Page:SATCON2 Community Engagement Report.pdf/40

and years. (Because planetariums operate primarily within educational, nonprofit organizations they will require financial, partnership, and in-kind support to legitimize and achieve the actions outlined below.)

• Convene a group of planetarians, astronomers, system operators and software developers who can begin the task of creating databases of orbital elements and algorithms for rendering satellite visibility that can be shared among the different software vendors. (Several in the breakout group volunteered to help and the list of others who need to be in this group, such as planetarium software vendors, has been assembled.)
• Produce short, “live presenter” planetarium content that can be added in the near future to shows that are already running in multiple planetariums. This can be done in the coming year. For example, Big Astronomy could be augmented with short live sections that might show how Vera C. Rubin Observatory would be impacted. Other add-on life segments could be developed and added to other pre-rendered programs.
• Begin production planning for a more comprehensive, pre-rendered show that includes a more complete discussion of satellites and the challenges of the commercialization of near space.
• Start creating content and activities for professional development opportunities for the planetarium community. As of late summer 2021, planetarians are still meeting remotely. The hope would be to have such content ready for the renewed in-person meetings in 2022 and beyond.
• Establish a “satellite event” portal where the planetarium and amateur astronomy communities could share the information they need to help their audiences learn about satellites first hand. This would also allow opportunities for these two communities to connect and collaborate.
• The IPS is interested in progressive ways to use planetariums to give agency and voice to many who have not had a chance to be represented in their theaters. The satellite constellation challenge could be a welcome catalyst for new discussions about the night sky we all share.
• Planetariums worldwide will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first planetarium between 2023 and 2025. In April of 2024 an important total solar eclipse will be seen in North America. The challenges presented by satellite constellations should be folded into the educational efforts over the coming years.

Satellite constellations pose threats to our celestial commons and heritage in ways that are unprecedented. Good decision making and effective solutions will require a well-informed and educated public. The planetarium community has the capacity to be an important contributor to this effort. They have been trusted conveyors of the messages of the stars for over three generations. Now is the time for them to begin to prepare future generations for a more sustainable and equitable space habitat.