This Book Is a Planetarium: And Other Extraordinary Pop-Up Contraptions

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There are many books about space for children, and though it’s a subject with enduring allure, it can be difficult to find a book with the right level of text and information for particular ages, presented clearly and with inspiring illustration. This review originally appeared in the May 2018 issue of "Technical Communication", https://www.stc.org/techcomm/2018/05/.... Written by an astrophysicist from University College London and illustrated by the phenomenally talented Chris Wormell, Planetarium explores the solar system, the sun, the night sky as seen from Earth, the stars, galaxies, and the universe as we know it. Join us for The Sky Tonight, a live planetarium show presented by an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Welcome to The Planetarium! Home to an incredible collection of astronomical objects from small icy moons to huge swirling galaxies. How big is the Universe? How did it begin? What mysteries does it hold? This book is one to keep and read and LOVE! It's a beauty.' - Angels and Urchins As long as humans continue to have hands, we can continue to think with them. And we can be moved, surprised, and enlightened by what our hands tell us about how materials, actions, and behaviors are structured. Taste, touch and smell, hearing and seeing, are not merely a means to sensation, enjoyable or otherwise, but they are also a means to knowledge – and are, indeed, your only actual means to knowledge.” This is why I’ve been remaking the function of tech with something that most people consider trash: paper. By stripping technology bare of its complication and interfaces, I want to make a place where people can contemplate the wonders of the physical realm.

These shows are presented live by a Royal Observatory astronomer with several adaptations from our normal planetarium sessions, including: This project was born out of the paper record player invitation I made a few years ago (more about the process of experiencing that realization in this podcast interview with Debbie Millman.) A completely unique and incredibly cool pop-up science book for adults and kids who love design, interactive art, and paper toys, This Book is a Planetarium is a single volume that turns into:

Room lighting is left at a higher level, bright enough that you can walk around safely, and leave and re-enter the show if you wish. For someone who is accustomed to having their fingerprints all over every object they make, mass-production was extremely challenging. It took about 4 months to design and paper-engineer the book and then the publisher and I spent 2.5 years problem-solving with the printer. But we got it done! Both: Totally worth it and I’ll probably never do it again. Pop-up books begin life with the author ripping apart other people’s pop-up books as a form of love, homage, and study (many friends at The Moveable Book Society have confirmed this.) Then, you end up with a disgustingly soft/crappy handbuilt pop-up. It doesn’t close… or even open, really BUT THERE’S A GLIMMER OF HOPE. Like an addict, you keep going. https://cdn2.dropmarkusercontent.com/19290/37c369f2a1f89ad8afb8205ef48a0a89d2534df1/blinking-lights.mp4Recommended ages 7+. Under-5s will not be admitted – Ted's Space Adventure is suitable for younger children. The song used in the trailer is the best, most cosmic and ethereal version of ‘Major Tom’ in existence. It is by a self-taught musician named Susan Dietrich aka The Space Lady. Buy her music, it is amazing!