The Role of the Planetarium

Abstract

Planetarium facilities and planetarium professionals together play a unique role in the astronomy information handling hierarchy — that of disseminator of information gathered by the research community (with its mix of professional and amateur observers and theoreticians). It is possible to think of a planetarium facility as exhibiting the characteristics of both an educational institution and media practitioner.This dissemination may come in one of many different forms, depending on the requirements of the presentation and the planetarium professional’s abilities. Planetarians are a major link between astronomers and the public, and are expected to interpret and present complex scientific information in an educational, understandable, and entertaining way. In this article we present a broad overview of the information flow between astronomers and the public through planetarium professionals and their presentations.