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Post by Ron Walker on Dec 7, 2022 11:35:13 GMT -7
Had a group of 19 yesterday and moved forward in annular motion to see the Moon and Mars occupy the same space. The accuracy of this projector is mindboggling. Since clouds appear to be taking over, the planetarium might be the only place to see this eclipse.
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Post by Ron Walker on Jan 6, 2024 11:54:06 GMT -7
Hard to believe but this June will mark the end of the first decade of operation. When I started I probably had doubts of making it this far. The Covid disaster appears to be coming to an end as I base my popularity no only on my total yearly visitation but on my total "Star Of Bethlehem" visitors. Last year came and went without one single viewer so there was only one way to go. This year is up substantially with not only new viewers but a number of visitors from years past back to see it again. I do have three more of that show to give (one today, so I need to get out there and prep) and am happy that as of right now two of the three days have booked visitors.
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Post by scotttucker on Jan 7, 2024 5:49:22 GMT -7
That is a fantastic achievement Ron
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Post by Ron Walker on Jan 7, 2024 11:06:41 GMT -7
Honestly, I never expected to get the kind of response that I've gotten. I will keep giving shows as long as I last.
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Post by Ron Walker on Jan 17, 2024 10:57:03 GMT -7
Since I started to collect data when I first opened to the public on June 13th, 2014, my "year" has been June 13th to June 12th of the next year. Looking at the statistics, this entire Covid thing has obviously put a damper on visitors. When I count programs, I only count those that have actual visitors. Thus I offer more shows then I actually give. I had been averaging 63.8 shows per year until the 20/21 year (the beginning of Covid, when only 21 shows were given. That was followed by 21/22 when 27 provided audiences and then last year, 22/23 when only 13 shows were populated. Another disappointment with last year is that there were no sign up's at all for the Christmas show.
Well, it is good to see that things are starting to turn around at last. For the first six years I had averaged 100.8 visitors in 13.8 shows for the Christmas program which then dived to 59 in 7 shows for 20/21, 37 in 8 shows for 21/22, and 0 for 22/23. Things are turning around as I had 55 visitors in 9 shows for 23/24.
So far this year I have presented 18 programs to 95 people so things are starting to come back a little. Time will tell.
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Post by scotttucker on Jan 17, 2024 11:29:10 GMT -7
Those sound like great numbers to me! Attic dome has managed just 10% of your tally this year (although admittedly it is not really in the same league as your operation).
There is something magical when a visitor does not know what to expect. We are thinking about moving house at the moment (maybe to somewhere that might be able to accommodate a small dome on a more permanent basis) and showed an estate agent around. Obviously, we had to go in the attic and she had never seen a planetarium before - we did not have time for a proper show but did quickly switch on the ZKP1 just to show the starfield.
Her reaction was really great - "I have NEVER seen anything like that before" and a real boost and reminder of how cool this stuff is.
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Post by mrgare5050 on Jan 17, 2024 12:37:25 GMT -7
Congrats to you both! RW has always been the King of Home Planetariums, and here's to Decade 2 and a great anniversary this year Sir Walker. And Sir Duke, you ARE the second coming and next in line, Minolta and Zeiss cannot be argued with, exciting news in possibly moving to a bigger place, that's what you need sounds like!
I may be limping awhile, the coop got fried and now four below last night burst a pipe, we got clobbered. But at least I podcast into the 9th month of the 4th year, so that's alot of blabbing lol. I think the plumber is on his way - oh boy!
To the now and future Kings! Salute!
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Post by Ron Walker on Jan 18, 2024 11:56:10 GMT -7
This stuff is indeed COOL and it does take an awakening from time to time. Did you invite the agent and her family to a proper show? That's how it starts, one group at a time. I remember the best reaction I ever got (I'm sure I've mentioned it before), but a fellow came in with a huge smile on his face and I asked him what he was smiling about and he said, "I was expecting to see two slide projectors duct taped together, not a real planetarium". I am somewhat surprised that he would have come at all if he thought that.
The coop got fried??? What do you mean by that??? Yes, I can hardly believe it myself. Ten years of doing shows in the full year of the 100th anniversary of the projection planetarium. I'll certainly try for 20 years...will I make it to 87+ years old??? I'll try!
I think the tenth anniversary deserves a celebration date. This year the 13th of June falls on a Thursday, (next year it will fall on a Friday), so perhaps I should make it a year long celebration! No, I don't have the deep pockets that Zeiss has. No, I'll just do my beer brats and potato salad, oh and shrimp, that everyone has enjoyed way before the Covid. Once this year and once on Friday the 13th of 2025. I will also tie this in with my sometimes annual home planetarium get together.
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Post by Ron Walker on Jan 19, 2024 10:38:36 GMT -7
Have you checked the breaker? As I remember you have no inside plug, so if you had things plugged in outside and they got covered with snow, the melt would cause a short. Dig the snow away from the box, run an extension out and while holding the outside cover over the outlets open run a hair dryer on high and aim it into the outlet slots. Run until good and dry. Do the same to the plugs if they are wet. Reset the breaker and you are good to go. That should save you at least $50 for a service call. I could also walk you through adding an outlet inside so this won't keep happening. Also if you unplug everything and close the cover over the outlet before every rain and/or snow you should have no problems. An outlet inside would be ideal, or perhaps unplug when you leave and plug in when you arrive.
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Post by Ron Walker on Feb 16, 2024 15:43:42 GMT -7
Had a nice group of eleven girl scouts. Hard to read young people today but at least they laughed at the right places.
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Post by mrgare5050 on Feb 28, 2024 16:01:13 GMT -7
congrats on the girl scout group!
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Post by Ron Walker on Feb 29, 2024 12:13:40 GMT -7
Thanks. Had another group but this one somewhat older.
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Post by scotttucker on Mar 29, 2024 14:02:46 GMT -7
Just spotted this in Ron's column in the most recent Planetarian. 3200? MMMCC! 3.2k That is an astonishing number of people. THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED!!!!!!!
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Post by Ron Walker on Mar 30, 2024 13:30:11 GMT -7
Yes, when I wrote that column it was early January and the total at the time was 3169, thus the almost 3200 people. The total today is 3222 so it is an honest 3200+ now. I must admit that I never expected to get this many people ever.
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