Astronomy Domine

So farewell then London Planetarium. I hadn't been there for a long time but I remember its show as being rather good. No better, probably, than the one at the smaller planetarium in Manchester I went to with my school once (I believe a new one is about to open there). I also remember that when I first moved to London two new laser light shows had just opened. This was when laser light shows were state-of-the-art stuff, before the rock bands got hold of them (first band I saw with one - a rather basic green one with minimal scanning - was Yes in 1978 so they weren't too far behind). One of these was Lovelight at whatever the theatre opposite Victoria Station was called then. Lovelight had a composed soundtrack, and the lasers drew little (OK, big) squiggly cartoons on a screen set up over the stage. Not bad, and technically very advanced, I believe, but not a hugely memorable aesthetic experience. Meanwhile, at the Planetarium (you knew there was a point to this, didn't you?) we had Laserium. This unfolded to a mix of classical music (including a couple of bits of The Planets - duh!) and rock (Pink Floyd, ELP, etc.) and was wholly abstract. Also wholly fascinating, and of I close my eyes I can still recall some of the patterns being traced out. I saw it three times, with different people (including my parents).

I think it's a shame if the LP is to be changed over to solely non-astronomical shows though. If you grow up in an urban environment, light pollution robs you of a lot of the night sky. I hadn't appreciated just how much until my first visit to Ballater. I was standing in the middle of the caravan site, some way from any local lighting, and there's nothing but small villages for a long way in any direction. I suddenly had my attention caught by something in the sky, and realised it was this big pale streak. OK, I'd seen the Milky Way before, and knew what it was and everything, but never before had it been so clear and bright that it actually attracted my attention without my specially seeking it out.

And certainly anything that helps to teach children about the universe has to be a good thing. If you doubt that we need places like the Planetarium, go and read this post on Bad Astronomy Blog (shortlisted for a Bloggie).