Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc

Dome Production Associate (Fabric Assembly) - Bremerton, WA 98337 - Indeed.com

https://www.indeed.com/job/dome-production-associate-fabric-assembly-553536781d888d63
Attention Bremerton/Kitsap County residents: Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc. has an immediate full-time opening in our Dome Production department for a Dome Production Associate.

Digitalis is the leading manufacturer globally of digital planetarium systems and inflatable domes for teaching astronomy, Earth science, and other topics. We are looking for an individual with great attention to detail, a strong work ethic, and a desire to make a positive difference in the world through building quality tools for educators.

View the job description and apply via Indeed.com.

Dome Production Associate (Fabric Assembly) - Bremerton, WA 98337 - Indeed.com Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc.

SD Discovery Center to unveil new portable planetarium on Saturday

https://drgnews.com/2023/01/11/sd-discovery-center-to-unveil-new-portable-planetarium-on-saturday/
Congratulations to the South Dakota Discovery Center on the recent upgrade of their Digitarium planetarium system! We're sure that audiences are going to love the advanced functionality.

SD Discovery Center to unveil new portable planetarium on Saturday This Saturday, January 14, the South Dakota Discovery Center (SDDC), 805 West Sioux Avenue, is unveiling its n...

If you're attending the American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle this week, stop by our booth (#415) for a tour of the universe!

Announcing G3

We are pleased to announce the widespread release of our latest generation software stack, G3. Why is this such a big deal? Digitalis President Rob Spearman explains in our latest blog post.

Announcing G3 An introduction to our new G3 software stack.

South Korea's moon mission snaps stunning Earth pics after successful lunar arrival

Congratulations to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute for the successful Danuri mission! This was the first moon mission for South Korea, and the spacecraft is sending back amazing images from its position in low lunar orbit.

You can learn more and see images and videos here:

South Korea's moon mission snaps stunning Earth pics after successful lunar arrival South Korea's first moon mission is beaming back images of home from its position in low lunar orbit.

Image Resources

It's hard to believe that it has already been over a year since the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope! Scientists and researchers have been busy analyzing the data that has come back, and like all good scientific projects, answering questions has led to asking new questions. This cycle never ends, and it is part of what makes scientific exploration so exciting.

If you missed any of the incredible images from JWST, you can find them here.

Image Resources A developing gallery of images featuring astronomical observations, spectra, and informative science graphics around the Webb telescope (JWST) mission.

Winter Solstice: Stories and Traditions From Around the World | Three Rivers Park District

Happy Winter Solstice to everyone in the northern hemisphere! Starting tomorrow, the days will gradually begin to grow longer.

There are many interesting legends about the Winter Solstice. Here is one example, from Three Rivers Parks in Minnesota: https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/winter-solstice-stories-and-traditions-around-world

"In Greek Mythology, the Kallikantzaros were angry, hairy, gnome-like creatures who lived underground and tried to cut down the tree of life. Like the Kogukhpak, they could also be killed only by sunlight and emerged during the solstice to wreak havoc on homes and villages.

"They were reputed to be rather dumb and unable to count past three, so villagers put out colanders to ward them off. The Kallikantzaros would end up trying to count the holes in the colanders until sunrise and then have to go back underground before they could cause any mischief."

If you would like more information about the solstices, check out https://www.space.com/winter-solstice

Winter Solstice: Stories and Traditions From Around the World | Three Rivers Park District Winter solstice, which falls on December 21 this year, marks the shortest day of the year when we will have just 8 hours and 46 minutes of daylight between sunrise and sunset. The winter solstice also marks the astronomical beginning of winter, at 10:19 PM exactly, when Earth’s North Pole is tilte...

Splashdown! NASA’s Orion Returns to Earth After Historic Moon Mission

Congratulations to NASA on the successful return of the Orion capsule from Artemis I! This brings us one step closer to returning humans to the moon.

"Splashdown is the final milestone of the Artemis I mission that began with a successful liftoff of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket Nov. 16, from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Over the course of 25.5 days, NASA tested Orion in the harsh environment of deep space before flying astronauts on Artemis II."

There is a lot more information on the NASA website.

Splashdown! NASA’s Orion Returns to Earth After Historic Moon Mission NASA’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, at 9:39 a.m. PST Sunday after a record-breaking mission, traveling more than 1.4 million miles on a path around the Moon and returning safely to Earth, completing the Artemis I flight test.

241st AAS Meeting | American Astronomical Society

The American Astronomical Society (AAS) will be holding its 241st meeting in about one month, in Seattle, Washington from January 8-12. The AAS was established in 1899, and it is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America.

The January AAS meeting is typically host to a few major announcements. All AAS meetings feature numerous research posters and exhibitors. Digitalis will be exhibiting at the January meeting, showing off a Digitarium system in a Digitalis Portable Dome. Stop by for a tour of the universe while you're at AAS!

If you haven't yet registered but would like to, there is more information on the AAS website.

241st AAS Meeting | American Astronomical Society The 241st meeting of the AAS will be held at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Washington, 8-12 January 2023.

AESA - Association of Educational Service Agencies - Annual Conference

If you are at the Association of Educational Service Agencies conference in Atlanta this week, please pop by to say hi and take a tour of the universe! We have a Digitarium Theta+ system set up in a 5m/16 ft diameter Digitalis Dome.

AESA - Association of Educational Service Agencies - Annual Conference AESA - Association of Educational Service Agencies

'Great observatories' – the next generation of NASA’s space telescopes, and their impact on the next century of observational astronomy – Physics World

Here's an interesting article about NASA's aging fleet of space observatories and hopes for a new set of space observatories to begin launching in the 2040s.

https://physicsworld.com/a/great-observatories-the-next-generation-of-nasas-space-telescopes-and-their-impact-on-the-next-century-of-observational-astronomy/

Given the long lead time to design and engineer a space telescope, work on new observatories would actually need to begin in the next few years.

'Great observatories' – the next generation of NASA’s space telescopes, and their impact on the next century of observational astronomy – Physics World Astronomers look into the future of astronomy and astrophysics, as proposals are made to pick, plan and build a new fleet of space telescopes

Artemis-I

Congratulations to NASA on a successful Artemis launch! The uncrewed Orion spacecraft is on its way to the moon. If all goes well, the craft should return to Earth in about 25 days.

You can learn more about the early morning launch here:
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/liftoff-nasa-s-artemis-i-mega-rocket-launches-orion-to-moon

You can learn all about the Artemis I mission here:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1

Artemis-I NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind.

‘Beaver moon’ lunar eclipse seen around the world – in pictures

If you missed last night's lunar eclipse--we were clouded out here in the Seattle area--check out some awesome images in this Guardian article.

‘Beaver moon’ lunar eclipse seen around the world – in pictures A selection of images of the ‘beaver moon’. According to Nasa this is the final total lunar eclipse until March 2025, and was visible in North and Central America, Asia, Australia, the Pacific islands and parts of South America

Our friends at the South Dakota Discovery Center are having a really creative fundraiser for their planetarium program! It looks like a lot of fun to join in person. If you can't join in person, consider making a gift to support their work!

https://www.facebook.com/SouthDakotaDiscoveryCenter

Stop by the Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc and explore the universe!

WSTA-Washington Science Teachers Association - Conference Website

Reminder: The Washington (state) Science Teachers Association conference is this weekend! Stop by the Digitalis Dome in the exhibit hall for tours of the universe with Education Specialists Kyle Doane and Dave Cuomo!

Learn more about the WSTA conference here:

WSTA-Washington Science Teachers Association - Conference Website

NASA Confirms DART Mission Impact Changed Asteroid’s Motion in Space

It Worked!
https://www.jhuapl.edu/PressRelease/221011-dart-mission-impact-changed-asteroids-motion-in-space?fbclid=IwAR3u-kCmEpq9hQZ7pr5TnbDrbAcnxKJUkJ4NLd8Wvs-TlE_mOOSS-D4aGXo

NASA Confirms DART Mission Impact Changed Asteroid’s Motion in Space This imagery from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope from Oct. 8, 2022, shows the debris blasted from the surface of Dimorphos 285 hours after the asteroid was intentionally impacted by NASA’s DART spacecraft on Sept. 26. The shape of that tail has changed over time. Scientists are continuing to stud...

2022 Physics Congress - 100 Years of Momentum

Are you at the 2022 Physics Congress (PhysCon) in Washington, DC? If so, stop by the dome to say hi and take a tour of the universe!

Learn more about PhysCon:

2022 Physics Congress - 100 Years of Momentum Centennial Physics Congress - 100 Years of Momentum - October 6-8, 2022

NASA's DART spacecraft will crash into an asteroid tonight in historic planetary defense test

Have you heard about NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission? If not, you're learning about it just in time: The impact is tonight, September 26!

Learn more here, including how to watch the impact live online:

NASA's DART spacecraft will crash into an asteroid tonight in historic planetary defense test "Hitting an asteroid is a tough thing to do."

WSTA-Washington Science Teachers Association - Conference Website

Will you be attending the Washington State Science Teachers Association conference in Wenatchee on October 14-15, 2022? If so, stop by the Digitalis Dome in the exhibit hall for a tour of the universe with Education Specialists Dave Cuomo and Kyle Doane!

Dave and Kyle will be happy to show you how powerful yet intuitive our Nightshade NG planetarium software is.

Dave and Kyle will also be leading two professional development sessions in the dome, so put them on your to do list now:

Saturday, October 15 from 10 to 10:50 am: Moon phases and eclipses

Saturday, October 15 11 to 11:50 am: The Multi-Wavelength Sky

Learn more about the WSTA conference here:

WSTA-Washington Science Teachers Association - Conference Website

Happy Eclipse-a-versary!

James Webb Space Telescope: Just in Time!

If you felt like the James Webb Space Telescope first images were good for your soul, you were not the only one. Karrie Berglund, Digitalis' Director of Education, shares some thoughts on the early social and scientific impacts of this magnificent instrument.

James Webb Space Telescope: Just in Time! JWST's early scientific and emotional impacts

Users of NightshadeNG can download StratoScripts to display the James Webb Space Telescope imagery in their Digitarium systems by visiting the Knowledgebase on the Community Site.

https://www.nightshadesoftware.org

The James Webb Space Telescope's first images have been released and include this "Deep Field" image that "uses a lensing galaxy cluster to find some of the most distant galaxies ever detected."

Learn more at:
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-reveals-webb-telescope-s-first-images-of-unseen-universe

Check out the latest blog post from Diana Yoder, one of our new Education Specialists.

https://digitaliseducation.com/blog-post-20220623-An-Eclipse-Glimpse-Ahead

Here is the first picture taken of the Supermassive Black Hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team has captured the first image of the black hole at the heart of our own Milky Way galaxy. This supermassive black hole known as Sagittarius A* casts a “shadow,” a dark central region surrounded by a ring of glowing hot gas.

To capture this image, we united an array of eight observatories across the planet to form a single “Earth-sized” virtual telescope.

We now have images of two black holes. By comparing and analyzing them, we will gain key insights into the nature of black holes. It’s the dawn of a new era of black hole physics.

Link: https://eventhorizontelescope.org/blog/astronomers-reveal-first-image-black-hole-heart-our-galaxy.
Credit: EHT Collaboration.

The James Webb Space Telescope is now Fully Aligned.

With the telescope focused work will now begin commissioning the scientific instruments.

“It’s full of stars!” ✨

This mosaic represents a sparkling turning point as we . Webb’s mirrors are now fully aligned! Next is instrument calibration, the final phase before Webb is ready for science.

“Fully aligned” means that Webb’s mirrors are now directing fully focused light collected from space down into each instrument. Each instrument is also successfully capturing images with the light being delivered to them.

In this mosaic, each engineering image is a demonstration that one of Webb’s instruments is fully aligned with the telescope and in focus. In view is a part of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small, irregular satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. The sizes and positions of the images represent the relative arrangement of each of Webb’s instruments in the plane where the telescope focuses light. In comparing the images, you may see that each instrument points at a slightly offset part of the sky relative to the rest.

Like our last engineering image, this mosaic is in a red color palette that was chosen to optimize visual contrast. As a reminder, colors in space telescope images sometimes recreate the way our eyes see; other times they are selected to highlight features of an object.

The optical performance of the telescope continues to be better than the engineering team’s most optimistic predictions. From this point forward the only changes to the mirrors will be very small, periodic adjustments to the primary mirror segments.

Read more: https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/04/28/nasas-webb-in-full-focus-ready-for-instrument-commissioning/

Image Credit: NASA/STScI

Houston National Conference on Science Education

Will you be at the National Science Teaching Association conference in Houston in about three weeks? If so, please stop by our booth (#2520) to check out and even test drive Nightshade Next Generation planetarium software.

We also invite you to attend our exhibitor workshop: Meeting Learning Standards with Planetarium Software. It will be on Thursday, March 31 from 4 to 5 pm in room 350F of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

If you weren't planning to go to NSTA but now do want to go, here's the conference website: https://www.nsta.org/houston-national-conference-science-education

Houston National Conference on Science Education   Houston 22 National Conference • Mar. 31 - Apr. 2      To attend the conference, proof of a COVID vaccination and/or a negative COVID test through CLEAR Health Pass is required. All attendees are required to wear masks as well. More Information Clear Health Pass Health and Safety Guidelines ...

Digitalis - Welcome!

We've just launched our new website, and we would love to hear what you think. We wanted to make it more approachable and solutions-focused.

Here's the link:
https://digitaliseducation.com/

Digitalis - Welcome! Immersive technology for exciting STEM and STEAM learning.

The Benefits of Dark Skies: A Free, Virtual Lecture

Free virtual lecture tonight: The Benefits of Dark Skies

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-events/the-benefits-of-dark-skies-a-free-virtual-lecture/

January 11 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EST

"Light pollution is defined as 'glare, light trespass, and light which is reflected into the night sky that contributes to sky glow.' It is caused by unshielded, misplaced, excessive, or unnecessary outdoor lighting. Studies have shown that artificial light at night is detrimental to human health, wastes money, disrupts wildlife, is an environmental hazard that promotes climate change and, contrary to popular belief, may even contribute to crime. All else aside, light pollution destroys our ability to appreciate the starry wonders of the night sky. Hamptons Observatory and the Middle Country Public Library are pleased to bring you this important, free virtual discussion about how eliminating light pollution can be of benefit to you and your community."

Registration is free but required. The webpage above has the link for registration.

The Benefits of Dark Skies: A Free, Virtual Lecture Light pollution is defined as “glare, light trespass, and light which is reflected into the night sky that contributes to sky glow.” It is caused by unshielded, misplaced, excessive, or unnecessary outdoor lighting. Studies have shown that artificial light at night is detrimental to human health...

CosmoPalooza

This week was supposed to be the 239th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, and the plan was to meet in person with virtual participation also an option. The meeting was unfortunately canceled in late December due to continuing COVID concerns.

Some AAS sessions are still happening virtually. If you are interested in cosmology, you might want to take advantage of the Cosmopalooza sessions on January 12 and 13. All four sessions will be presented in Zoom webinars. Everyone is welcome to join in to hear about the latest on cosmology and astrophysics from the Big Bang to the nearby universe.

The schedule and Zoom link are here:
https://supernova.lbl.gov/~evlinder/cosmopalooza.html

CosmoPalooza All four sessions will be presented in Zoom webinars. Everyone is welcome to join in to hear about the latest on cosmology and astrophysics from the Big Bang to the nearby universe!

It's a telescope!

Congratulations to the thousands of people who worked to make this happen.

is fully deployed! 🎉

With the successful deployment and latching of our last mirror wing, that's:
50 major deployments, complete.
178 non-explosive actuators, released.
20+ years of work, realized! 🌟

Here's what took place today as we unfolded Webb's final mirror wing from mission control at the Space Telescope Science Institute:
- First, we fired the last 4 of Webb's 178 release mechanisms, or pins — all of which had to work perfectly for this unfolding to take place. These 4 released the restraints that held Webb's mirror wing safely in place during launch.
- Second, the team made some small motor movements, ensuring the wing was ready to go. Around 10:30 a.m. ET on Jan. 8, the final wing was deployed!
- Then came the hard part: latching the mirror wing in place, which was a multi-hour process that was marked complete at 1:17 p.m. ET.

And now Webb is ready for its next steps! After it reaches its destination of Lagrange point 2 in a few weeks, Webb will take about 5 months to cool down, align its mirrors, and calibrate its instruments before the science begins.

Read more: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-webb-telescope-reaches-major-milestone-as-mirror-unfolds/

Image Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn

Nightshade & Digitarium Communities

Registration is now open for our January 2022 Virtual Online StratoScript Academy.

All Users of Digitarium Systems can sign up to learn how to use this powerful tool.

Navigate time and space with StratoScript commands.

Add media (images, videos, audio, landscapes, layers, and data)
Create a functional script in a hands-on group environment!

Check out the syllabus and sign up on the Community Site Today!

https://www.nightshadesoftware.org/projects/community/wiki/Digitarium_Academy

Nightshade & Digitarium Communities Redmine

Behind the Scenes

Here's a behind the scenes look at the making of an unusual demo video.

Behind the Scenes How we made a 'live' video demo.

Grout Museum's renovated planetarium is immersive, out-of-this-world experience

Congratulations to the Grout Museum on their recent planetarium upgrades! We're glad that you and your audiences are enjoying your Digitarium Lambda Plus projection system so much.

https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/grout-museums-renovated-planetarium-is-immersive-out-of-this-world-experience/article_a6d90846-157d-5756-94f7-b134eaf756ef.html

Grout Museum's renovated planetarium is immersive, out-of-this-world experience The 65-year-old planetarium has undergone a $200,000 renovation. With the simple touch of an iPad, a state-of-the-art projection system will transport audiences to the stars and beyond.

NIghtshadeNG users can go to the Knowledgebase to download Landsat 8 layers showing the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary island of La Palma.
https://www.nightshadesoftware.org/projects/community/knowledgebase/articles/284

I'm excited for tonight's Zoom to the Night Sky-- Halloween Edition.

An improvised exploration of our traditions and rituals... and how they might relate to things we see in the night sky.

If you missed this show, we may be doing another version later this month. Stay Tuned.

The South Dakota Discovery Center will be flying their new Digitalis SkyBox (tm) for its first public show this Saturday! This will complement sky viewing with telescopes.