any federal funding, I would suggest there may not be any need to wait for formal sponsorship. While federal sponsorship generally entails a long campaign of lobbying and communication, I believe you will find that commercial sponsorship often spontaneously follows institution programming and news. If necessary, facilities can charge a nominal "suggested" fee to help offset expenses while not turning away all who may be interested. As the Indian culture, if you will allow me, places an important focus on education, I believe you will have success in attracting visitors. In addition to "in-house" programs, I would immediately form a series outreach programs that may be taken to local schools, etc. I believe these efforts will then put you in a significantly better position to attract further commercial sponsorship and support.
• Krishna Barad, Manager-EXIM at Essar Steel Limited, India: Definitely such institutions should have all information including the latest happening. The information should be made available as per NASA, ISRO who are the key organizations on such matters. Should take up the matter with concerned ministry or minister who is the administrative in-charge.
• Luan Vu, Software Developer at MyVuStyle (Sole Proprietorship), U.S.A.: In the united states, the place we goto for information about current astronomical events are callled "Observatories", located at most universities and free to the public. As active research groups, they tend to operate at night when it's best suited for using of telescopes. We could ask anything and they would not only give the answer, but they would also allow us to look through their research telescope on the very topic being discussed. Planetarium are like libraries, mostly as reference resources on astronomy "as a topic", not as a news and timely advice site. Observatories tours are free, but you would have to dress warmly for the night time variation in weather and temperature since it's always "open air" in the observatory labs where the telescopes are used ( e.g. the roof are mobile and opens up into the night sky .) Take your children to the observatory, since they'll be more excited than going to a boring planetarium where the same show is presented day-after-day for years on end.
• John Pout, Head of Public Sector at Arval - BNP Paribas Group , UK: think they have lost the sense of wonder about the universe and the creative and mathematical genius behind it - and the sense that we are a part - a fantastic and amazing part of life, nature and creation. Maybe if we had more respect for it we might look after it better.

Following are some suggestions based on the facts and statistics provided in Planetarium and its Significance II

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1. Use of the Social media Like LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. to form discussion groups to generate awareness of and disseminate the Planetarium's and Science Centre programmes and other activities. The platform can also be used by the other members of social media to share their ideas and support your activities too.
2. Support of ISRO for some interactive programmes with the students, where the scientists can have live interaction and discussions with the students of schools and colleges of urban areas to begin with. This can then be extended to rural areas with the Mobile Services of the Planetariums or through satellite facility it can also be extended to rural areas by ISRO with the support of Government of India’s infrastructure.
3. Formation of functional network of all Planetariums and Science Centres in India with the support of the Government of India through its telecommunication network support along with the technical support of ISRO and other Institutions that can help in disseminate the recent scientific achievements along with the scientific concepts mostly in the semi-urban and rural India too; who will benefit from the knowledge. We may be able develop many future scientists from these areas through your motivational activities!
4. Provide the planetary activities time table viz. the date and timings of solar and lunar eclipse on your website with broad messages to break the myths that are prevalent in not only the illiterate but also the educated Indians.
5. Through the science Centres, request you to enlighten the young minds on wise use of the environmental resources such as air, water, sunlight, flora and fauna. This should not only be for the students but also for their parents. This service will benefit the rural India more than the Urban India.
6.  We had been to Bangalore Planetarium on January 26, 2010, only to find it closed on the occasion of Republic Day holiday, it was rather unfortunate for many of us, who only can make it to the planetarium on public holidays or on Sundays. So, request you to solve our problem too. Science Centres and Planetariums will draw more interested people to benefit from their services on Public holidays.
7.  How about reaching out to localities through municipal corporations for local sponsorships for the corporation schools to spend a day at the planetarium to learn the use of telescope and how to make it. Then they can follow the sky map you publish in your website to then to effectively use the telescope with your constant guidance.