For Planetariums

As part of a wide range of education and public outreach activities for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA 2009), the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has collaborated with the Association of French-speaking Planetariums (APLF) and other partners in Europe to produce a new planetarium show, 30 minutes in length, and centred on the global ground-based astronomical ALMA project. The ALMA Planetarium Show is an official part of the French activities for IYA 2009 and represents a unique chance for planetariums to be associated with the IYA 2009.

The ALMA planetarium show "In search of our Cosmic Origins" lasts 30 minutes and is available in three different formats: full dome video, classical with video windows, and classical with slides.

It is currently available in French and English. Several other language versions are in preparation: German, Italian, Spanish and Chilean Spanish. Further languages are being planned: Danish, Dutch, Greek, Japanese, Portuguese, and Brazilian Portuguese.

To learn more about the show, and to find out about presenting it at your planetarium, please contact the Association of French-language planetariums (APLF) directly at agnes.acker@astro.unistra.fr

The show will be available to all planetariums worldwide for a small fee, depending on the type and the size of the planetarium, to cover basic costs.

A poster and leaflet have been produced in French and English to accompany the show. They can be used, free of charge, by all participating planetariums.