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an astronomical over-head light projector

 have you heard? it's in the stars, next july we collide with mars.
  (+3, -1)
(+3, -1) 		  [vote for,
against]

o.k. so you smart alecs out there; you can all spot the stars, the planets, the pleiades, the plough, venus’s moon, the new one whatever its called, cassiopeia, faraway galaxies with romantic names, hidden pictographic symbols in the sky & wherever it was that ford perfect came from etc.

well, all I can spot with any conviction is our moon, bless it.

apparently at the moment, there is a well-advertised alignment of 5 planets – they are all out there somewhere to the west and high in the firmament after dark. I have also been fascinated to read that at this very time, venus is dancing with her seven sisters or something.

here, I am with no telescope, no sense of direction and ever so slightly myopic vision.

on these astronomically important occasions, the local powers-that-be should put on civic laser light shows to point the way to these heavenly bodies and to write their names on the sky. pointing and scribbling away in colourful fonts, circling the major players and crossing out the bits that are a bit boring at the moment.

it seems to me it might be educational for the entire family…

—po, Apr 02 2004

some laser displays... http://www.laserdis...om/LD1/L_PicGal.htm
[po, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Rules for Space advertising etc. http://www.newrules.org/info/space.html
Outer Space Advertising [brekkon, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Sky map, April 3rd http://science.nasa...p_north_03apr04.gif
Venus and the Pleiades [waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]


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Annotation:







       Hmm. I wonder how this squares with light pollution problems for inner city astronomers?. Presumably if it is not in the sodium range then we are OK. Lemme look!.
—gnomethang, Apr 02 2004
   

       Sounds like the guy who is trying to do space advertising.   

       In 1993, a Gerogia-based company, Space Marketing Inc., announced plans to launch square mile size billboards made from mylar sheets into low orbit. Logos about the size of the moon would have been visible to millions of people on earth. Strong public opposition caused them to withdraw their plan.   

       At that time, Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced a bill banning advertising in space. A bill in the 106th Congress (S. 342) contained a modified version of Markey's bill, prohibiting only "obtrusive" advertising in speech. These leaves the option open for NASA to raise funds in the future by placing logos on rockets and astronauts' uniforms. The Russian space program has already launched a rocket bearing a 30-foot Pizza Hut logo.
—brekkon, Apr 02 2004
   

       where is gerogia?
—po, Apr 02 2004
   

       [po] I am sorry to vote against this, but I must. If you will put the display under a clear dome, and project your lasers onto it, from the inside, allowing others (everyone not under the dome) an unencumbered, neon-free view of the night sky, I will change my vote.
—ato_de, Apr 02 2004
   

       sorry, a_d but I would like to see an openair light show just for a while at the best time, just for us short-sighted confused onlookers - lets get everyone interested in astronomy not just you enlightened folk! I value your input as always :)
—po, Apr 02 2004
   

       oh Tabs! thank you for that laugh...
—po, Apr 02 2004
   

       It would be fun, one day a year, to see the constellations depicted in the sky with red laser lines joining the stars!
—phundug, Apr 02 2004
   

       I like this idea po but I think the light would just keep on going.
I am probably mistaken but I don't think you can use the sky as a projection screen without clouds or smog or something to reflect the light.		   

       Or millions of tethered flies.
—FarmerJohn, Apr 03 2004
   

       Won't work for two reasons. 1 - what fry fry said. 2 - even if 1 could be overcome and still have stars remain visible, parallax will cause the labels to not line up except for someone standing precisely at the point of projection.
—waugsqueke, Apr 03 2004
   

       So the astronomers do lie to us, yes?.
—gnomethang, Apr 03 2004
   

       Why is this in public: surveillance?
—notexactly, Nov 15 2015
   

       Good question! Any suggestions?
—po, Nov 28 2015
   

       public: communication: visual   

       science: astronomy   

       culture: theme park: science   

       or even…   

       culture: tourist attraction: astronomy
—notexactly, Nov 30 2015
   


 

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